Community Cheerleader: Patty Campbell is July's Queen Creek Hometown Hero

Among the categories for Queen Creek Hometown Hero is Community Cheerleader, which honors and “individual who rallies and organizes positivity for the community.” 

This description is surely a match for Patty Campbell. 

Campbell hit the ground running when her family moved to Queen Creek in 2005, where she started volunteering her time in various capacities to the Queen Creek Unified School District, eventually being elected to the board of governors.

She’s done this while working for 41 years as a flight attendant for America West Airlines and then its successor companies US Airways and now American Airlines.

Campbell loves Queen Creek and encourages anyone who wants to have a voice in its future to volunteer in community events and activities.

Name: Patty Campbell

Town/Neighborhood: Queen Creek

When and why, I moved here: My husband and I moved our family to Queen Creek in 2005 from Gilbert. We loved the small-town feel and the open spaces of our community! Our daughter has been riding horses since she was 5 and our son loved outdoor sports, so this was a perfect fit! At the time we moved here there were only a few stop lights, lots of dirt roads and if you were going to the grocery store you were “going into town.”

What I like most about living here: I have never met a stranger here — being part a community that truly cares about keeping its original roots. When we moved here the population was only 15,000. Even though we have exploded in size, I truly believe our residents of Queen Creek want to keep the same community feel that it was founded on.

What I do: I have been volunteering in our schools since 2005 serving as PTO president at Desert Mountain Elementary for six years, Queen Creek Junior High, Newell Barney Junior High and finally moving on to Queen Creek High School helping on the site counsel.

After my second child graduated from QCHS in 2020, I was so vested in our school district I wanted to keep volunteering, so I decided to run for the QCUSD Governing Board. It’s with such honor that I was elected! I was absolutely overjoyed and humbled to know I could continue being part our district in a different capacity.  I am currently in my second term. Giving back to this great school district, serving all the wonderful teachers, staff, students and families of Queen Creek makes me realize how blessed I truly am.

Personal background highlights: My husband Rod and I have two wonderful young adult children, Nicole and Gus. Both were raised in Queen Creek, attending Desert Mountain Elementary, Queen Creek Junior High, Newell Barney Junior High and finally graduating from Queen Creek High School in 2013 and 2020. My husband is a pilot for American Airlines for over 25 years. Nicole attended Texas A&M University with an animal science degree and a masters in bio medical. Gus graduated from Colorado Mesa University with a degree in business in energy management and played football for the Mavericks.

Professional background highlights: In 1984 I started as a Flight Attendant with America West Airlines, US Airways and finally merging with American Airlines. I have been flying for over 41 years! I still love my career and have no plans of retiring.! I love the fact that I do what I love, travel the world, and get to fly with my best friends. If you do what you love, you never work a day in your life!

What I like most about what I do: Making a difference for others. Standing up for the people that feel they don’t have a voice without some help or knowledge on how to get there. Whether it’s helping someone that could use direction, help with employment or just listen to their thoughts on how we can do better as a district. I love it all!

What does being nominated for this category mean to you? It means that the love, gratitude and personal connections I have for this great town really resonate with others which I am grateful for.

What does it mean to be a Queen Creek resident? To me, being a Queen Creek resident means being part of a close-knit, growing community that still holds onto its small-town charm. It means taking pride in our local traditions and supporting neighbors like family. Living in Queen Creek means participating in community events, knowing I’m part of something special. It’s a place where people wave, kids still play outside and friends are family.

What do you think you bring to the local community that makes it better? I feel I am a great spokesperson with a lot of knowledge of the history in this town; sharing the heritage with all the new residents wanting to have the same life in Queen Creek to raise their families as we did.

What would you tell people about why it's important to make a difference in Queen Creek? It shows your dedication to making Queen Creek a better place to live. Giving back is what it’s all about. If you want to have a voice on what happens in Queen Creek, volunteer in the town events, join a PTO or donate your time in something that you feel that you can make a difference.

Changes I'd like to see in this area: I can’t wait for all the road construction to be completed. I would love for the traffic to slow down, as well as some of the building. I know growth is good but lets absorb what we have and be mindful of what Queen Creek was founded on.

Favorite community event: I absolutely love the Queen Creek Christmas Parade. Even though we are empty nesters I still love attending the parade and watching all the kids, teachers and families with their big smiles marching down Ellsworth Road.

My interests and hobbies: I love playing golf year-round with my family and friends. I also love planting and tending to my garden, traveling and enjoying the great life I have at home.

The trait(s) I admire in others: Good-hearted individuals that show honesty, integrity, (are) hardworking and put others before yourself.

People who inspired me (and how): My family, Rod, Nicole and Gus. I could never thank my family enough for supporting me throughout all the 20 years I have been volunteering with our district. Without their love and encouragement, I wouldn’t have been able to give back to this amazing community — a community like no other that has created such great memories, events and purpose for so many of us here in Queen Creek.

My advice to today’s youth: Don’t be in a rush to have everything figured out. I used to think I had to have all the answers by a certain age — my career, my relationships and what direction to go in life. Some of the best things that happened to me came from detours, mistakes or moments of doubt. Be curious, patient, follow YOUR dream and surround yourself with people who challenge you and care about you. The most important thing —  make sure you always give back to others and your community.

The Queen Creek Independent is pleased to announce Patty Campbell as the July 2025 Hometown Hero bestowed in the category of Community Cheerleader.  The Queen Creek Independent along with East Valley Institute of Technology and the Queen Creek Olive Mill salute Mrs. Campbell as this month's Queen Creek Hometown Heroes Awards recipient.