Valley Leadership has named Juanita “Nita” Francis, Vince Roig, and Calvin Goode as the organization’s 75th Arizona Leaders of the Year, formally known as Man & Woman of the Year.

The three were selected because of their commitment to addressing Arizona’s most pressing issues, track record of community engagement, and alignment with Valley Leadership’s Principles of Doing, according to a press release announcing the winners

“Nita, Vince and Calvin represent the best of Arizona. Their decades-long commitment to seeing that every Arizonan is healthy, educated and treated fairly is unmatched. The honor is truly ours to be able to highlight their work, impact and commitment to Arizona,” said Valley Leadership CEO, Dave Brown.

Francis has an extensive background in health care and education. Her career as a women’s health nurse spanned Illinois, Ohio, and Massachusetts before moving to Arizona in 1998, where she worked at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix and Phoenix Children’s Hospital until her retirement.

Francis has a long history of philanthropy and community involvement, supporting organizations such as Teen Parent Connection, the National Medical Interpreter Project, and United Way. She serves on the boards of the Valleywise Health Foundation, the University of Illinois Foundation, and the Arizona State University Foundation. She also is a member of the Arizona section of the International Women’s Forum and is president of the F2 Family Foundation, focusing on health care and education initiatives.

Roig is the founding chairman of Helios Education Foundation. He has led the organization to become one of the largest education-focused foundations in Arizona and Florida. Before Helios, Roig guided Southwest Student Services Corp., facilitating more than $10 billion in student loans. He is involved with various education boards, including Teach for America - National.

Calvin C. Goode was a long-serving Phoenix councilman and educator. He spent 22 years on the Phoenix City Council, where he was known as the “Conscience of the Council” for advocating for underserved communities.

Goode, who died in 2020, began his career in education and earned degrees in business and education from Arizona State University. His work in public service focused on education and civil rights, and he played a key role in desegregation efforts.

The Calvin C. Goode Phoenix Municipal Building is named in his honor, and he was instrumental in establishing the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. Goode will be receiving the first-ever posthumous Arizona Leader of the Year award.

Francis, Roig, and Goode will be recognized at the 75th Arizona Leaders of the Year Awards Reception hosted by John and Kathleen Graham on Nov. 21, 2024 at the Paradise Valley Country Club. Tickets are now available.

To celebrate the 75th year of this prestigious honor, the event has been renamed from Man & Woman of the Year to Arizona Leaders of the Year to be more inclusive and aligned with the vision and mission of Valley Leadership. Sprout’s Healthy Community Foundation is the sponsor of the event and Valley Leadership’s work overall in the community.