Judy Schubert, Board Chairperson

Judy Schubert, a former schoolteacher, has been actively involved in the Phoenix non-profit community for over 35 years. With a friend, she co-founded the Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix which opened in 1985, and most recently she has worked on Ryan House, a pediatric respite and palliative care home for children with life-threatening conditions. She has served on many local boards including The Junior League of Phoenix, Rossen-House Heritage Square Foundation, The Board of Visitors, The Barrow Women’s Board and others. She was named Phoenix Woman of the Year in 2001. Citizenship Counts is one of her all-time favorite endeavors!

Ron Lowe, Board Vice Chairperson

Ron Lowe is a partner in Perkins Coie’s Real Estate and Land Use practice, focusing on real estate transactions and secured real estate financing. He is widely-recognized for his expertise and has been listed in Chambers USA as one of “America’s Leading Real Estate Lawyers.” He also appears on the Southwest Super Lawyers list, as well as The Best Lawyers in America. His community efforts include serving as an Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University’s College of Law, as a member of the Board of Visitors for ASU’s Jewish Studies program and as a coordinator for the Holocaust Survivors Justice Network.

Jim Ullman, Board Treasurer

James A. Ullman is a partner at the Phoenix office of Quarles and Brady. Jim has a passion for education and has chaired and spoken at numerous state and national conferences about pertinent topics in franchising and education-related law. He was appointed by two governors to serve on state education panels. For five years, he was a member of the Arizona State Board of Education, acting as its President in 1995. In 1996, Jim received the “Distinguished Service Award” as outstanding state education board member from the National Association of State Boards of Education. He also was the Maricopa County Representative to the Arizona State Community College Board from 1991-1997, serving as its Chair in 1995.

Nancy Haas, Board Secretary

Dr. Nancy Haas is a Professor Emeritus. She recently retired from Arizona State University as the Director of ASU’s Center for Civic Education and Leadership. She is the chair of the Education Committee for Citizenship Counts. She has extensive experience in curriculum management and curriculum development including being a part of the Sandra Day O’Connor iCivics Project.. She has spent the last five years concentrating her research interests in civic education in the international arena by working with emerging democracies to develop civic education programs. Her work has taken her to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Jordan and most recently Argentina. She has assisted in the development of civic education curricula for elementary, secondary and university level students. Her work has been published both nationally and internationally.

Diane Eckstein, Board Member

Diane Eckstein is a retired clinical social worker who has been employed by both government and non-profit organizations. She was co-founder and co-director of the Family Counseling Center from 1983 to 2003 and has served on a number of non-profit boards that focus on children, families and the community. She was born and raised in the United States. Her father, grandparents on both sides and in laws were all immigrants who came to this country as refugees to escape persecution. Her life has been blessed with the opportunities that are offered to citizens of the United States, and her hope is that Citizenship Counts will help young Americans understand and become active participants in the blessings and responsibilities of American citizenship.

Carlos Galindo-Elvira, Board Member

Carlos Galindo-Elvira is Vice President of Philanthropic and Community Relations for Valle del Sol. In this role, he oversees the philanthropic, marketing, leadership development, and community relations areas of the agency. Prior to his employment with Valle del Sol, Carlos worked as a Special Assistant to former United States Senator Dennis DeConcini; at the Pinal County Recorder’s Office as the Voter Outreach Program Coordinator, and the YMCA as a Childcare Program Coordinator. He served as Mayor for the Town of Hayden for the term ending in June 2005. Currently, Carlos is a member of the Phoenix Chapter of the American Jewish Committee, ASU University College Advisory Board, Raul Castro Institute Advisory Committee, and Temple Emanuel Board of Trustees.

Susan Gilman, Board Member

Susan R. Gilman is a shareholder of Gilman Law Offices, P.C., focusing on real estate and commercial transactions, lending and finance, with a special emphasis in affordable housing and community development. She was a Senior Counsel at Bank of America from 1992-1999, with responsibility for regional and national legal services in those and other areas. Susan has also been the President of Desert Canyon Development since 1986. Susan has served on the Board of Directors of Bank of Scottsdale (In Organization), served on the faculty of the Arizona School of Real Estate, has done volunteer work as an Administrative Judge Pro Tem for the State of Arizona Department of Real Estate, and is a two-time past Chair of the State Bar of Arizona Real Property Section, currently on their Executive Council. Susan is currently an Ambassador of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where see received her J.D. in 1982, and an Honored Member in Biltmore Who’s Who of Executives and Professionals. She lectures extensively, including over 125 programs since 1990. Susan has served on many local boards including Actors Theatre of Phoenix, COMPAS (Combined Metropolitan Arts and Sciences), Toby House, Inc., and the VNSA (Volunteer Nonprofit Service Association).

Syd Golston, Board Member

Syd Golston, 2009-2010 President of the National Council for the Social Studies, is an educational administrator, curriculum writer, historian, and community volunteer. She taught at all grade levels from 7th to college, specializing in constructivist learning experiences in local and women’s history and in citizenship education. Syd wrote the books Changing Woman of the Apache, Revisiting America, The Death Penalty, and Studies in Arizona History, and many journal articles. The organizations for which she has written curriculum include the PBS Online NewsHour, Kids Voting USA, UNICEF, and the Commission on the Presidential Debates. She has been an administrator in the Phoenix Union High School District in Phoenix, Arizona since 2000, most recently as the director of a five year “Teaching American History” grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Sam Harris, Board Member

Samuel Harris is a child Holocaust survivor, author, active community member and proud naturalized citizen. He has received countless awards and distinctions for his leadership, visionary ideas, and contributions to the community. He is a former President of Northbrook United Way, and he is currently on the Board of Directors of South Central Bank in Chicago. For 44 years, Mr. Harris has been a member of The Rotary Club of Northbrook, Illinois, who awarded Mr. Harris with the “Service Above Self” award. Mr. Harris spearheaded the building of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center (IHMEC) and is currently serving as President Emeritus of the IHMEC in Skokie, Illinois. In 2011, New Trier High School named Mr. Harris one of the ten outstanding graduates of all time. Chicago Magazine awarded Mr. Harris “Chicagoan of the Year 2009.” In 2005, Mr. Harris was awarded “The State of Illinois Human Rights Award for Distinguished Leadership for Protecting the Human Rights of the People of Illinois.” He is a graduate of Grinnell College and the recipient of the College’s coveted Alumni Award.

Pit Lucking, Board Member

Pit Lucking has been involved in many volunteer and civic-related community initiatives. She has managed several citizenship-themed programs over the years. She ran a babysitting program for mothers taking English classes and developed an educational luncheon program focusing on diversity, where a different country was studied each month. She has a passion for education and has served as a community advisor with the Madison and Phoenix Union Districts. Pit is an Emeritus Member of the Arizona State University Foundation and an Associate of the Board of Visitors. Most recently she was the Coordinator of the Volunteer Services at ASU, a volunteer information and referral program that is open to people throughout the entire Valley.

Barbara Rodriguez Mundell, Board Member

Barbara Rodriguez Mundell possesses a strong commitment to civil service. She was initially appointed to the bench of the Superior Court of Arizona of Maricopa County in 1989 and recently retired in May 2010. Immediately prior to her retirement, she served a 5-year term as the presiding judge for all trial courts in Maricopa County. In her tenure as a trial judge, she handled many case assignments, including civil, juvenile, family court, criminal, probate, and mental health. As an attorney in private practice, she specialized in workers’ compensation and social security cases. She is an active board member on the National Center for State Courts based in Williamsburg, VA. From 2008 to 2011 she served on the executive session for court leaders for Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She received her B.A. and J.D. degrees from Arizona State University.

Don Streets, Board Member

Don Streets is a retired educator after 46 years in the field, having taught at the elementary, secondary, and university undergraduate and graduate levels. He received his B.S. from Indiana University, his Master’s from Notre Dame and a graduate degree from University of Massachusetts. After completing his degree, he served on the faculty at UMass for 8 years. Soon after he became Associate Dean of Education at National University in San Diego where he co-directed the establishment of their School of Education and was promoted to Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. He spent the last 17 years of his career with the Mesa Unified School District, including 14 years as Principal of Lindbergh Elementary School. He has been retired for 8 years and spends a great deal of time traveling and serving as an educational consultant in Finland and at the George Townshend International School in Hluboka, Czech Republic.