Today (September 3rd) is the last day to register for our Annual Campaign Kickoff breakfast at High Country Conference Center. We need to hear from you by 3 pm to make sure we save your seat!

Two of our honored guests at the kickoff will be this year’s Annual Campaign Co-Chairs, Northern Arizona University President Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera and his wife, Dr. Rima Brusi, and we hope you enjoy learning more about them in the profile below.

But before you read it, if you haven’t already registered to join us for the Annual Campaign Kickoff breakfast on September 13, please do it now!

From the desk of: Liz Archuleta President & CEO

We are honored that Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera, President of Northern Arizona University (NAU), and Dr. Rima Brusi, a professor in NAU’s Honors College, are the co-chairs of this year’s Annual Campaign. Together, they are not only shaping the future of the university, but are also deeply invested in the well-being and growth of the region as a whole.

“Rima and I are thrilled to be the co-chairs of this year’s United Way of Northern Arizona’s Annual Campaign,” said President Cruz Rivera. “We are grateful for the friendships, partnerships and collaborations between NAU, UWNA, and our Flagstaff community. This campaign is emblematic of one of NAU’s key strategic priorities, which is to ensure we are providing beneficial economic and social impact to the communities we serve. Personally, and professionally, we know that strong communities fuel aspirations and elevate excellence. UWNA is in the business of doing just that, and we are proud to be a part of the work they do.”

Elevating Excellence

Since joining NAU in June 2021, President Cruz Rivera has been a driving force behind the university’s ambitious new strategic roadmap, Elevating Excellence, a bold plan designed to broaden access to higher education for record numbers of Arizona students.

Through new admissions and financial aid practices, as well as innovative statewide partnerships, President Cruz Rivera’s vision is transforming NAU into a beacon of opportunity for students from all backgrounds.

Beyond his administrative role, he continues to connect with students by teaching a first year course with about 90 students. It’s another example of how he remains rooted in the academic mission of the university.

President Cruz Rivera’s work as a national advocate for educational equity has earned him recognition and influence, including several testimonies before the U.S. Congress. He serves on the National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), the Arizona Commerce Authority, the steering committee of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, and several other boards, commissions, and advisory groups.

A Voice for Justice and Connection

Dr. Rima Brusi, like her husband, brings a deep commitment to education and social justice to her role as co-chair. Her work as a writer, researcher, and advocate has focused on using anthropological methods to study and improve policy and practice in public education systems.

At NAU, she has continued this work as a professor in the Honors College, where she inspires students to think critically about the world around them.

Her journey to northern Arizona is deeply intertwined with her values. In an interview with The NAU Review, when asked why she came to Flagstaff, she said the simple answer was to work at NAU, but then expanded on that thought.

“To understand why NAU,” she said, “I’d need to talk about our values, about the importance I think affordable and high-quality public higher education has not only for Arizona but everywhere and about how the culture and people of this campus are truly special, and not in a generic way: This community incarnates what the historical moment we are living necessitates.”

As co-chair of the UWNA Annual Campaign, President Cruz Rivera and Dr. Brusi are Leading the Way to build a stronger, more resilient community. Their combined experience in education, advocacy, and leadership uniquely position them to not only raise funds, but also inspire a collective commitment to the values of equity, access, and community well-being.