Be A Leader Foundation

Over the past several years, Be A Leader has intentionally invested in strengthening our advancement efforts to support our mission, deepen community partnerships, and build long-term sustainability for the organization. As part of that ongoing evolution, we are pleased to announce several team updates that will help further strengthen our fundraising, communications, donor engagement, and partnership development efforts.

We are excited to share that Marissa Martin, CFRE has assumed the role of Chief Advancement Officer. Since joining Be A Leader, Marissa has played a key role in strengthening our advancement operations, donor stewardship practices, strategic partnerships, fundraising initiatives, and organizational communications. In her new role, Marissa will lead the organization’s advancement strategy and work closely with our President & CEO, our Board of Directors, donors, partners, and community stakeholders to further advance our mission and support the next chapter of growth for Be A Leader.

We are also pleased to share that Sharon Irwin-Foulon will remain part of the Be A Leader family. After three years of service as our Chief Advancement Officer, Sharon will continue supporting the organization as an Independent Consultant. We are deeply grateful for her contributions and look forward to continuing our partnership.

As part of our commitment to developing future leaders within the organization, we are also pleased to share that Alejandro Manriquez has transitioned from our program team into the role of Advancement Associate. In this new position, Alejandro will support donor engagement activities, fundraising operations, event coordination, stewardship efforts, and other advancement functions that help strengthen our relationships with supporters and partners. His transition reflects our continued investment in building the internal capacity needed to sustain and grow our impact.

Together, these updates represent an exciting step forward for Be A Leader. As we continue to serve thousands of students across Arizona, we remain committed to strengthening the relationships, partnerships, and philanthropic support that make our work possible.

Our 2025 Annual Report is here!

This year, Be A Leader supported 14,745 students across 91 schools and 21 districts throughout Arizona — helping students access, navigate, and succeed in college.

Thank you to our students, families, schools, donors, and community partners for making this impact possible.

🔗 Read the full report at the link in our bio.