08/20/2026
Meet your Emerging Leader Finalists!
⭐️Braxton Howard
Braxton Howard, MHA, is a promising young healthcare executive who lives, works and plays in the West Valley. After transitioning from a successful nursing career at Mayo Clinic of Scottsdale, his tenure at Sun Health has been marked by a steadfast commitment to patient-centered care and regional healthcare advancement. He serves as the Interim Executive Director at La Loma Village, Sun Health’s non-profit senior living community in Litchfield Park.
⭐️Joysaphine Waitman-Powell
Joysaphine Waitman-Powell is a respected civic leader, nonprofit executive, and public servant whose work spans local, statewide, and national impact. She currently serves as a Commissioner on the City of Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission, where she has held every body-elected leadership role, including Secretary, Vice Chair, and Chair, helping guide responsible growth, housing, and community development initiatives, and is currently still serving. As the Strategic Founding Partner and Director of Strategic Initiatives for Mentally Anonymous, Inc., she has helped build a nationally recognized mental wellness organization dedicated to awareness, advocacy, and accompaniment, connecting individuals and families to resources and support while advancing conversations around mental health and community wellness.
⭐️Vanesa Contreras Rodriguez
Vanesa Contreras Rodríguez, M.Ed., is a visionary education leader dedicated to youth empowerment, equity, and lifelong service. As Vice President of Programs and Impact at New Pathways for Youth, she leads initiatives that help Valley youth break cycles of poverty through education and workforce readiness. A proud Mexican immigrant and first-generation college graduate, she is deeply committed to mentoring, community service, and expanding pathways to opportunity across Phoenix and the West Valley.
Register to join us at Best of the West to honor these leaders and many more that are making a difference every day in the West Valley!
https://bit.ly/3SUKutD
✨️State Farm Stadium
✨️Thursday, October 22
✨️5:30-9:30pm
