About Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona
What is the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona?
The Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona (WFSA) is a Tucson-based foundation dedicated to creating equity for women and girls in Arizona through research, advocacy, innovative programs, and grantmaking. Founded in 1991, WFSA identifies verbatim as "a transformational organization that prioritizes people over transactions" and describes its work via four pillars: Research, Advocacy, Innovative Solutions, and Investment.
The research program produces the Self-Sufficiency Standard (a county-by-county cost-of-living benchmark for working families) and Benefits Cliff analysis. Innovative Solutions include the Women's Legal and Self-Empowerment Certification, the Unidas Youth Leadership Program (which awarded $5,000 to El Rio Health Center's Reproductive Health Access Project in 2023), and the Pathways for Single Moms Program. Grantmaking runs through the FORGE and ember Grants.
WFSA was named a Top Company to Work for in Arizona, and it publishes annual Impact Reports (2024 and 2025).
Where will I work?
WFSA is based at 7090 N Oracle Road, Suite 178, PMB 2024, Tucson, AZ 85704, with a flexible work environment and remote work options for staff (per DB remote_level=hybrid). The current address is reflected on both the homepage footer and the team page, and replaces an older Swan Road location.
What is the WFSA team like?
Board of Trustees: Sarah Gonzalez (Board Chair), Jeanine Bashir (Board Secretary), Rachael Morczynski (Board Treasurer), Sharifa Rowe, and other powerhouse women from varied industries aligned with WFSA's mission to "create transformational systemic change in Arizona."
Staff (per /about/the-team/):
- Katia Jones — Chief Executive Officer
- Sarah Whelan — VP of Finance and Operations
- Desiree Hammond — VP of Community Impact
- Hannah Terpening — Director of Marketing and Communications (520-367-4487, [email protected])
- Kirsten Larsen — Director of Operations
- Brittany Duran — Director of Philanthropy
- Abril Valenzuela — Development and Marketing Coordinator
WFSA observes a verbatim land acknowledgement on the homepage: "In the spirit of truth, healing, and reconciliation, we humbly and respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous nations who have stewarded the land we now call Arizona since time immemorial."
Work-Life Balance
WFSA adopted a 4-day work week effective July 1, 2023. The full press announcement (live at /4-day-work-week/) opens verbatim: "After in-depth research on job satisfaction, employee burnout and overall project efficiency, the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona's (WFSA) leadership team adopts an employee-first, 4-day work week structure. As of July 1, 2023, WFSA will operate Monday through Thursday, 32 hours per week."
The rationale verbatim: "WFSA is committed to attracting, engaging and retaining a talented and diverse workforce. Providing a flexible work environment with competitive wages and benefits is just one-way WFSA supports job seekers and current employees in maintaining a healthy work/life balance."
Chief Operations Officer Lorie Sandaine explained the team-first philosophy verbatim: "Our employees carry out the mission and vision of WFSA. The collective sum of the individual life experience that our employees bring to the table provides us with rich depth to our work. WFSA is committed to investing in our staff and workplace culture, as it represents our organizational values in ways that are more than just rhetoric."
Supporting evidence cited (from 4-day Week Global's 2018 global study, verbatim): "63% of businesses found it easier to attract and retain talent with a 4-day week" and "improvement in the work-life balance of employees and delivered transformational benefits in their daily lives, while improving physical and mental health, and reducing levels of burnout, stress, sick leave, and absenteeism."
Perks and Benefits
Beyond the 4-day, 32-hour Monday-Thursday schedule, the public site does not publish a detailed benefits inventory. WFSA emphasises "competitive wages and benefits" alongside its flexible work environment. Speculative interest welcomed via the careers contact.