Second term
President | Iconico 

Ávila is a social entrepreneur and organizational leader working at the intersection of climate adaptation, community power and civic strategy. He is President of Iconico, advising national and local organizations on governance, leadership and public engagement. He founded Instituto and ALL in Education and leads Rumbo, a Phoenix-based initiative building climate-resilient, economically thriving desert communities. A longtime civic leader, Ávila has advanced civil rights and public policy nationally and serves on multiple nonprofit boards. He is an Aspen Global and NextGen Google Fellow and advises organizations across the country on strategy and systems change.

Black is a principal and vice president with more than 40 years of experience in all aspects of architecture, from planning to design and construction. He is a national expert in higher education, supporting colleges and universities in fulfilling their mission through campus design and creating environments to advance learning and research. Operating with a core belief that design should always solve a problem, he prides himself on working closely with his clients to find solutions that are individually tailored, transformative and enduring. 

Second term
Snell & Wilmer  

Burnside is an attorney with Snell & Wilmer LLP’s environmental and natural resources law practice in Phoenix with a focus on water law. He rejoins the board following 15 years of service since 2009. During Burnside’s multi-term service to the Garden’s Board of Trustees, he served four years as a Vice President and participated in numerous committees including Executive, Strategic Planning, Operations Support and Research, Collections and Horticulture, which he chaired for five years. Of the committees Burnside chaired, many addressed important projects for the Garden, including the renovation of Ullman Terrace, the design and construction of Gertrude’s restaurant and the expansion of the Garden Shop. 

First term
Vice President, Client Services | The Colibri Collective 

Cardenas is an accomplished Latina leader in the marketing and advertising industry, with more than 23 years of experience spanning the nonprofit, education, government and philanthropic sectors. As Vice President of The Colibri Collective, she has led more than 55 nationally recognized, award-winning campaigns, bringing deep expertise in creative direction, media strategy and community engagement. Cardenas is a founding member of Latinas in Philanthropy & Service, a recipient of the 40 Under 40 Hispanic Leaders Award and Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.  

Colianni, president of 1834, a division of Old National Bank, leads a tenured team of high-net-worth advisors throughout Old National Bank’s footprint. Colianni is a results-driven leader known for building successful client partnerships and executing highly effective growth strategies that involve complex financial products. His significant industry contributions include having served as: Head of Private Banking and Executive Vice President at Abbot Downing (a Wells Fargo company), which served the wealth management needs of ultra-high-net-worth, multigenerational families, family offices, foundations and endowments. He serves on the Garden’s Finance Committee and Patrons Circle Committee. 

Second term
Community Volunteer

Elliott is the former Executive Director of one.n.ten, former Chief Information Officer for Voya in Denver and a current board member of Lambda Legal. She has also served as a board member for Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS and was a Research Associate at the University of Denver Research Institute. Elliott holds a master’s degree in political science and public administration from University of Denver. Elliott is a committee member of the Garden’s Research, Collections and Horticulture and Fund the Farm Committees. 

Second term
Director, Strategic Community Partnerships | Vitalyst Health Foundation 

Martinez serves as a Director for Vitalyst Health Foundation, where he oversees grantmaking that supports efforts to improve the health of individuals and communities throughout Arizona. Martinez has served in roles with the Center for the Future of Arizona and St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and is a Flinn-Brown Fellow. He has been involved with the Center for LGBTQ Philanthropy and the Garden’s Monarch Council for emerging leaders. Born and raised in Marana, he is a first-generation graduate from the University of Arizona. Martinez serves on several of the Garden’s board committees.

Nava-Schellinger is the Founder & CEO of The Nava Collective, blending her legal training to approach complex problems at the intersection of community needs and client strategic goals across higher education, private, nonprofit and philanthropic spaces that ultimately help leaders, organizations and communities thrive. Nava-Schellinger served in leadership capacities at Sandra Day O’ Connor College of Law at ASU, Howard University School of Law, Enroll America, The National Council on Aging and The SCAN Foundation focused on the economic security and health equity of older adults, low income and communities of color. She is a graduate of El Paso Community College, The University of Texas at El Paso and Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU.

Williams is the CEO & President of MacKinnon Products, which manufactures therapy products for horses. Prior to founding Mackinnon, Williams was the Director for Citi Capital Strategies and Co-founder of McColl Garella which focused on providing capital solutions for women and minority-owned businesses. Williams has served on numerous boards including Trustee and Finance Chair for the Williston Northampton School, Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board and Women President’s Organization. Williams serves on the Garden’s Executive and Education Committees. 

Williams serves as the Individual Philanthropy Manager for Dorrance Family Enterprises and Grant Administrator for Dorrance Family Foundation, where she supports giving initiatives and family engagement for philanthropic efforts throughout Arizona. Before transitioning into philanthropy, Williams built her career in geographic information sciences with Maricopa County, applying spatial analysis and data-driven solutions to support countywide planning. Originally from Denver, Colorado, Williams moved to the Valley in 2006. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s degree in Geography, both from the University of Denver. She is a longtime member of the Garden and serves on its Patrons Circle Committee.

Second term
President | Iconico 

Ávila is a social entrepreneur and organizational leader working at the intersection of climate adaptation, community power and civic strategy. He is President of Iconico, advising national and local organizations on governance, leadership and public engagement. He founded Instituto and ALL in Education and leads Rumbo, a Phoenix-based initiative building climate-resilient, economically thriving desert communities. A longtime civic leader, Ávila has advanced civil rights and public policy nationally and serves on multiple nonprofit boards. He is an Aspen Global and NextGen Google Fellow and advises organizations across the country on strategy and systems change.

Black is a principal and vice president with more than 40 years of experience in all aspects of architecture, from planning to design and construction. He is a national expert in higher education, supporting colleges and universities in fulfilling their mission through campus design and creating environments to advance learning and research. Operating with a core belief that design should always solve a problem, he prides himself on working closely with his clients to find solutions that are individually tailored, transformative and enduring. 

Second term
Snell & Wilmer  

Burnside is an attorney with Snell & Wilmer LLP’s environmental and natural resources law practice in Phoenix with a focus on water law. He rejoins the board following 15 years of service since 2009. During Burnside’s multi-term service to the Garden’s Board of Trustees, he served four years as a Vice President and participated in numerous committees including Executive, Strategic Planning, Operations Support and Research, Collections and Horticulture, which he chaired for five years. Of the committees Burnside chaired, many addressed important projects for the Garden, including the renovation of Ullman Terrace, the design and construction of Gertrude’s restaurant and the expansion of the Garden Shop. 

First term
Vice President, Client Services | The Colibri Collective 

Cardenas is an accomplished Latina leader in the marketing and advertising industry, with more than 23 years of experience spanning the nonprofit, education, government and philanthropic sectors. As Vice President of The Colibri Collective, she has led more than 55 nationally recognized, award-winning campaigns, bringing deep expertise in creative direction, media strategy and community engagement. Cardenas is a founding member of Latinas in Philanthropy & Service, a recipient of the 40 Under 40 Hispanic Leaders Award and Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.  

Colianni, president of 1834, a division of Old National Bank, leads a tenured team of high-net-worth advisors throughout Old National Bank’s footprint. Colianni is a results-driven leader known for building successful client partnerships and executing highly effective growth strategies that involve complex financial products. His significant industry contributions include having served as: Head of Private Banking and Executive Vice President at Abbot Downing (a Wells Fargo company), which served the wealth management needs of ultra-high-net-worth, multigenerational families, family offices, foundations and endowments. He serves on the Garden’s Finance Committee and Patrons Circle Committee. 

Second term
Community Volunteer

Elliott is the former Executive Director of one.n.ten, former Chief Information Officer for Voya in Denver and a current board member of Lambda Legal. She has also served as a board member for Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS and was a Research Associate at the University of Denver Research Institute. Elliott holds a master’s degree in political science and public administration from University of Denver. Elliott is a committee member of the Garden’s Research, Collections and Horticulture and Fund the Farm Committees. 

Second term
Director, Strategic Community Partnerships | Vitalyst Health Foundation 

Martinez serves as a Director for Vitalyst Health Foundation, where he oversees grantmaking that supports efforts to improve the health of individuals and communities throughout Arizona. Martinez has served in roles with the Center for the Future of Arizona and St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and is a Flinn-Brown Fellow. He has been involved with the Center for LGBTQ Philanthropy and the Garden’s Monarch Council for emerging leaders. Born and raised in Marana, he is a first-generation graduate from the University of Arizona. Martinez serves on several of the Garden’s board committees.

Nava-Schellinger is the Founder & CEO of The Nava Collective, blending her legal training to approach complex problems at the intersection of community needs and client strategic goals across higher education, private, nonprofit and philanthropic spaces that ultimately help leaders, organizations and communities thrive. Nava-Schellinger served in leadership capacities at Sandra Day O’ Connor College of Law at ASU, Howard University School of Law, Enroll America, The National Council on Aging and The SCAN Foundation focused on the economic security and health equity of older adults, low income and communities of color. She is a graduate of El Paso Community College, The University of Texas at El Paso and Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU.

Williams is the CEO & President of MacKinnon Products, which manufactures therapy products for horses. Prior to founding Mackinnon, Williams was the Director for Citi Capital Strategies and Co-founder of McColl Garella which focused on providing capital solutions for women and minority-owned businesses. Williams has served on numerous boards including Trustee and Finance Chair for the Williston Northampton School, Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board and Women President’s Organization. Williams serves on the Garden’s Executive and Education Committees. 

Williams serves as the Individual Philanthropy Manager for Dorrance Family Enterprises and Grant Administrator for Dorrance Family Foundation, where she supports giving initiatives and family engagement for philanthropic efforts throughout Arizona. Before transitioning into philanthropy, Williams built her career in geographic information sciences with Maricopa County, applying spatial analysis and data-driven solutions to support countywide planning. Originally from Denver, Colorado, Williams moved to the Valley in 2006. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s degree in Geography, both from the University of Denver. She is a longtime member of the Garden and serves on its Patrons Circle Committee.