Kira was born in Barrow Alaska and lived in the very far northern tip of Alaska in Wainwright, a native Inupiat town of only 400 people.  Her parents, who are both educators from the Akron, Ohio area, wanted to live an adventure and go teach in a very extreme area, and boy did they find it.  Kira and 4 younger siblings learned how to prosper in some of the harshest environments in our country before making Arizona home. 

 

Kira attended high school at Xavier College Prep in Phoenix.  During her high school years, she worked in the summers as a lifeguard which would lead her to future role in city government.  

 

Kira met her husband Sean while working together as lifeguards together at Cactus Aquatic Center.  Kira and Sean have been married for 26 years and have 3 children.  The oldest is Raven who is 23 and is a City of Phoenix Park Ranger.  Scarlet who is the middle daughter, recently graduated from Saint Mary’s College in Indiana, is working as a paralegal and studying to get into law school.  The youngest is Judah and he is a freshman at Arcadia High School. 

 

After a brief sojourn at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Kira came back home and finished her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Arizona State University.  Later in her career, Kira earned her master’s degree in public administration through Northern Arizona University.

 

Kira has a strong passion for building community and what better way to do this then working in local government.  Kira has worked for the City of Scottsdale for 34 years.  She has served in a wide range of leadership roles within Parks and Recreation, Human Services, the Public Library system and doing an interim stint in Scottsdale’s Water Resource Department.

 

In 2023, Kira took a job as the Assistant City Manager of Bozeman, Montana.  Kira told us she has always aspired to higher levels of government service and felt this opportunity would be a great experience.  Kira enjoyed her time in Bozeman, but luckily for us she was offered a job back in Scottsdale City government which also allowed Kira to be close to family. 

 

Kira expressed being extremely grateful to Scottsdale Leadership not just for helping to shape the leader she is today through programming and community leadership connections but also for Scottsdale Leadership’s attention to alumni engagement and opportunities to stay involved.  

 

It is clear to us that Kira’s energy and spirit propel her to take on new challenges.  In addition to being a dedicated Mom and partner to her husband, she somehow finds time to help our community outside the walls of city government.  She serves as the President of one of Scottsdale's newest and most cutting-edge civic organizations, the Woman’s Collective (“The WC”).  Their mission is to inspire and elevate women leaders.  She is energized when working alongside other Scottsdale Leadership alumnae including Jona Davis, Jenna Kohl, Chris Irish, Colleen Katz, Jane Blacker, Ellen Frankhenal-Kilroy and Councilwoman Maryann McAllen and other amazing women leaders.  The WC will once again host their signature fundraising effort The Night Run during Scottsdale’s Canal Convergence event in November.  Additionally, the WC will also be awarding another Frances Young Trailblazer Award at this year’s Scottsdale Leadership’s annual Spirit of Community Leadership Awards in December.  

 

Kira is not slowing down and resting on her laurels.  She is committed to make Scottsdale a better place to live for all of us.  Scottsdale Leadership can be proud of Kira. We are so fortunate that she is part of our alumni family.  

​