Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher Named SBS Alumna of the Year
From left: Cindy Klingberg, chair of the Alumni Advisory Council; John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation; Jan Lesher; and SBS Dean Lori Poloni-Staudinger
On Feb. 27, the University of Arizona conferred Alumni of the Year awards on 17 accomplished graduates in recognition of their achievements, public service, advocacy for education, volunteerism and service to students, the colleges and the university. The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences was pleased to name Jan Lesher the 2024-2025 SBS Alumna of the Year for her commitment to public service and community involvement.
A third-generation Arizonan, Jan earned her bachelor’s in political science from the University of Arizona in 1977. She began her career at Warner Amex Cable Communications in Tucson, where she served as vice president, overseeing public relations and community outreach efforts. From there, she transitioned into local politics, working as assistant to the city manager and cable administrator for the City of Tucson, helping establish the city's cable telecommunications system. Later, Jan founded Lesher Communications, providing strategic public relations services to businesses and organizations throughout the area.
In the 1990s, she was actively involved with the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences for sixteen years, including serving as chair of the advisory board. In her current role as chief county administrator of Pima County, Jan manages the departmental operations for the region.
In 2003, Jan began a series of leadership roles in Governor Napolitano’s administration, first serving as director of the Southern Arizona office and later as chief of staff when Napolitano was the Arizona governor and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, managing operations across multiple agencies, including FEMA and TSA — opportunities she is grateful for and proud of.
“I think of working with TSA and doing whatever we could to make sure 2 million people flew safely every day,” Jan said. “I never forgot how fortunate I was to be able to be a part of an effort to help people.”
Jan also played a pivotal role in the campaign to fund the Women’s Plaza of Honor next to Centennial Hall, personally arranging for Governor Janet Napolitano to deliver the unveiling address — an unforgettable memory for everyone in attendance that day.
“From her time as a student at the University of Arizona and to her subsequent rise in the public service arena...she has championed Tucson, Southern Arizona, and our country,” said Lori Poloni-Staudinger, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “Jan is a wonderful example of how our alumni are making a difference in the world.”
After seven years serving former Governor and Secretary Napolitano, Jan returned to Tucson. In 2011, she played a key role in helping the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the James E. Rogers College of Law create the National Institute for Civil Discourse.
Jan was the first donor to establish an endowment for the SBS Innovation Circle, the college’s donor membership organization, and remains a committed advocate for both the college and the university’s mission. In addition, she serves on the board of Tech Parks Arizona as a director of campus research and is an emeritus member of the community advisory board of AZPM. Jan also participates in a committee between the University of Arizona and Pima County, which ensures alignment of joint projects and facilitates regular meetings between key county staff and the university for support.
Jan has won several awards in acknowledgement of her community involvement and professional achievements, including a Woman of Influence Award, Women Who Lead Award, and the Woman of the Year Award, given by the Metropolitan Tucson Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of long hours doing the work she loves, she gets together regularly with a close-knit group of friends she describes as family, holds season tickets for U of A football and basketball, and recently began planning a trip for her next milestone birthday.
Jan’s legacy at the University of Arizona, locally in Tucson, and in Washington, D.C., reflects her passion for public service, leadership, and commitment to her alma mater and community, which makes her an excellent choice for the Alumna of the Year in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
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This story was included in the spring 2025 Developments newsletter.