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- Posted Wednesday February 27, 2013
TGen's Brandy Wells selected to Spring 2013 class of Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy
Program strengthens leadership skills to advance Arizonans' quality of life
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Feb. 27, 2013 - Brandy Wells, Manager of Science Education and Outreach for the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), has been accepted into the Spring 2013 class of the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy.
Wells joins 29 other Flinn-Brown fellows in this season's class in an intensive program to help "expand the cadre of future state-level leaders with the skills, knowledge, and commitment to address Arizona's long-term issues."
Since its start in Spring 2010, the Flinn-Brown Academy has been a non-partisan effort co-sponsored by two philanthropic groups devoted to improving the quality of life for Arizonans: The Flinn Foundation of Phoenix and The Thomas R. Brown Foundations of Tucson. The Academy is the flagship program of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, an initiative of the Flinn Foundation to strengthen civic leadership in Arizona.
The Flinn-Brown program is a unique opportunity for advancing leadership skills vital to our state's knowledge-based economy," said Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen President and Scientific Director. "For Ms. Wells, it will broaden her and TGen's ability to promote increased public understanding, and help educate a new generation of scientists dedicated to advancing bioscience and medicine."
Flinn-Brown fellows engage in a seminar series of 12 daylong sessions, in addition to other components, devoted to learning the policy issues facing the state, and to better understanding the full spectrum of perspectives shared by Arizonans. The goal is to develop and strengthen leadership skills needed to achieve goals that promote the common good.
In her role at TGen, Wells interacts with the science, business, and lay communities. In this capacity she works to interpret the scientific research of the institute to the local, national and international community, directs TGen's training programs, and stewards TGen's emerging partnerships within the community at large.
"It's an honor to have been selected as a Flinn-Brown fellow," Wells said. "Given my passion for education, science and business, I see my participation in the program as a great opportunity to learn more about this state and to discover new areas - working with similarly dedicated peers - where I can make a positive contribution."
A native of Florida, Wells received her B.S. from American University in Biology and Secondary Education, and M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. She moved to Phoenix from Washington, D.C., in 2009. Wells previously taught secondary-level science at public schools in the District of Columbia and in Phoenix.
Her civic interests include K-12 and higher education, and workforce development as a driver of economic growth and stability. Wells participates on several local advisory boards and committees related to education, training and workforce initiatives, particularly in the area of biotechnology. She also is a member of the Women's Metropolitan Arts Council for the Phoenix Art Museum.
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About The Flinn Foundation
The Flinn Foundation was established by Dr. and Mrs. Robert S. Flinn in 1965 with the mission of improving the quality of life in Arizona. The Phoenix-based nonprofit philanthropic endowment supports the advancement of Arizona's bioscience sector, the Flinn Scholars Program, arts and culture, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.
About The Thomas R. Brown Foundations
The Thomas R. Brown Foundations are dedicated to raising the quality of life for present and future generations through expanded understanding and application of economic principles in private and public decision-making. The foundations, based in Tucson, are also dedicated to advancing solutions to community problems through strategic grants, research, and policy analysis.
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at
TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer,
neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of
translational research where investigators are able to unravel the
genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with
collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen
believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency
and effectiveness of the translational process. For more
information, visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
