Education Forward Arizona Announces 2025 Honorees for “An InspirED Evening”
Celebrating Leadership, Service and Impact in Education in Arizona
Aug. 18, 2025 – Education Forward Arizona has announced the honorees for its 2025 “An InspirED Evening” celebration, taking place Wednesday, October 29 at the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn in Scottsdale. The event will honor three education champions whose leadership, service and impact have helped advance opportunity and equity at all levels of Arizona’s education continuum.
The Luminary Award will be presented to Paul J. Luna, President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation, for his decades of visionary leadership and enduring impact on education in Arizona and Florida. Under Luna’s leadership, Helios has invested more than $350 million in early learning, postsecondary access and systemic equity. A first-generation college graduate from Miami, Arizona, Luna has helped thousands of students pursue brighter futures through education.
The North Star Award will be presented to Arizona GEAR UP, a statewide initiative administered by Northern Arizona University that, for 25 years, has inspired and equipped tens of thousands of students from low-income and rural communities to achieve their college and career goals. Grounded in strategic partnerships, data-informed practices and deep community engagement, GEAR UP has served as a steady north star for expanding opportunity and helping Arizona students pursue brighter futures. NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera will accept the award on behalf of the program.
The Stellar Achievement Award will be presented to Dr. Judy Robles, Associate Director in Sun Devil Athletics at Arizona State University, for her unwavering commitment to student success. As a proud first-generation college graduate, she supports low-income and first-generation students through mentorship, academic advising and family engagement. She exemplifies the generational power of higher education—not only putting herself through college while raising a family but also guiding all five of her children to earn postsecondary credentials, including her son Anthony, whose wrestling achievements were recently memorialized in the film Unstoppable.
“This year’s honorees exemplify how education can transform lives, strengthen communities and shape Arizona’s future,” said Rich Nickel, President and CEO of Education Forward Arizona. “Their leadership is lighting the path forward for our state, and we are proud to recognize the impact they’ve made.”
Proceeds from “An InspirED Evening” fuel Education Forward Arizona’s scholarships and student supports, as well as the organization’s work to champion education as the key to a stronger economy and better quality of life for all Arizonans. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact events@educationforwardarizona.org. To attend the event or learn more, visit: https://aninspiredevening2025.funraise.org/
About Education Forward Arizona
Education Forward Arizona is a statewide education advocacy organization dedicated to championing education as the key driver to improving Arizona’s economy and quality of life. Education Forward Arizona serves as the leading voice for promoting the state’s Achieve60AZ education attainment goal and a shared action plan to move the goals of the Arizona Education Progress Meter forward. The organization’s work also includes mobilizing people and communities to advocate for policies and funding to improve educational outcomes across the Pre-K to postsecondary continuum, as well as providing scholarships and programs that improve postsecondary attainment for Arizona’s diverse student population. Learn more at EducationForwardArizona.org.