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ACJC Staff Leadership
 

CHIEF OF OPERATIONS- MOLLY EDWARDS

"I believe in advancing justice through strategy, stewardship, and innovation—strengthening the systems that build safety, trust, and equity across Arizona."

Molly Edwards is a seasoned public affairs and communications executive with over 31 years of experience working with elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels. She currently serves as Chief of Operations at the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, overseeing Information Technology, Communications, Legislative Affairs, Human Resources, grant audits, the Statistical Analysis Center, and Administration. With more than 15 years in executive leadership, she has directed strategic initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and organizational development. Previously, she served as Public Information Officer and Legislative Liaison for the Commission, leading major communications efforts and policy strategies. Her career also includes senior roles with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the Arizona Department of Education, and multiple law firms. She also served as Programs Director at O’Connor House, advancing civic education and preserving Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s legacy. Ms. Edwards is pursuing a Ph.D. in Political Science at Northern Arizona University, holds a Master's in Public Administration (from Northern Arizona University), and a Bachelor of Science from ASU's College of Architecture, and is a Flinn-Brown Fellow, Honorary Commander at Luke Air Force Base, recipient of Arizona's "40 under 40". and past World Affairs Council president.

CHIEF OF PROGRAMS/CFO - ROSEMARY ARMENTA

"I believe in improving Justice to protect the safety of our communities, strengthen public trust and uphold the integrity of the implementation of systems that ensure every person is treated fairly, every decision is accountable, and justice serves the people it was created to protect."

Rosemary Armenta is a senior public-sector financial executive with extensive experience leading finance and administrative operations for Arizona state agencies. She currently serves as Chief of Programs at the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, overseeing the Criminal Justice Systems Improvement Program, Drug Gang and Violent Crime Control Program, Victim Service Program, and Finance. She brings deep expertise in statewide budgeting, accounting, payroll, procurement, and internal financial controls, and is highly proficient in AZ360 and AZ360-HRM systems. Rosemary most recently served as Chief Financial Officer for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, where she oversaw agency-wide finance operations and provided executive oversight of multiple federal and state grant programs. In this role, she advised executive leadership on fiscal risk, grant compliance, and strategic budget decisions while ensuring accurate financial reporting and strong internal controls. Additionally, she served as Accounting Fund Manager for the Arizona Supreme Court. Rosemary provided senior-level financial oversight, monitored expenditures, and supported leadership with data-driven fiscal guidance. She is widely recognized as a trusted advisor who translates complex fiscal and grant requirements into clear operational direction. Known for her collaborative leadership style and strong compliance focus, Rosemary has successfully guided finance teams through organizational change while maintaining accountability, transparency, and public trust.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER- LLOYD ASATO

"I believe justice is the foundation of thriving communities, and I work to build trust through collaboration and fairness in the criminal justice system."

Lloyd Y. Asato is an experienced public leader having served in both state government and national non-profits. He previously served as the Deputy Director of the National Council of AAPI Physicians supporting the Council’s health care reform portfolio. Prior to that he led the policy and capacity building programs for the Health Forum based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Asato began his career in public service as the Director of the Hawaii State Office of Rural Health. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS DIRECTOR- DR. ALLYSON HORGAN

"Committed to service, empirical evaluation, and mentorship to drive data-informed progress and advance justice and equity in Arizona's communities."

Allyson J. Horgan, Ph.D. is the Director of the Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) at the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC). In this role, she leads the ACJC’s research program, providing criminal justice statistics and research to inform evidence-based programs and policy development. Dr. Horgan has spent her career providing contract support for several federal government agencies, managing applied research projects to establish best practices and provide data-driven recommendations. In her previous position as a Research Psychologist, she managed applied research projects in the personnel security domain, including security clearance reform, utilizing protocol development, data collection and analysis, and preparation of technical reports. Early in her career as a Research Scientist, Allyson managed applied research projects in both the laboratory and field examining credibility assessment and investigative interviewing in various settings. Dr. Horgan holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, with a Legal Psychology Concentration, from the University of Texas at El Paso.

VICTIM SERVICES PROGRAM MANAGER- DORINDA JOHNS

"I believe that no victim of crime should ever be lost in the justice process nor suffer economic loss due to their victimization, and every victim deserves a voice in the criminal justice system. Through advocacy, funding, and legal resource administration, I aim to support and encourage victims to successfully navigate the criminal justice system and their healing journey."

Dorinda Johns is a highly accomplished state government professional with more than 30 years of experience in program management, policy development, and administration, with a distinguished focus on victim services. Her expertise spans the full spectrum of the Victim Assistance and Crime Victim Compensation programs, where she has played a central role in strengthening statewide consistency, compliance, and service delivery. In her current position as a Program Manager at the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC), Ms. Johns oversees key components of the Commission’s victim services portfolio. She builds and maintains strong partnerships with grantees and Arizona tribes, leads collaborative meetings to ensure uniform policy implementation, and manages updates to state administrative rules, grant processes, and monitoring protocols. Her leadership is marked by clarity, fairness, and a deep commitment to supporting victim service providers across Arizona. Prior to joining ACJC, Ms. Johns held pivotal roles at the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), where she created and supervised the Child Care Review and Reconciliation Unit. In that capacity, she implemented quality assurance measures, strengthened oversight functions, and advanced the agency’s efforts to identify and resolve overpayments. Ms. Johns graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communications.

DRUG, GANG, & VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL PROGRAM MANAGER- SIYENI YITBAREK

"I am driven to lead with integrity and support effective justice programs across the state so that all our communities are safe and public trust is strengthened."

Siyeni Yitbarek is the Program Manager for the Drug, Gang, and Violent Crime Control Program (DGVCC) at ACJC, leveraging a robust background in grant management, compliance, and program oversight. Ms. Yitbarek brings extensive experience supporting federally and state-funded initiatives designed to strengthen community safety and support vulnerable populations. Before her current role, she managed federal, state, and privately funded grants in the nonprofit sector, where she was responsible for ensuring full regulatory compliance, facilitating audits, developing proposals, and providing both financial and administrative oversight. Her work required expert collaboration with local agencies, data-driven reporting, and supporting complex program operations. Drawing on this multidisciplinary foundation, which includes earlier experience in healthcare and education, Siyeni previously excelled as both a Grant Coordinator and Project Manager for the DGVCC. Now leading the program, she utilizes her expertise to develop grant criteria, spearhead comprehensive federal and state reporting, conduct field audits, guide sub-grantees, and support strategic planning. Ms. Yitbarek is committed to enhancing public safety by aligning program goals with stringent state and federal requirements and fostering effective, compliant, and data-driven program outcomes.