Hickey Family Foundation Board
Our Board of Trustees is responsible for strategically directing the Trust to achieve its stated mission.
[L to R] Jon Eliason, Charles Flanagan, Nancy Baldwin, Helen Trop-Zell, Joe Mangone, Diana Devine, John Meza
Nancy E. Baldwin
As the Executive Director and a Trustee of the Hickey Family Foundation, Nancy is the primary liaison between HFF and all external entities including investment banks, grant seekers, legal, accounting and auditing services, and other NGOs and funders. She manages and coordinates all administration, operations and activities of the Foundation.
Nancy has held high level administrative, sales, and marketing positions in higher education and private industry since 1973. She became acquainted with Mr. Hickey and supported him in some administrative capacity beginning in 1980, and was his Personal Assistant through the end of his life in 2006. Nancy was involved in all aspects of Mr. Hickey’s estate planning and legal activities, including the establishment in 2004 of the Hickey Family Foundation Trust.
Nancy holds a B.S. in Business Administration, an A.A.S. in Marketing and A.A.S. in Management. In 2011, Nancy received her certification in nonprofit management from the Nonprofit Management Institute, ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Innovation.
Diana “Dede” Yazzie Devine
Dede has worked with Native American urban and tribal entities since 1972. She was employed as the CEO of Native American Connections (NAC) for 44 years, retiring in 2023. Under her leadership, NAC provided comprehensive behavioral health and integrated medical services, affordable housing, and community based economic development. NAC developed, owns and operates over 1,500 units of affordable housing for working families, shelter/transitional housing for youth, and permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals.
Dede’s leadership has been recognized with the following honors: Valley Leadership’s Woman of the Year (2003); Arizona’s Centennial Legacy Project – Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing Women (2012); Phoenix Business Journal’s 25 Most Admired CEOs (2012); Arizona Interfaith Movement Golden Rule Award (2016); ASU Morrison institute of Public Policy Distinguished Fellow (2019); AZ Housing Coalition and the AZ Department of Housing Life Time Achievement Awards (2022); one of USA Today’s Woman of the Year (2023), and was inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame (2023).
In retirement, she dedicates her time to local, state and national boards including: Chair of the Housing & Homeless Subcommittee City of Phoenix $550 Million General Obligation Bond Committee; Corporation for Supportive Housing National Board; Native Home Capital; Maricopa Association of Governments HUD Continuum of Care; Valleywise Hospital Audit and Compliance; City of Mesa Housing; Phoenix Community Development & Investment Corp PCDIC; Arizona State University Lodestar Center for Philanthropy; Federal Home Loan Bank SF - Affordable Housing Program; Vitalyst Health Foundation; St. Joseph Medical Center; and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation National Mentor for Developing Leadership.
Dede holds an MBA from Arizona State University and was inducted into the ASU WP Carey School of Business Hall of Fame in 2012.
She joined the Hickey Family Foundation board in 2016.
Jon Eliason
Jon Eliason is currently the Homicide Bureau Chief for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. In this capacity, he supervises nearly all homicide cases in Maricopa County. Previously, Jon was a Division Chief, supervising all child crimes, sex crimes, and domestic violence cases, and led the County’s efforts to test all un-tested rape kits and saw that each case was investigated.
Jon is a career prosecutor, successfully conducting numerous jury trials. In his previous role as the Mesa City Prosecutor, he implemented many successful protocols for the prosecution of domestic violence and DUI cases. He believes that the most important thing a prosecutor can do is seek to be ethical in all aspects of prosecution and to work to improve the quality of life for the community.
Jon has received numerous awards and commendations for his work, and has been recognized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, and numerous cities throughout Arizona for his work and dedication as a prosecutor. He sits on the Governor’s Commission to Prevent Violence Against Women, the Arizona Forensic Academy, and is a board member of the Arizona Foundation for Women. He is a frequent lecturer at schools, police departments, and legal conferences, and has taught for the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council, the National District Attorney’s Association, and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
Jon received a BS from Brigham Young University and his JD from Temple Law School. He was appointed to the Board in July 2022.
Charles Flanagan
Charles Flanagan recently retired after a 38 year career in State and Federal public service in Arizona, including having served as deputy director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, director of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety and Court Unit Executive/Chief Probation Officer of the U.S. Federal Courts, District of Arizona. He also served on various service organizations and non-profit boards and held positions as director and program co-chair with two community college systems.
His entire public service career has been focused on working with at-risk populations and providing opportunities to improve lives and serve our shared communities. Significant portions of his professional career have been devoted to working with children and families involved in the criminal justice, juvenile justice and child welfare systems. He led teams that successfully improved systems and outcomes, including by implementing evidence-based programs delivered with fidelity. He also has professional and non-profit experience related to contracting and oversight of the provision of health care.
Prior to moving to Arizona from Europe in 1985, Charles had a successful career in the performing arts based in the U.S. and Europe. He holds a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, a master's in education from Northern Arizona University, and is a Certified Public Manager and graduate of the Institute for Public Executives through Arizona State University.
Charles joined the Hickey Family Foundation board in 2016.
Joseph Mangone
Joe is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and operates his own consulting business which he founded in 2011. Joe is a graduate of Arizona State University and holds a B.S. in Finance. He has many years of professional business experience in the financial sector. At various times during his successful career, he has worked at well-known national firms and investment banks including Shearson-Lehman, Kidder Peabody, and Wells Fargo.
Through his many years living in Arizona, Joe has been involved as a volunteer and/or board member with several local non-profits focused on serving youth and responding to the needs of marginalized members of the community. He brings strong business and financial knowledge to the Board, as well as aspects of hands-on community service to assist his Co-Trustees in its management and decision making. Joe joined the Foundation as Trustee in 2018.
John Meza
John Meza currently serves as President and CEO of the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network (AATN), where he leads statewide efforts to combat human trafficking through education, prevention, strategic partnerships, and survivor-centered support.
John brings more than 30 years of public safety leadership to this work. He served as Chief of Police for the Mesa Police Department until his retirement in 2017, a tenure marked by a strong focus on community trust, employee wellness, and data-driven policing, including the department's adoption of CompStat. He also created Mesa PD's Community Engagement and Employee Wellness Bureau, reflecting his dual commitment to public partnership and the well-being of department personnel.
Before joining AATN, John served as Inspector General for the Arizona Department of Economic Security, where he led efforts to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct, and oversaw physical security across DES facilities statewide. Prior to DES, he was Director of Student Affairs and District Safety for the Tempe Union High School District, directing emergency management planning and security operations in coordination with local law enforcement and fire agencies.
Beyond his professional roles, John has built a long record of community and nonprofit leadership. He has served as Board President of AATN and President of Community Bridges, Inc., and has held board positions with Valley Leadership, the Fiesta Bowl Yellow Jacket Committee, the Mesa MARC Center, and the Tempe Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking and Drug Abuse. He has also taught as an adjunct instructor for the Maricopa Community College District.
In April 2022, John was appointed to the Hickey Family Foundation Board.
Helen B. Trop-Zell, M.D.
With a history of supporting humanitarian causes and a passion for travel abroad, Helen is perfectly suited to participate on the Hickey Family Foundation Board of Trustees. Her experience in running and participating in volunteer medical missions in places like Malawi, Tanzania, and Kenya brings relevant and important first-hand knowledge of the locations and populations served by agencies and NGOs we fund. Helen has served on other boards committed to humanitarian relief, both locally and internationally, and committed herself to improving the medical condition of others through her 30 years in private practice in Scottsdale.
Helen received her M.D. from Emory University School of Medicine, holds an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, and a B.A. in Math from Carnegie-Mellon University. In 2016 after retiring from private practice, Helen received The East African Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a postgraduate certificate awarded by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine after a three month tour in Uganda and Tanzania. She continues to seek further educational opportunities related to public and global health.
Helen’s unique education and broad medical experience has added a significant perspective to our Board since joining as Trustee in early 2014.