Chris Haines, Interim President at Scottsdale Community College, Angela Hughey, Co-founder and President of ONE Community and ONE Community Foundation, and Alan “AP” Powell, Chairman and CEO of AP & Associates, have been named the 2022 Diversity Champions by the Scottsdale nonprofit Community Celebrating Diversity (CCD). The honorees will be recognized at the 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration Dinner that takes place at 5:30 p.m., January 12, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort. Diversity Champions are individuals who exemplify the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and who have enriched the community by empowering others.

Chris Haines

With 38 years in higher education, Chris Haines, Interim President of Scottsdale Community College, has led educational initiatives designed to support marginalized and at-risk populations to reduce barriers to access, such as the Hannelly Center One Stop Enrollment Center at Phoenix College and launching scholarships for DACA/Dreamer students. While coaching women’s sports at South Mountain Community College, she realized many of the players required flexible schedules to participate and she adjusted practice times to accommodate everybody. During the summer of 2020, the campus community was hurting from the tragic death of George Floyd. She held multiple town halls and encouraged everyone to share their experiences. She quickly launched an extensive diversity, equity, and inclusion committee to engage and support the campus community. She serves on the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, Community Celebrating Diversity, East Valley Think Tank, City of Scottsdale Education Committee, Scottsdale Coalition of Today and Tomorrow (SCOTT), and Arizona Happy Tails Dog Rescue.

Angela Hughey

As Co-founder and President of ONE Community and ONE Community Foundation, Angela Hughey exemplifies leadership through her work within the LGBTQ+ community and the broader business and political communities in Arizona. She co-founded ONE Community in 2008 with the goal of engaging socially responsible businesses, organizations and individuals who support and promote diversity, inclusion, equity and equality for all Arizonans. In 2013, Hughey and the ONE Community team launched the UNITY Pledge to advance workplace equality and equal treatment in housing and public accommodations for LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies. More than 3,300 businesses and 20,000 Arizonans have taken the UNITY Pledge, the largest equality pledge in the nation. Hughey has won multiple awards for her work on inclusion and awareness including the Human Rights Campaign Individual Equality Award and the Anti-Defamation League’s Al Brooks Community Leadership Award.

Alan “AP” Powell

Alan “AP” Powell, Chairman and CEO of AP & Associates, is a serial entrepreneur, Gulf War veteran, philanthropist, and a renowned strategic consultant developing relationships for Fortune 500 companies. Powell is also the founder of the nonprofit HeroZona Foundation, which serves students and veterans by giving them access to educational opportunities to ensure they get to cross the “finish line.” In addition, his foundation is working on a series of Bridge Forums to understand different perspectives, attitudes and beliefs about community policing. Previous topics discussed ways to better support veterans with recruitment, hiring, opportunities in service, veterans in crisis and support systems. Another one of his more recent projects includes the Play It Forward program, which exposes students to the arts at an early age with opportunities to learn, create and grow.

2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Dinner Celebration

The annual event takes place Wednesday, January 12 and begins with a 5:30 p.m. registration and reception, followed by a 6 p.m. dinner and recognition ceremony. Pat Russell-McCloud is the featured speaker for the dinner. Tickets can be purchased online at CCDArizona.org. CCD hosts the event with APS (Title Sponsor). CCD is a Scottsdale-based nonprofit organization that sponsors educational and community events to celebrate and create a greater awareness of our community’s diversity.