Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to speak at ASU event

Adrian Fontes, Arizona’s 21st secretary of state, will visit Arizona State University for an event titled “From the Border to the State Capitol.”

The Arizona native and ASU alumnus has spent his career fighting for justice and democracy as a veteran, attorney and elections administrator.

During the conversation, Fontes will talk about growing up in Nogales, Arizona, and his time as a student at ASU, attending law school in Denver as well as his time in the military, which all led him to one of the top public offices in Arizona.

“We are very excited to host this special event with Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. Secretary Fontes is an ASU alum, and his story of growing up in Nogales, getting his bachelor’s degree at ASU and going into public service aligns with ASU’s charter. Many people will be inspired by his story,” said Kevin Correa, president of the Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association.

Before attending college, Fontes served active duty in the United States Marine Corps from 1992 to 1996 and was nominated for a meritorious commission, which marks an individual’s outstanding service in the United States Armed Forces.

He later earned a bachelor's degree in communication from ASU and then a law degree from the University of Denver. After graduating from law school he served as a prosecutor with the Denver District Attorney.

Later he returned to Arizona as a prosecutor for the Maricopa County Attorney’s office and went on to lead the International Prosecution Unit at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

He decided to run for office in 2016 after 15 years of practicing law and was elected the Maricopa County recorder.

During his time as recorder, Fontes worked to ensure that every eligible Arizonan had the access needed to vote. He also worked to enhance ballot tracking technology and increased process transparency, winning recognition and awards from election organizations across the country.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maricopa County saw record voter turnout in 2020 as well as record numbers of new voters registered.

“In his upcoming conversation, Secretary Fontes will talk about his experience of where he grew up in Arizona, his time at ASU and the meaning and gratitude of service and purpose. His commitment to bipartisan leadership and transparency in the state of Arizona comes at a pivotal moment for our democracy both locally and nationally. We are thrilled that he is coming to ASU on the 23rd of February,” said Lisa Magaña, associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, in Armstrong Hall 101. RSVP for the event at specialevents.asu.edu/fontestalk.

This event is being held in collaboration with the School of Transborder Studies and the Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association.