Karla Phillips-Krivickas has seen it all. And from all her roles — from legislative to executive policy staff, to the Department of Education, to national education nonprofits, to the State Board of Education and finally to Champions for Kids, an advocacy organization aimed at disability policy, Phillips-Krivickas ensures every person, every county is accounted for.

Answers have been slightly edited for clarity.

What brought you to public policy? To education?

I came here to get my masters in public administration. I hadn’t lived here long. I was not politically involved at all. I heard Lisa Graham Keegan speak. I’ll never forget. She used to talk about schools getting it done despite the odds. She literally lit a fire in me. I marched down to ASU and I asked about changing my major.

I

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