We are excited to invite you to Global Ties Arizona’s Breakfast for Diplomacy, a special gathering celebrating the City of Chandler's leadership in deepening global connections to strengthen the community, economy, and future.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, December 4th
Time: 8:30–10:00 AM
Location: ASU Chandler Innovation Center, (249 E. Chicago St, Chandler, AZ 85225)
The morning will feature special remarks from:
Mayor Kevin Hartke, City of Chandler
Terri Kimble, President & CEO, Chandler Chamber of Commerce
Followed by a panel discussion:
“Bridging Borders: How Global Relationships Strengthen Local Communities” with
Vice Mayor Christine Ellis, City of Chandler
Angela Creedon, Director, State & Local Government Relations, Arizona & New Mexico, Intel Corporation
Hilen Cruz, Manager of Strategic Engagement, SRP
Moderated by Christina Mercado-Gonzalez, Chair of the Board of Global Ties Arizona and Executive Director, NABEDC, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Breakfast is generously sponsored by SRP.
This free community event is proudly presented in partnership with the City of Chandler and the Chandler Chamber of Commerce
Guest Speakers:
Panel Conversation featuring:
We hope you will join us as we celebrate Chandler’s commitment to citizen diplomacy and explore how the city, its businesses, and its citizens can continue connecting with the world in meaningful, impactful ways.
Terri Kimble
President and CEO, Chandler Chamber of Commerce
Bridging Borders: How Global Relationships Strengthen Local Communities
Event Moderator:
Mayor Kevin Hartke
Mayor Kevin Hartke began his second term in January 2023. Before serving as Mayor he previously served on City Council for nine years. Mayor Hartke served as Vice Mayor twice, in 2015 and 2017.
Mayor Hartke and his wife, Lynne, have been married for 42 years and have lived in Chandler since 1985. He served as Lead Pastor at Trinity Christian Fellowship in Chandler where he worked from 1985-2018. He still serves part-time at the church. He has a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri, Columbia; and a master’s degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He served nine (9) years as the statewide director of For Our City, which is a collaborative effort of government, business, nonprofit, and faith leaders gathered to find solutions for needs in a community.
City of Chandler
Vice Mayor Christine Ellis
Vice Mayor Christine Ellis was born and raised in Haiti and moved to the United States in 1982. She has resided in Chandler since 1987. She has been married to her husband, Benjamin, for 36 years with daughter Taliah, and son Sean, who forever lives in their hearts.
Vice Mayor Ellis has a Bachelor of Science, in Nursing from Grand Canyon University and currently attends Walden University in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program. She has worked as an RN for many large hospitals and care facilities while holding many high-level positions such as Director of Nursing in the Metro Phoenix area. Christine has also taught various medical fields and certified nursing classes in Arizona’s community colleges. She holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities as presented by the 1000 Shades of Women International.
From 1998 to 2015, she founded and operated Cedar Sanctuary LLC, realizing that families needed an alternative to caring for their loved ones. In addition to caring for the elderly, she has been a part of the foundation of the Bridge/FCS Ministry for more than 22 years which helps feed the local homeless population and provides to their spiritual needs, partnering with other ministries in Arizona. Vice Mayor Ellis was honored with a Presidential Medal for her commitment and dedication to community outreach services.
City of Chandler
Angela Creedon
Angela Creedon is the Director for Arizona and New Mexico State and Local Government Relations for Intel Corporation. Angela serves as Intel’s representative with State government leaders and works to garner support for policy initiatives important to Intel’s ability to operate, as well as promote a favorable business environment that enables Intel’s growth. Angela previously served as Intel’s Local Government Relations Director and was responsible for developing and implementing strategic engagements with city and county officials as well as Arizona-based higher education institutions to protect Intel’s license to operate, enhance Intel’s reputation and ability to influence.
Prior to joining Intel, Angela was the Associate Vice President for Innovation Zone Development and Corporate Engagement at Arizona State University. During her 11 years at ASU, Angela managed community relations, local municipal and county relations, special events and corporate engagement. Before joining ASU, she was the East Valley Community Development manager for APS, the State of Arizona’s largest private electric utility.
Angela has spent many years working in community and government relations and served as the Chair of East Valley Partnership and Fighter Country Foundation, an organization dedicated to serving the men, women, and families of Luke Air Force Base. Angela has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, certification in Economic Development from the University of Oklahoma and an advanced certificate in Corporate Community Relations from Boston College.
Director, State & Local Government Relations, Arizona & New Mexico, Intel Corporation
Hilen Cruz
Hilen Cruz is a bilingual and bicultural leader with a strong foundation in engineering and strategic engagement. She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Sonora, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and leadership certifications from the Hispanic Leadership Institute, Chandler Chamber Leadership Foundation, and an energy certification from Stanford University.
Since 2004, Hilen has held diverse roles in Arizona’s electric utility industry, spanning underground and overhead design, engineering standards, customer program innovation, street lighting management, government relations, and strategic engagement.
She serves as Co-Chair of the Energy Committee of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, appointed by the Governor of Arizona, and is a Director on the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and Global Ties Arizona Boards. She is also the author of ¡Ponte las Pilas, México! and was recognized as one of the “40 Hispanic Leaders Under 40” by Valle del Sol and Univision Arizona.
Known for her collaborative spirit, assertive communication, and respect for diversity, Hilen is a proud mother of two, and enjoys traveling, hiking, and photography.
Manager of Strategic Engagement, Salt River Project
Christina Mercado-Gonzalez
Mrs. Mercado-González currently serves as the Executive Director of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (AZHCC) Foundation’s American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian (AIANNH) Project NABEDC. Christina is responsible for the overall success of the program, and she and her team assist businesses with building scale and capacity, increasing revenue, creating and retaining jobs through regional, national, and international expansion and direct assistance services.
Before rejoining the AZHCC in 2024 in her current capacity, Christina served as Comerica Bank’s Vice President, External Affairs Market Manager for Arizona, where she stewarded the bank’s Community Reinvestment Act program and worked to spread the bank’s financial literacy message in partnership with Comerica’s community partners.
Christina has a history of serving the community in her professional career and has held several roles at the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. As the AZHCC’s Director of Operations & Marketing as well as their Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, she worked to advance the chamber’s mission to promote the success of Hispanic and minority small businesses in Arizona. She also has over twenty years of experience as a results-oriented multicultural marketing and advertising professional, specializing in the U.S. Hispanic market.
Christina is an Arizona native and received her Master’s degree in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and her BS in Business Administration from the University of Arizona.
She is actively involved in the local community and has served in leadership positions in a variety of local organizations. She currently serves on the Arizona Diamondbacks Los D-Backs Hispanic Advisory Council, is the Chair of the Board of Global Ties Arizona, and is a new board member of the Arizona Animal Welfare League.