Founders

Andrew F. Ortiz, J.D., M.P.A.
President and CEO
Ortiz Leadership Systems, LLC.
 
Andrew F. Ortiz, 38, is a native Arizonan. Andrew was born in Phoenix and has lived in Tempe for 37 years. Andrew has three degrees from Arizona State University (ASU), including a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (1992), a Juris Doctorate of Law (1998), and a Masters in Public Administration (1999). Ortiz was selected Arizona State University's Homecoming King in 1995, as a graduate student, which was unprecedented. In 1997-98, as a second-year law student, Andrew was elected Student Body President of the nation's largest university. Andrew is the only law student in university history to be elected to the school's highest position of student leadership. While at ASU, Andrew was also honored by being selected to the prestigious Maroon and Gold Honor Society, Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, Who's Who in American Law Students, and the National Dean's List. Ortiz was also a recipient of a National Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award, was a Beta Sigma Phi Scholar, a Regents Scholar, an ASU President's Club Scholar, a United States Achievement Academy All-American Scholar, and an ASU Faculty Wives Scholarship recipient. As a legal scholar, Andrew received the prestigious Solomon, Relihan and Blake, P.C. Law Scholarship as well as the Judge Mary Anne Richey Legal Scholarship.
 
While at Arizona State University, Andrew Ortiz enjoyed great success as a leader and as a scholar. Ortiz served as the Vice President of Operations with the ASU Hispanic Business Students Association, Vice President for Community Affairs with the ASU Chapter of the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A.), and as President of the ASU Young Democrats. For his work on social justice issues, Ortiz received the 1995 Community Service Award from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, and was bestowed with an Image Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Ortiz has also received the distinguished Northern Arizona University President's Citation of Achievement. Ortiz was a member of the Student Admissions Relations Team (START) and the ASU Student Foundation, which are two prestigious student honoraries at Arizona State University.
 
Andrew Ortiz was also one of two original founders of Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc. at Arizona State University, which has been honored for its outstanding philanthropic services. Ortiz was one of the founding members of the Arizona State University Leadership Honorary, Students Towards Educational Progress (STEP), and also founded a youth mentorship program at ASU for Tempe Elementary School kids called the VISION (Volunteers In Service In Our Neighborhoods) Program. In 1997, Andrew was selected as Man of the Year by the American Biographical Institute, and was selected as one of the top 12 graduate student leaders in America by the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students. Ortiz was also inducted into Alpha Epsilon Lambda, a national Graduate Student Honor Society.
 
Andrew Ortiz recently served as Project Manager for Capacity Building Initiatives with the Arizona State University Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management, and possesses a great breadth of community and governmental affairs experience. Andrew has served as the Executive Director of the Arizona Community Action Association, working on anti-poverty issues, and also as State Program Director for Kids Voting Arizona, Legislative Attach?to the Arizona House Minority Leader, and as the Project Director for Arizona Clearing the Air, a statewide tobacco control policy initiative within the Government Relations Department of the American Cancer Society. Andrew has been a National Fellow with the Center for the Study of the Presidency in Washington, D.C. and New York City, and has been a leader in the nonprofit sector. Andrew has served as a Leadership Facilitator for LeaderShape based in Champaign, Illinois, and was a Founder and Senior Partner in the American Student Government Association (ASGA) and its subsidiary firm, The SG Consulting Group, both based in Gainesville, Florida. Andrew is a member of the National Council of La Raza and the Alliance for Nonprofit Management in Washington, DC, and is a member of the Theodore Roosevelt Association in Oyster Bay, New York.
 
Andrew has served with distinction on numerous boards and commissions, including the Arizona State University Alumni Association and the Arizona State University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Board of Directors, Arizona Citizen Action Board of Directors, Arizona State University Campus Environment Team, ASU Campus Recreation Board of Governors, and the Arizona State University Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Board, ASU Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, ASU Cesar Chavez Celebration Committee, ASU Commission on the Status of Women, Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership-Arizona Board of Directors, Arizona Society of Association Executives, Healthy Arizona 2010 Commission, NewTown Community Development Corporation Board of Directors, Arizona Hispanic Outreach Alliance, Arizonans for Patients' Rights Board of Directors (HMO Reform), Senator John McCain's Hispanic Advisory Board, Arizona State University Los Diablos Hispanic Alumni Association Board of Directors, Street Law Program Instructor, Upward Bound "Mastery Techniques" Instructor, Coalition for Tobacco-Free Arizona Executive Board, Chandler Nonprofit Coalition, Center for Arizona's Future, Tempe Community Action Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of the Tempe Boys & Girls Club as well as the National Board of Directors of the Congressional Award Foundation in Washington, D.C. Ortiz was also recently elected the President of the Gold Congressional Award Alumni Association, and was elected to serve as Chairman of the Board for Project Literacy.
 
Andrew Ortiz is committed to the betterment of health and human services in his community. Ortiz has been a volunteer with the Arizona State College of Law Homeless Legal Assistance Project, has been a member of the Arizona Governor's Commission on Community development, a member of the Arizona Joint Legislative Welfare Reform Task Force, a Steering Committee member with the Arizona Association of Food Banks, and a Founding Member of the Basic Needs Coalition (which is now the Protecting Arizona's Families Coalition). In addition to these community involvements, Andrew has served as a Site Director for the Downtown Urban Services YMCA's Minority Achievers Program and has volunteered as a mentor and tutor in Guadalupe, Arizona, with the GUAD, Inc. Community Center. Andrew is also a member of the Sun Lakes Lions Club and is a Trustee with Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership in Los Angeles.
 
Andrew Ortiz has received numerous honors and awards for leadership, citizenship, community service and volunteerism from presidents, community leaders, and even royalty. In 1999, Andrew received a leadership citation from Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Andrew is also a recipient of the Gold Congressional Award for Leadership, the General Motors Volunteer Spirit Award, and was selected as the 1997 Interstate Community Foundation Volunteer of the Year. Andrew Ortiz was recognized by President George Bush in 1991 as a "National Point of Light" and was selected to receive the 2002 President's Service Award at the White House from President George W. Bush.
 
Andrew has served in prestigious national fellowships with the American Society of Association Executives as a Diversity Executive Leaders Program (DELP) Scholar and as a Fellow with the National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco. Andrew has been listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who Among Hispanic Americans, Who's Who Worldwide, Dictionary of International Biography, Who's Who in Finance and Business, Men of Achievement, Who's Who in Intellectuals Worldwide, Great Minds of the 21st Century, 500 Leaders of Influence, International Directory of Experts & Expertise, Who's Who of Emerging Leaders, Phoenix Business Journal's "40 Under 40," Who's Who in Finance and Industry, and Manchester's Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals.
 
In 2004, Andrew became the youngest person ever selected for induction into the Arizona State University College of Public Programs Hall of Fame. In 2005, Andrew was selected to receive the Arizona State University Alumni Association Young Alumni Achievement Award at the ASU Founder's Day Celebration. In 2005, Andrew was selected as the Inaugural President of the Congressional Award Alumni Association and was also selected to receive the "Professional of the Year" Award from the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO). In 2005, Andrew was selected as "Volunteer of the Year" by the Valley of the Sun United Way, and also was selected as one of Association Trends Magazine's "Young and Aspiring Association Professionals." In 2006 and 2007, Ortiz was selected as a Semi-Finalist for the United States Jaycees "Ten Outstanding Young Americans" program, and thus was distinguished as one of the top 20 young leaders in the United States. In 2006, Ortiz was selected by the American Biographical Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina, to receive The World Medal of Freedom for his exceptional deeds both to his immediate sphere of influence and to society as a whole.
 
In 2007, Andrew was selected to receive the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Outstanding Alumni Award at a gala dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California. Andrew was also selected as the 2007 Man of the Year by the American Biographical Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina. Andrew was also selected to serve on the Arizona Students Association Advisory Council and received the 2007 Hispanic "40 Under 40" Award, which was sponsored by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and Univision Radio. Andrew was also named a "Tempe Treasure" in 2007 by the Tempe Community Council for his community leadership, humanitarian efforts, and civic involvement.
 
Andrew Ortiz is dedicated to building partnerships to serve the needs of Arizona's and America's citizenry. Andrew has been a champion in the arenas of law, personal leadership, nonprofit management, education, health and human services, and youth development. Andrew Ortiz is a successful leadership trainer and a dynamic public speaker, and has been a distinguished member of the prestigious public speaking honorary, the International Platform Association. Andrew currently writes a community column for The Arizona Republic newspaper in Phoenix.

Andrew resides in Tempe, Arizona, with his wife Deborah and his children Alexandra, Christina, Anthony, and David.

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Deborah R. Ortiz, M.A.
Vice President
Ortiz Leadership Systems, LLC

Deborah Ortiz is a nationally renowned leader and scholar. Her remarkable careers as a business woman and community change agent have been celebrated extensively in the fields of academia, private enterprise, and civic affairs. Her passion for personal and organizational development, coupled with her magnetic personality, make her a sought-after speaker, coach, and consultant.

Deborah's personal life story has been the source of inspiration for the many audiences that she has addressed over the years. When Deborah was 12 years old she was diagnosed with bone cancer. Through childlike faith and belief she fought the most important battle of her life and this became the core of her inner strength. The "magic of believing" has become her story and she has incorporated it many times along with visioneering to accomplish goals that others deemed impossible. She has shared her philosophy with many and has witnessed the difference it has made in their lives.

Deborah promotes education and "walks the talk." She battled many obstacles as a single parent raising three children and received her degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma. She went on to excel in the graduate program at the University of Phoenix and earned her Masters of Arts in Organizational Management.

Deborah Ortiz has been the recipient of many distinguished awards and prestigious honors over the years. She has won several awards in journalism as well as having been recognized in editions of The World Who’s Who of Women and 2000 Notable American Women.

Deborah is a seasoned leader who speaks to organizations and companies across the United States and around the world and shares lessons from her experiences in making a difference in her community, state, nation and world. Deborah is a leader who has built a thriving business as an entrepreneur, turned around under-performing work teams and made them top performers, and created a reputation as a catalyst for positive change. Her leadership is built upon a strong foundation of personal integrity and a collaborative spirit.

Deborah's areas of expertise as a speaker and trainer are as follows: