Revolutionary, outspoken, and dedicated, are all words that describe the essence of Jeanine Bashir. Her devotion to children and woman’s issues has been the driving force behind her work in the community. Her professional career has included working with various organizations that serve the community & government sector alike.

Ms. Bashir serves as the Senior Regional Director of the Phoenix/Gila River Indian Community Regions at First Things First. She is responsible for creating a family-centered, comprehensive, collaborative, and high-quality early childhood system that supports the development, health and early education of all Arizona's children birth through age 5. First Things Firsts provides funding to support early child and health programs.

She has been recognized for her work in the nonprofit sector and her work on child welfare and maternal & child health issues. She was honored by the State of Black Arizona as a Community Luminary 

and was selected to be a member of Valley Leadership’s Class 35 Leadership Institute. She is in the inaugural class of the Communities for Philanthropic Justice Futures Fellowship, which builds leadership skills to transform philanthropic and social sector culture to activate racial equity and racial justice principles and practices.

Most recently, she was awarded the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce’s Athena Award in the Public Sector. The ATHENA Award is an internationally prized honor, recognizes women who demonstrate 

excellence in professional leadership, community service, and mentorship of future leaders.

Nationally, she has worked with the National Birthing Project and Health Connect One. Internationally, Ms. Bashir contributed to the development of the United Nations’ Handbook on Domestic Violence and helped to establish and support nonprofit organizations worldwide.

Locally, she is a founding member of Harriet’s House, a new nonprofit whose mission is to empower, strengthen, and better equip mothers and families affected by incarceration by providing supportive services and advocacy that cultivate family resiliency. She also serves as a Commissioner for the City of Phoenix’s Youth & Education Board, is member of Arizona’s Doula Advisory and is the Board President for the Omega Youth Leadership Academy, an organization dedicated to empowering and educate males of color in 5th – 12th grades on how to face, navigate through, and overcome today’s social and personal challenges.

Ms. Bashir is known for her ability to leverage community partnerships to expand services for communities. She also has the unique ability to partner with communities to ensure their voices are heard. Ms. Bashir is a JEDI Champion and practitioner. She is passionate about ensuring Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) are at the forefront of her work.

Ms. Bashir has an educational background in Public Administration, Justice & Woman Studies. She has played an intricate part in policymaking arenas and organizations that establish and direct community-based programs. She has dedicated her life to empowering communities and serves as a voice for those that are not able to articulate their needs. She believes by empowering and teaching communities how 

to advocate and become leaders around issues that affect them directly; will have a profound impact on improving society as a whole.