How these SBS alumni are staying connected

For many alumni, staying connected to Northern Arizona University means giving back in ways that extend beyond financial support.

For Scott Horowitz, ’04, that meant volunteering as a mentor through the Lumberjacks Thrive Externship Program.

Horowitz is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Vision Insights, a Phoenix- and New York–based research and analytics firm focused on the sports and entertainment industry, following leadership roles with companies like YouGov, Nielsen Sports, and the Phoenix Suns.

Through Thrive, Horowitz hosted a student in New York, where she sat in on meetings and watched business take shape in real time.

“The questions that she had were really eye-opening for me as well,” he says. “How do we simplify this so that someone who doesn’t work in our office or in our industry will understand what we do?”

 “We didn’t have anything like Lumberjacks Thrive when I was a student,” says Horowitz. “I think it’s a valuable experience. You actually get your hands dirty, get real-world experience, and see what’s happening in the field.”

That same idea—bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience—drives Magali Bearden’s, ’13, ’19, engagement with the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS).

Bearden is a senior policy advisor for the Arizona House Democratic Caucus, where she works on health and human services policy.

A first-generation college student, Bearden says mentorship played a critical role in her own path, from studying abroad in Japan to securing a competitive internship with the U.S. House of Representatives.

Now, as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council and a mentor to SBS students, she focuses on providing access and perspective.

“It’s so important to get one-on-one mentorship, and to have networks,” she says. “It gives everyone equal footing.”

For Joanne Keene, ’96, ’11, city manager for the City of Flagstaff and an alumna of both the School of Communication and NAU’s Master of Public Administration program, that connection is deeply personal.

As city manager, Keene oversees municipal operations for the community where she once studied, following earlier roles including serving as chief of staff at NAU.

“It’s really important to help guide and mentor students, because they are our future,” Keene says.

Through her work as a mentor, speaker, and advisory board member, she stays closely connected to NAU students.

Across all three alumni, the motivation is consistent: a desire to make the path clearer for the next generation. “If I can donate my time and be present for the university,” Horowitz says, “I can give students a clearer picture of what a career in this field can look like, and that’s worth it.”