Raised rural, meet Arizona’s State Director, Charlene Fernandez, a home-grown rural champion for Arizona

Written by: James G. Pinsky

Within USDA Rural Development, State Directors serve as their states' and territories' chief executive officers. They are ultimately responsible for carrying out Rural Development's mission for the good of all rural America.

For Charlene Fernandez, Arizona's State Director, it's more than just a mission – it's personal.

“The community I grew up in was rural," said Fernandez. "Now we've outgrown Rural Development, but Rural Development was here when we needed them."

Fernandez ensures USDA Rural Development is here now for fellow Arizonans.

"We continue to champion rural Arizona and its residents in every way, and probably the easiest one is through our housing," said Fernandez. "We're able to provide access to housing like no other,  having the lowest interest rates in the country.. Many of our customers are first-time homebuyers, so this is the first time they've ever sat in front of somebody to discuss their needs."

Fernandez takes great pride in the fact that many of her Rural Development staff members cater to first-time homebuyers.

"I'm proud to say that most of our Single Family Housing staff with Rural Development are certified credit counselors, so they can speak to families about what it looks like to have good credit to qualify for these homesSome individuals are moving into these USDA homes and building memories of a lifetime; for the first time, there's hope to build generational wealth.”

In addition to homeownership, Fernandez's leadership helps USDA Rural Development remain committed to improving Arizona's healthcare. One example of this commitment is a $584,206 grant under the FY 2023 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program administered by the Rural Utilities Service. This grant will equip four hub/end-user sites and ten end-user sites in Apache and Navajo Counties in Arizona with interactive telemedicine systems. Medical professionals at Summit Healthcare Association will deliver primary health and mental health services, including substance and opioid use disorder treatment, benefitting 33,494 people.

Fernandez's roots may be firmly planted in Yuma, but her growth as a community leader has enabled her to branch out across Arizona.

Fernandez was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2014. She was elected House Minority Leader in 2019; Fernandez was integral to the Drought Contingency Plan agreement in 2019, bringing states, tribal nations, farmers, and other stakeholders together to ensure a sustainable water supply for Arizona. Before entering elected office, she worked for Congressman Ed Pastor and Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva in constituent services in the Yuma County office. Fernandez also served Governor Janet Napolitano as a liaison for the Arizona Department of Environment Quality. She is a former Arizona Department of Agriculture's Food & Agriculture Policy Advisory Committee member.

Fernandez's rural roots aren't uncommon in Arizona leadership circles, and it is common ground she can stand on civically to help advance initiatives with other community leaders who understand the needs of rural Arizonans.

"I hear stories from people leading the way today, mayors, council members, and county board of supervisors here in Arizona that come up to me and tell me, I grew up in a USDA Home, so I know what your work means,” Fernandez said.

As optimistic as Fernandez is, she knows the challenges facing rural Arizonans today and tomorrow.

"There are many challenges for rural Arizona, and a lot of it has to do with access,” said Fernandez. “Access to capital, access to people and organizations that can assist you the in the communities of the greatest need."

Regardless of the need, the most crucial message Fernandez wants Arizonans to know is that USDA Rural Development has been rural Arizona's best and most accessible resource from the very beginning.

"I want USDA Rural Development to be their first call when they've got a need," said Fernandez. "Staff members for USDA Rural Development keep telling me that we are their last call because we'll be able to meet their needs. So, I let people know, make us your first call, and it will be your last call .we will direct you into whatever it is that you're looking to expand on, build, or create – we can help."

Fernandez's optimism as Arizona's State Director allows her to empower the people of rural Arizona.

"This is just the greatest job," said Fernandez. "What an opportunity to see resiliency and action, compassion in action, to see real work being done. Sometimes, projects take a long time, but once they get done, the job pays off People are utilizing that new community center, that fire station, that police station; once you visit a tribal nation and see where they're getting additional housing or a repair on a home that was once not handicap accessible. It now meets the needs of one of the family members; those are the things we should be most proud of, the work we do every day. I get to lead the way on that, and I love that."