Oro Valley State of the Town

The largest business event in Northwest Tucson

Each fall I prepare to have 600+ guests in one room listening to the Mayor of Oro Valley. The challenges include not only fitting that many people into one ballroom for a seated luncheon, but also how to make the event new each year. How do you spice up an event that has to follow a similar rubric after over 20 years?

I’ve enhanced by creating unique design elements for visual interest, as well as improving efficiency for a smooth event experience. I want guests at this event to be impressed by Oro Valley. The hope is that other municipalities see what Oro Valley is doing and are inspired with what they can do for their own communities. As VIP’s such as the LD17 Congressman attend this event, I am thinking about how to ensure that they are having the best experience possible.

Each State of the Town has custom event bags given out at the business expo with 70+ business vendors. in 2025, guests received mini canvas totes with an event logo on them. These totes got RAVE reviews by attendees. Their unique and modern size made them something interesting, and I’ve heard from many attendees that this is one of the only event bags that they’ve kept for continued use.

I also worked with a local print vendor to create massive stage backdrops that featured the Sonoran desert. The Town’s graphic designer made a beautiful logo for us that felt fun and new while also honoring the Town’s legacy and motto “It’s in our Nature”. These backdrops created new and exciting visual attention towards the stage. They communicated the dedication that Oro Valley has as stewards of the desert while also bringing natural elements into the event.

Each event that I’ve worked brings about new challenges, and State of the Town pushes me to find creative paths and solutions within professional and political restraints. After finishing my third State of the Town, I’m proud of the growth that I’ve been able to achieve while maintaining key components of Oro Valley’s spirit.