Gov. Doug Ducey appointed Jessica Pacheco to the Arizona Board of Regents on July 19, 2021. She is a vice chair of the University Governance and Operations Committee, and vice chair of the Strategic Initiatives and Planning Committee. Regent Pacheco’s term expires in January, 2028. She fills and serves the remaining term of a voluntarily resigned regent position.

Regent Pacheco brings a long history in public affairs, strategic communications, public policy and economic development to the board. She has 22 years of executive corporate experience working in the energy industry as well as skills in strategic communications, public policy, strategic thinking, economic development, corporate development, leadership and strategic partnerships. She is the managing partner of Horizon Strategies, a public affairs firm based in Phoenix. She serves the state through many organizations, including as president of the Arizona-Mexico Commission Board of Directors and as a member of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board of Directors. 

Regent Pacheco has served as chair of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce Foundation, director for the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board and Maricopa Community College Foundation Board, and chair of the Border Trade Alliance Board. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona, the Stanford University Executive Education Program and the MIT Nuclear Reactor Technology course.