NASCA Press Release: Elizabeth Thorson Selected as Awards Committee Chair
For Immediate Release
March 30, 2026
Contact: Elizabeth Whitehouse, Executive Director, executivedirector@nasca.org
NASCA Press Release: Elizabeth Thorson Selected as Awards Committee Chair
Phoenix, AZ — The National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) is proud to announce that Elizabeth Thorson, Director of the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), will serve as the 2026 NASCA Awards Committee Chair.
The NASCA Awards Committee plays a key role in recognizing and promoting excellence in state government operations. As Awards Committee Chair, Thorson will oversee both the upcoming NASCA 20 Under 40 Awards and the larger NASCA Awards Program this fall.
In her current role as director of ADOA, she oversees statewide operations that support effective and efficient state government services. Before becoming director, Thorson served as the deputy director for ADOA beginning in 2018, overseeing the state’s personnel system of more than 32,000 employees. With over 30 years of private and public sector experience in strategic and operational leadership, Director Thorson will be an asset in helping NASCA identify outstanding achievements, forward-thinking initiatives, and future leaders in state government operations.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs commended Director Thorson’s exceptional leadership and dedication to public service.
“Congratulations to Director Thorson on this honor. Her leadership and longtime public service have been integral to Arizona’s efforts to improve government services. She and her team are spearheading critical initiatives to strengthen state capacity, technological infrastructure, employee management systems, procurement, and more, and I know she will bring invaluable experience and insight to this role,” said Hobbs.
“I am humbled to serve in this role among my colleagues in state government administration. NASCA members have the unique experience of ‘serving the ones who serve,’” said Elizabeth Thorson, Director of the Arizona Department of Administration. “Without the steadfast and dedicated work of these agencies nationwide, the work of state government simply can’t get done. I’m looking forward to learning from the innovation and creativity we’ll see in this year’s awards and seeing what ideas we can bring home to Arizona.”
“Director Thorson’s extensive experience, leadership, and lifelong commitment to improving state government operations make her an exceptional choice to lead the NASCA Awards Committee,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Whitehouse. “She has spent her career setting a high standard for excellence in state government and fully understands the importance of recognizing the innovation and results NASCA members deliver every single day.”
Founded in 1976, NASCA is the nation’s only nonpartisan, nonprofit organization serving chief administrative officers or CAOs. NASCA provides a forum for state chief administrative officers to exchange information and learn new ideas from each other and private sector partners. NASCA engages states in transforming government operations through shared knowledge, operational excellence, and thought leadership.
For more information on NASCA, please visit NASCA.org.
