Members of the Mesa Citizen of the Year Association met in early November to choose Mesa’s 2021 Citizens of the Year. Dawn Giles was chosen as Woman of the Year and Vern Mathern as Man of the Year.
Dawn Giles has resided in Mesa since 1984. After graduating from BYU with a degree in public health education, she relocated to Mesa with her husband John. Since coming to Mesa, Dawn has been involved with several organizations focused on children’s health and nutrition issues, including the Mesa Public Schools Health Advisory Board. Since 1992 she has also been a volunteer for the Mesa Public Schools’ Art Masterpiece program and has served on its’ advisory council since 2003.
In addition, Dawn has been involved in several community health advocacy organizations including the American Heart Association and Building a Healthier Mesa. In the 1990s she worked with a number of community leaders to promote a non-smoking ordinance in Mesa.
This grassroots effort led to the City of Mesa adopting one of the first comprehensive nonsmoking ordinances in the State of Arizona. More recently she has been very active with the Mesa i.d.e.a. Museum, which focuses on children’s arts education. Since 2015 Dawn has been an active member of the foundation that serves to promote the museum. She has served as the chair of the foundation’s board of directors and is currently the chair of a standing committee promoting the expansion of the facility.
Dawn has been a tireless fundraiser for i.d.e.a. Museum programs and was involved in a successful effort to obtain additional capital funding for the facility in a recent City of Mesa bond election. Dawn is often called upon for advice on community advocacy efforts and is always willing to share her expertise with new leaders in the community. Dawn is married to the current Mayor of Mesa, John Giles. Dawn and John have five children and eight grandchildren.
Vern Mathern is also a long-time resident of Mesa. He was both a military and civilian helicopter pilot. During and after his career at the Boeing facility in Northeast Mesa, Vern fully embraced volunteer service in the Mesa community. This volunteer service includes leadership roles in a variety of City of Mesa and community-based non-profit organizations. He served as the Mesa Transportation Advisory Board Chair, the Mesa Leadership and Development Program Alumni Chair, Alta Mesa Homeowners Association Board President, City of Mesa Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB), and had a variety of leadership positions with the Mesa Arts Center Foundation.
Vern has been an active Rotarian and a member of the Mesa HoHoKams. He is also a volunteer and financial supporter for the Mesa United Way, the Mesa Sister City Association, and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. One of his many volunteer colleagues noted that he is always willing to assume leadership positions. Vern has two adult children and one grandchild.
The Mesa Citizen of the Year Association is one of the oldest groups of its kind in the State of Arizona. Founded in 1935, the organization annually selects two individuals in the community who have dedicated a significant amount of time to volunteer activities. The many awardees have exemplified a long-standing commitment to volunteer activities and leadership.
More recently, the Association has also recognized Mesa Public Schools graduating seniors who have provided exemplary volunteer service in their school and the community.
This year’s award recipients will be honored at the Association’s annual banquet on Feb. 15 at the Double Tree Hilton Phoenix/Mesa. This community celebration of volunteerism will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner.
To purchase banquet tickets, please contact Debby Elliot at (480) 969-2731 or visit mesacitizenoftheyear.org.