For the second time, Doreen Garlid received the highest number of votes in her bid for a council seat in the Tempe municipal election! On March 12, 2024, Doreen Garlid won a second term on the Tempe City Council with the most votes of any council candidate. Also re-elected was Tempe Councilmember Randy Keating, and newcomer Nikki Amberg, along with Mayor Corey Woods who ran unopposed. The winners will be sworn in to serve four year terms beginning in July 2024.
Doreen Garlid was elected to her first term on the Tempe City Council in 2020. As a member of the Navajo Nation, Doreen made history as the first Native American elected to the Tempe City Council. Her grand uncle was a World War II Navajo Code Talker in the U.S. Marines and her great grandfather was a Navajo Medicine Man. For 45 years, Doreen and her mother have offered free, educational, community presentations about Navajo culture and family life, for which she was recognized in 2020 with the City of Tempe MLK Diversity Award.
Growing up in a military family, Doreen lived in many places around the country before choosing Tempe as her permanent home. In the three decades prior to her election, she and her husband, Scott, raised their four children in Tempe where she became involved in local schools, nonprofits, and service organizations, often assuming leadership positions.
As part of her council service, Doreen’s priorities include giving neighborhoods a voice, advocating for more affordable housing, improving public safety, being a sustainable community, honoring and supporting our city’s veterans, and historic preservation.
Under Doreen’s leadership, many local community groups and organizations have thrived. She previously served as the chair of Tempe’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission (2019) and the President of the Buena Vista Ranchos Homeowners Association (2017-20). She is also a graduate of Tempe Leadership Class XXXIV (2019) and served on the board of directors for Newtown Community Development Corporation (2017-20) and the Tempe Impacts Education (TIE) Foundation (2018-20).
Doreen previously served as President of the National Charity League, Inc. East Valley (2011-12), President of the Waggoner Elementary School PTO (2003-05), President of the Kyrene Middle School PTO (2006-07), Vice-President of the Seton Catholic Preparatory School PTO (2012), Umpire Chair and Secretary for Tempe South Little League (2004-06), a Girl Scout Leader (2000-06), and on the Board of Directors of Developing Workers (2018-19).
She is a Tempe Dementia Friendly Champion (since 2017) and a member of Kiwanis Club of Tempe (since 2018) and Tempe Sister Cities (since 2013). She has also served over 10,000 people in impoverished countries all over the world with Mobilize Medical as a Mission Team Member and Medications Coordinator (2000 to current).
