Speakers & Special Guests

HONORABLE BARBARA RODRIGUEZ MUNDELL was the Presiding Judge for all Trial Courts in Maricopa County from July 1, 2005 through May 31, 2010.  Prior to this appointment, Judge Mundell was the Associate Presiding Judge of the Superior Court in Maricopa County (2003-2005) and the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court Probate and Mental Health department (2000-2004).  She also served as the Associate Presiding Judge of the Superior Juvenile Court department (1997-1998).

She was initially appointed to the Superior Court of Arizona bench in 1989.  In her tenure as a judge, she has served on Civil, Juvenile, Family Court, Criminal, and Probate and Mental Health assignments.  Prior to her appointment as a judge, she was with the juvenile department as a Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner.  As an attorney, she was in private practice, specializing in Workers’ Compensation and Social Security cases.  Judge Mundell was admitted to practice in Arizona in 1982, having graduated from Arizona State University earning her B.A. and J.D. degrees.

Judge Mundell joined the Board of Directors for the National Center for State Courts in August 2007 to serve a three-year term.  Additionally, the Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government selected Judge Mundell to serve as a member of its Executive Session for State Court Leaders in 2008 to convene over a three-year period.  She is also a member of the American Bar Association and National Association of Women Judges, and served on the Arizona Supreme Court Code of Judicial Conduct Task Force.  Judge Mundell is a past president of the Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association and has served on a number of Arizona Supreme Court committees including the Committee on Keeping the Record, the Fiduciary Advisory Committee, and as the past chair of the Commission on Judicial Conduct.

National HWC Youth Leadership Awardee: Lizzy Bell

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bell is a typical, 15‐year‐old girl. But she was born with one of the
rarest diseases in the world, Diamond Blackfan Anemia.There are fewer than 700 diagnosed cases of DBA in the world. Miss Lizzie has been “transfuse dependent” almost from birth. This means that she is alive today because others donate their blood.
DBA children usually have other medical challenges, too, so regular medical care is needed to sustain their quality of life. Because there are so few of these individuals, only recently has their life expectancy changed from about 13 years to “older”. Because these DBA children are medically fragile, Diamond Blackfan Anemia is considered a “life‐threatening” disease.
Lizzie loves being with her friends, dancing, traveling and fashion! She is a very effective speaker. She began telling her story to others when she was just five years old. She continues to share her mission within local, regional and national venues. Most recently, Lizzie’s story was featured on national television, ABC’s Extreme Makeover – Home Edition (March 22, 2009) that included photo shoot for 17
Magazine, May, 2009 encouraging other teens to donate blood. Fellow American Red Cross celebrity ambassador, Miley Cyrus, was also featured on this May, 2009 article, reassuring teens to stay healthy and donate blood for other kids. In 2001, Lizzie was the in feature story for Touchstone Energy and El tour de Tucson, Reader’s Digest. In 2004 she received the Hero Award for Ambassadorship on behalf of the American Red Cross. In 2005 she was in the Latina Magazine to encourage Hispanics to donate blood. In 2006 she was featured in USA Today newspaper for her desire to tell the world to donate blood. Lizzie has been an invited speaker at business and non‐profit conventions including Elks Arizona State Convention, Rotary, Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball Team, IBM, State Farm, Novartis Pharmaceutical and more.
Annually, June 14th is World Donor Day and blood drives will be in neighborhoods and shopping centers all over the world. It is also the official Lizzie Bell Blood and Marrow Drive. On that day in 2010, Lizzie will be hosting her first “Telethon” to collect 1 million bags of blood. It is important to tell the world to become a blood donor, but Lizzie’s message is not just about her. She creates awareness for the seven pediatric populations – kids like her – always needing blood. These are surgery and transplant kids; cancer and marrow failure kids; accident and burn kids with the number one recipient of donated blood, premature babies. Please let Lizzie know how you will be part of the solution, together we can make a difference!
Contact Lizzie at Lizziebell.org.

National HWC Youth Leadership Awardee: Lizzy Bell

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bell is a typical, 15‐year‐old girl. But she was born with one of the
rarest diseases in the world, Diamond Blackfan Anemia.There are fewer than 700 diagnosed cases of DBA in the world. Miss Lizzie has been “transfuse dependent” almost from birth. This means that she is alive today because others donate their blood.
DBA children usually have other medical challenges, too, so regular medical care is needed to sustain their quality of life. Because there are so few of these individuals, only recently has their life expectancy changed from about 13 years to “older”. Because these DBA children are medically fragile, Diamond Blackfan Anemia is considered a “life‐threatening” disease.
Lizzie loves being with her friends, dancing, traveling and fashion! She is a very
effective speaker. She began telling her story to others when she was just five years
old. She continues to share her mission within local, regional and national venues.
Most recently, Lizzie’s story was featured on national television, ABC’s Extreme
Makeover – Home Edition (March 22, 2009) that included photo shoot for 17
Magazine, May, 2009 encouraging other teens to donate blood. Fellow American
Red Cross celebrity ambassador, Miley Cyrus, was also featured on this May, 2009
article, reassuring teens to stay healthy and donate blood for other kids.
In 2001, Lizzie was the in feature story for Touchstone Energy and El tour de
Tucson, Reader’s Digest. In 2004 she received the Hero Award for
Ambassadorship on behalf of the American Red Cross. In 2005 she was in the
Latina Magazine to encourage Hispanics to donate blood. In 2006 she was featured
in USA Today newspaper for her desire to tell the world to donate blood. Lizzie has
been an invited speaker at business and non‐profit conventions including Elks
Arizona State Convention, Rotary, Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball Team, IBM,
State Farm, Novartis Pharmaceutical and more.
Annually, June 14th is World Donor Day and blood drives will be in neighborhoods and shopping centers all over the world. It is also the official Lizzie Bell Blood and Marrow Drive.
On that day in 2010, Lizzie will be hosting her first “Telethon” to collect 1 million bags of blood. It is important to tell the world to become a blood donor, but Lizzie’s message is not just about her. She creates awareness for the seven pediatric populations – kids like her – always needing
blood. These are surgery and transplant kids; cancer and marrow failure kids; accident and burn kids with the number one recipient of donated blood, premature babies. Please let Lizzie know how you will be part of the solution, together we can make a difference!
Contact Lizzie at Lizziebell.org.