Kirsten Hall, CEcD, AZED Pro
Business Attraction Project Manager
City of Surprise
Member since 2014
Kirsten Hall is the Business Attraction Project Manager for the City of Surprise Economic Development Dept. She’s been with the City of Surprise since 2021 and has worked in economic development for over 20 years. Her role at the City of Surprise is to create and support development-industry engagement opportunities and to target and meet with prospects in the targeted employment sectors. Her background includes workforce strategy at the regional and state levels, as well as community and international higher education. She co-authored the West Valley Pipeline, a workforce strategy that brings together business and industry with educational partners to develop a competitive talent pool that supports the economic development activity in the West Valley. Kirsten is a proud graduate of Leadership West Class X, was an honorary commander at Luke Air Force Base, and is now a Blue Blazer lifetime member with Fighter Country Foundation. She is currently adjunct faculty at Grand Canyon University, teaching marketing. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, an MBA from Grand Canyon University, and is a West Valley graduate of Alhambra High School and Barcelona Elementary School. Kirsten has two children and five grandchildren.
Please describe your involvement in AAED.
I’ve been an AAED Board member (2 terms) and served as a Board Liaison for EDDE Awards Banquet committee. I’ve also served on the Fall Forum Committee, and attended both Spring and Fall conferences annually as well as several of the Phoenix Summits.
Which committees have you served on?
EDDE Awards Banquet, Fall Forum, and Spring Conference Committees.
Why do you want to serve as a member of the AAED Board of Directors?
AAED represents my profession in the State of Arizona and plays a critical role in elevating both the practice of economic development and its importance to communities across the state. Serving as a board member allows me to further advance this mission by supporting and amplifying the impactful work being done in communities of all sizes.
Through my service on AAED committees, I have had the opportunity to contribute to the development of a valuable and relevant annual conference, including helping shape panel discussions focused on timely and meaningful topics facing the economic development profession. I deeply value the collaborative effort required to deliver programming that informs, inspires, and strengthens our industry.
Equally important are the professional relationships fostered through AAED events. These connections enable economic development professionals to share best practices, learn from one another, and ultimately do better work for the communities we serve. AAED excels at creating these opportunities, and I am committed to continuing to support the organization’s mission through thoughtful leadership, engagement, and service as a board member. Thank you for considering my continued role as a Board member for AAED.