Sonia Filan worked for MCC for 30 years, rising from public relations assistant to executive leader. In her position as Director of Institutional Advancement and Entrepreneurial Programs, Sonia Filan was responsible for community relations and promoting MCC to internal and external audiences through marketing, media, and public relations.

Under her leadership, the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations in two-year colleges has awarded MCC nine Paragon Awards in national competitions – gold in 2009 for Social Marketing and most recently bronze awards for MCC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and 2015 Report to Our Community. Regional competition has netted 18 awards since 2004. The high expectations Sonia sets for herself and her team continues to earn respect and admiration from within the college and the community, and she has been honored with the Maricopa Community College’s Women’s Leadership Award.

An MCC alumna, Sonia earned a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and master’s in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. She has a professional certificate in leadership from The Academy and is a member the Tempe Leadership Program Class of 2016-17. She has served as a board member for the Association for Supportive Child Care and as a committee member of Water Watchers, a program that teaches water safety to children and parents around the community through Phoenix Children's Hospital. Sonia is a member of Tempe Kiwanis and the National Charity League.