Michelle Yerkovich selected to participate in Project CENTRL

GLOBE- The Arizona Center for Rural Leadership is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to ensuring rural Arizona is healthy, vibrant, and sustainable. Since 1983 it has developed leaders and established a network of problem-solvers, decision makers and spokespersons for rural Arizona.Project CENTRL’s impact on rural Arizona is substantial as participants hold many leadership positions around the State. Among the list of this year’s crop of leaders is Michelle Yerkovich of Globe. 

Yerkovich is the Development Services Manager/Code Enforcement Specialist for the City of Globe.

Before working for the City of Globe, Michelle was raised in Globe by her parents, Manny and Mary Casillas. She married her high school sweetheart Chris Yerkovich in 1987. They raised their three children, Victoria, Anthony, and Tyler, here in Globe, Arizona. A second-generation Realtor having followed in her mom’s footsteps, she is an Associate Broker with Stallings and Long Realty Services and has sold real estate in Arizona since 2002.

In her five years in Code Enforcement, she has built the Code Enforcement Department, organized and co-founded the dumpster and Trash Mob clean-ups, started the new Building Department, and worked on multiple City of Globe development projects. She has a record of fourteen dilapidated buildings being torn down and several commercial buildings and homes painted. (often working on getting paint for those who could not afford it).

For fun, Michelle likes to spend time with her family, hike, and kayak. Her favorite place to kayak is the Lower Salt River and Roosevelt Lake. Her favorite trips include white water rafting the Grand Canyon, hiking the Grand Canyon from Rim to Rim, kayaking the Colorado River at Horseshoe Bend, and going on a Cruise ship in Europe with her husband Chris. She hiked The Narrows and Angel’s Landing at Zion National Park in August 2021.

Her bucket list is to hike in every National Park in the United States. She has already been to 10, and we hope to see her hit that goal! 

Project CENTRL Class 31 will be traveling the state over the next 12 months, participating in nine seminars, including Effective Communication, Natural Resources and the Rural Economy, State Budget Basics: Healthcare, Education & Corrections, Agriculture in an International Border Community & Public Policy in Arizona. They will travel to Sonora, Mexico, Gettysburg, PA, and Washington, D.C., to explore leadership lessons from all perspectives.

The program culminates with a team “Make A Difference” projects where class graduates address how they would help address and solve some of rural Arizona’s crucial issues and challenges.

Arizona Center for Rural Leadership is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to ensuring rural Arizona is healthy, vibrant, and sustainable. Since 1983 it has developed leaders and established a network of problem-solvers, decision makers and spokespersons for rural Arizona. Visit www.centrl.org for more information.