Janice Palmer

Janice Palmer is Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy at Helios Education Foundation. She is responsible for identifying policy and investment opportunities in Arizona and Florida that strengthen the Foundation’s work and ensure that its policy and advocacy efforts inform future investments and strategies.

Prior to joining Helios in 2016, Ms. Palmer spent 16 years with the Arizona School Boards Association where she held several roles, including Director of Governmental Relations & Public Affairs. She also previously served as Communications Director for the Proposition 200: Healthy Children Healthy Families campaign and was an Arizona Senate Policy Advisor, working in the areas of tax and fiscal policy, commerce and economic development, bilingual education, civil rights issues, and redistricting.

In 2015, Ms. Palmer played a major role in the negotiations to settle a school finance lawsuit that led to Proposition 123, a ballot measure Arizona voters approved in 2016 to increase funding for K-12 education statewide. She has been appointed by multiple governors to lead Arizona’s Education Commission of the States delegation since 2018.

Additionally, Ms. Palmer serves on numerous boards and committees, including the ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy Advisory Board; PHX East Valley Partnership Board of Directors; Aliento Board of Directors; Read On Arizona Public Policy Committee; Arizona State Board of Education’s Accountability Technical Advisory Committee; as well as public policy committees supporting the Arizona Chamber, Greater Phoenix Chamber, Tampa Bay Chamber and Florida Philanthropic Network. She also serves on the University of Florida Lastinger Center Advisory Board.

Ms. Palmer received the PHX East Valley Partnership’s 2026 Legacy Award and was recognized as a 2024 Women Achiever of Arizona in Education by the Arizona Capitol Times, among other recognitions. She graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University with bachelor’s degrees in English and Political Science.