Nancy Speidel
Project vision and iSAW Foundation
Founder and CEO of iSAW Foundation, operating as iSAW International. Nancy brought forward the vision for Ascending Girl and coordinates the public art initiative.
About the project
The people and purpose behind Ascending Girl.
Ascending Girl is a public artwork honoring Indigenous identity, cultural continuity, and women’s leadership. Learn how the project took shape and meet the people working to bring her story into public life.
How it began
A vision for public space.
Ascending Girl is an iSAW Foundation public art initiative envisioned by founder Nancy Speidel and brought to life by Master Artist Johnson Yazzie. The project grew from a shared conviction that Indigenous girls and women belong visibly in civic spaces and in conversations about leadership and the future.
The sculpture was made possible through the support of a benefactor who believed in its purpose. The iSAW Foundation Board championed the project, and a dedicated project team, supported by strategic advisors, guided the planning and collaboration behind it. We are also grateful to the many volunteers who have generously given their time, talents, and commitment to help bring Ascending Girl to the world. The team was intentionally formed with balanced participation from Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Working together in this way reflects the unity and solidarity that Ascending Girl represents.
From vision to unveiling
Project Timeline
- October 2024Project conceived.
- October 2025Artwork began.
- April 2026Sculpture fabrication began.
- October 12, 2026First public announcement at the Women20 (W20) USA International Summit on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
- November 21, 2026First public unveiling at Wesley Bolin Plaza in Phoenix during National Native American Heritage Month.
- Beyond the unveilingA proposed traveling exhibition to communities across Arizona, with future dates to be announced.
The artist behind Ascending Girl
Meet the Artist
Master Artist Johnson Yazzie
Johnson Yazzie from the Navajo Nation created Ascending Girl, drawing from his heritage to portray a young Indigenous girl standing with strength and certainty.
Through her posture, clothing, and symbolic details, his work honors identity, cultural continuity, and connections among Indigenous peoples across the Americas. The sculpture invites us to recognize the leadership of Indigenous women and girls in public life.
The people bringing her forward
Project team
Johnson Yazzie
Master Artist
The artist creating Ascending Girl. Johnson’s work brings the sculpture’s posture, attire, and symbols into a single, powerful figure, uniting Indigenous cultures.
Niagara Rockbridge
Project Team Member
Niagara, 2019 Miss Indian Arizona and 2021 Miss Navajo Nation, gives voice to Ascending Girl, sharing the meaning and purpose behind the sculpture.
Steve Speidel
Project Team Member
Steve’s support helped make the sculpture possible. He brings business discipline, active involvement, and deep respect for Indigenous communities.
Taylor Johnson
Project Team Member
Taylor, from the Navajo Nation, helps carry Ascending Girl’s purpose forward, connecting Indigenous traditions with the lives of young people today.
Michele D. Lee
Project Team Member
Michele has documented Ascending Girl’s journey through photography, capturing the project as it has taken shape and helping share the story behind the sculpture.
Guidance and collaboration
Strategic advisors
The advisors bring a range of experience that has helped shape and guide the project, including civic leadership, public policy, Indigenous knowledge, and advancing women’s equality.
- Donald LoganDon brings more than 50 years of service across four municipal agencies. His 30 years with Scottsdale included 10 as its first Diversity and Dialogue Director. He also served 10 years as Director of the Equal Opportunity Department for the City of Phoenix.
- Anne Simmons-BentonAnne chairs the Women20 (W20) USA 2026 Presidency and co-heads the U.S. delegation to the W20. A licensed attorney with more than 30 years of international development experience across government, the private sector, and academia, she has championed women’s economic inclusion through global policy work.
- David BegayDavid, a member of the Navajo Nation, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science at the University of Arizona, focusing on policy analysis and Indian policy and law. He also holds a doctorate focused on Indigenous education and the application of traditional knowledge.
- Gwendena Lee-GatewoodGwendena, the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s first woman Chairwoman, champions water sustainability, community resilience, and matrilineal strength. A mother, mentor, and advocate for Indigenous communities, she uplifts future generations through tradition, service, and women’s leadership. She currently co-chairs the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network.
- Stacey TraversStacey represents Arizona’s Legislative District 12 and serves as House Minority Whip. A U.S. Army veteran, she has been a strong advocate for issues affecting female veterans, and brings a background of public service to the project.
- Colby VogtColby founded Covo Intelligence to help leaders make decisions amid uncertainty. With 30 years in research and analytics, he spent 13 years at Gallup and led data teams at Burson, DeVries Global, FleishmanHillard, and Edelman. His work explores how beliefs and perceptions shape behavior and impact.
With gratitude
Special Recognition
Ascending Girl has benefited from the generosity, expertise, and care of people who offered their support at pivotal moments. We look forward to recognizing their contributions here.
The organization behind the project
About iSAW Foundation
The iSAW Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. iSAW, the International Strategic Accelerator for Women, works to advance women’s equality by connecting people, ideas, and action across sectors and borders.
Its wider work brings together leaders in the workplace, students preparing for the future, and people influencing policy. Initiatives included Women10x, Uni10x, and Women20 (W20). The Foundation also draws on the power of art, storytelling, and music, including its children’s book and the iSAW song, to advance its mission. Ascending Girl extends that commitment into public art, making space for the stories and leadership of Indigenous women and girls.