Theresa Riel

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Theresa Riel

Nonpartisan

Pima Community College District 2

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2029

Years in position

2

Predecessor

Demion Clinco

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Arizona, 1987

Graduate

University of Arizona, 1992

Contact

Campaign website

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Theresa Riel is a member of the Pima Community College District in Arizona, representing District 2. She assumed office on January 1, 2023. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.

Riel (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Tucson City Council to represent Ward 6 in Arizona. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on August 5, 2025.

Biography

Theresa Riel earned a bachelor's degree in 1987 and a graduate degree in 1992 from the University of Arizona.

Elections

2025

See also: City elections in Tucson, Arizona (2025)

General election

General election for Tucson City Council Ward 6

Miranda Schubert and Jay Tolkoff are running in the general election for Tucson City Council Ward 6 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Miranda Schubert (D)
		Jay Tolkoff (R)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tucson City Council Ward 6

Miranda Schubert defeated Leighton Rockafellow Jr. and James Sinex in the Democratic primary for Tucson City Council Ward 6 on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Miranda Schubert	65.7	6,376
		Leighton Rockafellow Jr.	30.2	2,931
		James Sinex	3.8	365
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	27

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,699
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Theresa Riel (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Tucson City Council Ward 6

Jay Tolkoff advanced from the Republican primary for Tucson City Council Ward 6 on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jay Tolkoff	96.4	1,622
		Other/Write-in votes	3.6	61

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,683
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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2022

See also: Municipal elections in Pima County, Arizona (2022)

General election

General election for Pima Community College District 2

Theresa Riel defeated incumbent Demion Clinco in the general election for Pima Community College District 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Theresa Riel (Nonpartisan)	60.4	24,891
		Demion Clinco (Nonpartisan)	38.2	15,716
		Other/Write-in votes	1.4	587

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 41,194
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Theresa Riel did not complete Ballotpedia's 2025 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Theresa Riel completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Riel's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a former teacher and parent who has taught in southern AZ for 33.5 years. I am a mathematics teacher and I bring mathematical understanding to the decisions I make on the Board. I will listen to my constituents and ask questions to understand their position. All decisions the Board makes should have a positive impact on students. I am unapologetically outspoken on issues that affect teaching and learning at the College. I strive to improve long standing issues that have impacted faculty and staff in a negative manner at the College. The lack of faculty/staff pay raises from 2014 through July 2nd, continual decline in enrollment numbers from 2013 until this Fall semester, and firing faculty and student success counselors to “fix” financial hardships at the College were problems that I spoke out about when I started campaigning in January. The College has made efforts on all of these issues recently! My speaking out in an open and direct manner about these serious issues that need to get fixed at the College is working. If I am able to impact the College in this manner WHILE I am campaigning, you see how effective I will be once elected.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Increase Enrollment and Completion. The college must make sure that all high school graduates and nontraditional students readily see the value of PCC and have a positive, user-friendly experience when they engage with the college. The college must improve its relationships with the secondary schools, revamp its website, streamline the admissions process, enhance student advising, and provide greater academic support to students.
• Accountability and Transparency from the College. The Board must demand and assure that the College is accountable and transparent in its actions and deeds. The Board must listen and respond to the concerns of students, faculty, staff and community members. The Board must be autonomous, collaborative and effective.
• Support Teaching and Learning. All decisions made and monies spent at the College should impact teaching and learning in a positive way. Each decision the board makes should be informed by one question: “How does this impact teaching and learning?”

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The College needs to spend tax payer dollars wisely. Enrollment dropped approximately 41% between 2013 and 2021. We need to engage in systemic, college-wide improvements in outreach, admissions, advising and support services. PCC has a goal to increase the number of completers (those receiving a certificate, a degree or a credential) to get 6000 students to complete their degree by 2024-25. I also support the college’s goal of doubling the number of Hispanic, Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Black or African American students by 2024-25. I stand with the college in its desire to provide outstanding education, to improve service delivery, and enhance organizational effectiveness. And, I think that the best way to achieve these outcomes is by doing a better job of listening to and engaging faculty, staff and students who have first-hand knowledge and experience. Pima College has operated for too long from a top-down model of decision-making. Including teachers, staff and students in the decision making process, not only gives a more diverse voice, but it also expands the knowledge base upon which to make these important decisions.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The Pima County Community College District is governed by a five-member board representing county electoral districts. Members are elected to serve a six-year term.

The Board determines the mission and sets goals for the college. The Board is also responsible for selecting the administrative head of the Pima County Community College District.

The Board sets the Chancellor's goals and approves policy for the College

Who are your constituents?

I actually live in District 2 and have since the late '80s. The people in this District will vote me into office but the Board, including me, serves all people in Pima County.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

I stand with the college in its desire to provide outstanding education, to improve service delivery, and enhance organizational effectiveness. And, I think that the best way to achieve these outcomes is by doing a better job of listening to and engaging faculty, staff and students who have first-hand knowledge and experience. Pima College has operated for too long from a top-down model of decision-making. Including teachers, staff and students in the decision making process, not only gives a more diverse voice, but it also expands the knowledge base upon which to make these important decisions.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

I enjoy meeting people and talking about issues that are important to their lives and those of their neighbors and families, and then supporting them to affect positive change. In the past, I worked with neighborhood associations to combine our strength to work collaboratively on neighborhood issues. As a PCC Board member, I will partner with the different civic groups that impact Tucson’s economic and cultural vitality to share what is happening at the college, elicit their input, and to ask for their support to improve theCollege. I will reach out to other secondary school boards to see what we can do to better support the needs of their students, improving communication and exchange of best practices and resources. I have been a neighborhood activist and community advocate for years and I will continue on the PCC Board working for the improved future of PCC.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Tucson City Council Ward 6

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Demion Clinco	Pima Community College District 2 2023-Present	Succeeded by -