Amelia Gallitano

Amelia Gallitano earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and an M.D. and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Her career experience includes working as a medical doctor.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Meet Dr. Amelia Gallitano

Dr. Amelia Gallitano never planned to run for office. She became a doctor, scientist, educator, and mother because she wanted to help people. For nearly twenty years, she has called Legislative District 2 home, raising her two sons here while serving Arizona families as a board-certified psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and professor.

As a founding faculty member of the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix, Dr. Gallitano helped build a medical school dedicated to training the next generation of physicians and strengthening Arizona's healthcare workforce. She also spent nine years caring for veterans with PTSD at the Phoenix VA and continues to mentor future physician-scientists as Director of the MD/PhD Program.

Over time, she realized that many of the challenges affecting Arizona families—from affordability and education to healthcare, water, and the public health impacts of extreme heat—cannot be solved from the exam room or the laboratory alone. They require thoughtful, evidence-based public policy.

That's why she's running for the Arizona State Senate: to bring the same problem-solving approach that has guided her entire career. Amelia believes Arizona deserves leaders who listen, follow the evidence, and focus on delivering real solutions that make life more affordable, strengthen public education, and protect Arizona's future.

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?

Making Arizona More Affordable - Everywhere I go, I hear from families who are struggling with the cost of living. Arizona should be a place where working families can afford to live, work, and raise a family.

I will take immediate action to address these issues that Arizona families experience every day:

Lower the cost of healthcare.

Increase affordable housing.

Reduce energy costs.

Strengthen the healthcare workforce.

Protect consumers from price gouging and unfair utility practices.Investing in Education and Arizona's Workforce - I came to Arizona nearly twenty years ago to help build the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix because Arizona needed more doctors. I believe our future depends on investing in education and preparing the next generation of leaders, healthcare professionals, teachers, and skilled workers.

We will do this by:

Strengthen public education.

Support teachers.

Build Arizona's workforce.

Expand access to higher education and career training.

Continue addressing Arizona's physician shortage and other workforce shortages.Protecting Arizona's Future - As a doctor and scientist, I see climate change through the lens of public health. Protecting Arizona's future means protecting our water, addressing extreme heat, investing in clean energy, and making sure our children inherit a healthy, livable state.

It includes:

Water security.

Extreme heat.

Public health.

Affordable, reliable clean energy.

Responsible planning.

Evidence-based environmental policy.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Make life more affordable. Invest in education and our workforce. Protect Arizona's future.

Affordability (especially healthcare) and public health.

Climate & Water, heat, energy, and evidence-based policy.

Public Schools, Education, and Workforce Development.

Healthcare

Public Safety

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I've been fortunate to learn from many remarkable people throughout my life, but the values that have guided me came first from my parents. They taught me that if you have the ability to help others, you also have the responsibility to do so. That belief has shaped every stage of my career.

Professionally, I've been inspired by the physicians, scientists, educators, and public servants who dedicate their lives to serving others with integrity and humility. Closer to home, my friend and former State Representative Judy Schwiebert showed me that thoughtful, compassionate leadership can make a real difference in people's lives. She also helped me realize that many of the changes I wanted to make as a doctor and scientist required public policy, which ultimately inspired me to run for office.

I hope to follow the example of leaders who listen more than they speak, treat people with respect, follow the evidence, and never lose sight of why they chose public service in the first place.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The most important qualities in an elected official are integrity, compassion, humility, and a commitment to solving problems. Leaders should listen before they speak, make decisions based on evidence rather than ideology, and always remember that public office is about serving people—not themselves or special interests.

As a doctor, I've learned that trust is earned by listening carefully, being honest, following the evidence, and doing what's best for the person in front of you. I believe those same principles should guide public service.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility of a State Senator is to serve the people they represent by listening to their concerns, solving problems, and making decisions that improve their lives. That means carefully evaluating the evidence, working collaboratively, being a good steward of taxpayer dollars, and putting the long-term interests of Arizona above politics or special interests.

I believe elected officials should focus on making life more affordable, strengthening public education, protecting our democracy, and ensuring Arizona is prepared for the future. Public office is a position of service, and leaders should always be accountable to the people who elected them.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

State Senator Mitzi Epstein

State Senator Analise Ortiz

Former Representative Judy Schwiebert

Former Representative Kelli Butler

UFCW Local 99

EMILY's List

Sierra Club

Arizona List

3.14 Action Committee

Mom’s Fed Up

States Win

Civic Engagement Beyond Voting

Arizona Medical Association Political Action Committee (ArMPAC)

Heather A. Okvat, Ph.D, Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Karen Kattar, PTSD Clinic Director for the Phoenix VA

Austin Mach, PharmD, BCSCP