Councilwoman Laura Pastor Welcomes Councilwoman Betty Guardado as Co-Chair of Phoenix Fast-Track Cities Ad Hoc Committee

PHOENIX — District 4 Councilwoman Laura Pastor welcomes Councilwoman Betty Guardado as the newest co-chair of the Phoenix Fast-Track Cities Ad Hoc Committee, continuing the City’s decade-long commitment to ending the HIV epidemic and expanding access to prevention and care.

Pastor has served as a co-chair of the initiative since its establishment in Phoenix in October 2016, when the Mayor and City Council approved joining the global Fast-Track Cities initiative. As one of the committee’s original co-chairs, Pastor played a key role in launching Phoenix’s response to HIV through the initiative and bringing together community partners committed to ending the epidemic by 2030.

“I am excited to welcome my colleague, Councilwoman Betty Guardado, as our newest co-chair of Fast-Track Cities,” Pastor said. “Since bringing Fast-Track Cities to Phoenix in 2016, I have worked with our community partners to expand access to care and address the stigma surrounding HIV. Over the past decade, we have accomplished so much together, and I look forward to having Councilwoman Guardado join us as we continue building on that work and move closer to ending the HIV epidemic.”

Since Phoenix joined the initiative, the committee has helped establish the Fast-Track Cities Action Plan, focused on increasing HIV testing, improving access to treatment and eliminating stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

The committee has also worked to better understand the experiences of people living with HIV and support community organizations providing critical services.

In 2023, Phoenix Fast-Track Cities received the North American Global City of Excellence Award, recognizing the City’s work as part of the international initiative.

More recently, Pastor and fellow co-chair Councilwoman Debra Stark helped advance City funding to support community-based HIV awareness and education. In March 2025, the City Council approved up to $250,000 for activities supporting the Fast-Track Cities initiative through June 2027.

“None of this work would have been possible without the people who have dedicated their time and expertise to this committee,” Pastor said. “I want to thank Councilwoman Debra Stark for her partnership and the many community organizations and advocates who have helped us move this work forward. Their commitment has made a lasting difference in Phoenix.”

With Guardado joining as co-chair, Pastor looks forward to continuing the committee’s efforts to expand access to HIV services and address disparities in care as Phoenix works toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Learn more about the Phoenix Fast-Track Cities initiative.