Tasya Peterson, Press Secretary
Tasya Peterson serves as the Press Secretary for DES. She has more than 25 years of experience in communications, government and media relations, public policy and strategic planning. Tasya joined DES in December 2011 and is responsible for fulfilling media requests, and public information to nearly 3 million Arizonans. Tasya serves as a Senior member of the Office of Strategic Communication and acts as the department’s lead spokesperson.Tasya has had the distinct honor and pleasure of serving within two gubernatorial administrations. She served as a Policy Advisor for State and Federal Relations where she worked with state and federal partners as well as members of the congressional delegation on issues of concern to the state. She also served as Deputy Press Secretary where she handled media relations, communications, events and outreach, agency relations, and the strategy and design in the implementation of a new website. Her media experience includes serving as Assistant Editor, Research Specialist and reporter for the Arizona Capitol Times’ Yellow Sheet Report. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a specialized concentration in Pre-Law and a minor in Spanish. Tasya is originally from Nebraska.
The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is the state’s human services agency responsible for delivering more than 60 programs and services available to nearly 3 million Arizonans. DES makes our state stronger by helping Arizonans reach their potential through temporary assistance for those in need, and care for the vulnerable. Our staff strives daily to provide timely, accurate and beneficial services to assist those in need.
Office of Communications at DES
The role of the Office of Communications is to provide information to DES stakeholders – including our staff, families, community partners and the media – about the programs and services at DES and how they work together to improve outcomes for children and families in Arizona. The office handles various information requests from the public regarding the more than 60 different programs and services offered by the Department. The Press Secretary is the chief media spokesperson for DES and coordinates media interviews with DES staff and families, as well as the design and content of the DES Internet and Intranet Web sites.