Ilana Lowery and Victoria Saylor with Common Sense Media
Common Sense is committed to making kids the nation’s top priority. The San Francisco-based nonprofit, which just opened an Arizona office in January, is a trusted source for families, educators and advocates who help kids thrive. Common Sense provides resources to harness the power of media and technology, and to shape public policy to improve the well-being of every child.
Ilana Lowery, Arizona Director for Common Sense Media, is the former editor-in-chief of the Phoenix Business Journal. She left the Journal in June, 2018, after 23 years as a key leader at the daily business publication. As the first director of Common Sense, Ilana is responsible for driving a strategic effort to build the organization’s presence, philanthropic base and strategic partnerships throughout the state. The Chicago native joined the publication as a reporter in 1995.
Prior to the Business Journal, she was an editor for Independent Newspapers Inc., a community newspaper chain based in Scottsdale. Before moving to the Valley in 1989, Ilana was a reporter and editor for Pulitzer Newspapers in Chicago. An award-winning journalist, she also worked as a scriptwriter and associate producer for the NBC-TV affiliate in Chicago. A 1986 graduate of the University of Illinois, Ilana earned BA degrees in Mass Communications and English.
Currently, Ilana is an adjunct professor at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications and a digital editor for the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. In addition, Ilana serves on the executive board of Gabriel’s Angels and is a member of the prestigious women’s professional associations Charter 100 and Central Phoenix Women. She recently served on the advisory board for the Greater Phoenix Jewish News and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Arizona Press Club and the Arizona Newspaper Association, which in 2015 presented her with the Order of the Silver Key, an honor for journalists who have been in the profession for 25 years or more, contributed to the journalism profession both locally and nationally, and have inspired fellow journalists.
Ilana is a longtime advocate of causes involving social issues, education and children’s well-being, and she has served on multiple boards for Valley organizations committed to these issues. In 2014, Ilana was a Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Athena Award finalist. She also was honored as a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. Ilana also is a member of the Alliance of Arizona nonprofits, a long-time member of the Hon Kachina Board of Governors, and most recently, she was co-chair of the 2919 Arizona Science Center’s Galaxy Gala.
Victoria Saylor has over 20 years of experience in the education sector as an elementary school teacher and university advisor, bringing a strong sense of student advocacy and best practices to her role at Common Sense. She has provided educational leadership by helping pioneer her district’s groundbreaking Spanish Immersion program and establishing it into a highly desired choice for students.
After leaving the classroom, Victoria worked as a consultant for Santillana USA and Capstone Classroom publishers, where she sourced K-12 curriculum and teamed closely with district leaders and teachers for professional development. As proof of her long-standing commitment to student success, she served as a home instruction teacher for homebound students by providing a personalized learning environment that accommodated their needs. She also founded a private tutoring service, which allowed her to remain connected to her professional network and help students grow academically.
Victoria actively volunteers in several private and professional groups, and is a recipient of the Above and Beyond award, which recognizes educators who have made lasting impacts in the lives of their students and community. She is a proud graduate of the University of Arizona, where she earned degrees in Elementary Education and Spanish. Outside of her career, she’s a proud wife and mom to her daughter, son, and Labrador Retriever. She loves to cook and enjoys hiking the beautiful deserts of Arizona.
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