ADVS Staff Recognized at Excellence in Government Awards

The Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services was recognized by Governor Katie Hobbs’ Office last month during the first annual Excellence in Government Awards for their outstanding work serving our Arizona Veterans.

At the ceremony, Arizona State Veteran Home-Tucson administrator Bob Tunila and his staff were congratulated by Governor Katie Hobbs for their national recognition for being one of the best nursing facilities in the country. The Tucson home staff were named in Newsweek’s America’s Best Nursing Homes of 2025 list back in September. The nursing homes on the list were assessed and ranked for performance data, recommendations of medical professionals, accreditations and resident satisfaction.

Also recognized by the Governor’s Office was our Tribal Liaison Geraldine “Geri” Kinsel-Begay for her dedication to connecting with all 22 Arizona tribal nations. Through Geri’s hard work, she has furthered outreach to our rural and tribal Veterans bringing awareness to programs at ADVS, including connecting with VBCs for disability benefits, promoting the Starlink and Tribal Connectivity project, and promoting the new Tribal Healing initiative.

“It is no secret that our team at ADVS works tirelessly every day and this recognition for our staff is truly an amazing accomplishment and speaks volumes to the level of commitment to best serving our Arizona Veterans,” said ADVS Director John Scott.