Erika Schupak Neuberg/Arizona Mirror
By Jeremy Duda | Arizona Mirror
Learn the name Erika Schupak Neuberg — she may be one of the important people in Arizona politics for the next year, and her impact will resonate for a decade.
Neuberg, a psychologist and life coach with a practice in Scottsdale, and a national board member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, will serve as chair of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. As an independent serving with two Democrats and two Republicans on the five-member commission, Neuberg will be a critical tie-breaking vote if the four partisan members deadlock.
After less than an hour in executive session on Thursday, the four partisan appointments to the AIRC unanimously selected Neuberg as the commission’s chair without discussion. Derrick Watchman, one of the two Democratic commissioners, will serve as vice chair.
During her interview in last week’s meeting, the first of the newly empaneled redistricting commission, Neuberg said her goal as chair would be to reach as many unanimous decisions as possible and to avoid 3-2 votes to the greatest extent possible. On Thursday, she began her tenure as chair with a pledge to listen to take everyone’s interests into consideration as the AIRC draws the congressional and legislative districts that Arizona will use for the next 10 years.
