Apache Junction communications director details outreach work and citywide dark‑sky announcement

Kayla, the city’s marketing and communications director, described the department’s day‑to‑day work and said the city will soon announce it has earned an official dark‑sky designation.

In an interview with Liz of the Youth Advisory Council, Kayla said her work ranges from broadcasting city council meetings to creating social media content, updating the city website and promoting road projects, special events and economic development. “Some days it might be broadcasting our city council meetings. Some days it might be creating content for social media. Some days it might be updating the website, promoting all the different things in the city,” she said.

Kayla said the communications team’s core mission is to engage and inform residents across multiple channels so people know about programs and services. She framed that outreach as supporting other departments’ work — parks and recreation, development services and city management — and as a tool to attract visitors and prospective residents to Apache Junction.

On upcoming projects, Kayla highlighted a formal announcement the city will make about a dark‑sky designation attained after recent lighting retrofits. “One that we’re really looking forward to is the public announcement of the city earning its official dark sky designation,” she said, noting that Prospect Park’s sports‑field lighting had previously been designated and that the parks and recreation and development services teams helped move the citywide effort forward.

Asked what she likes most about working for the city, Kayla pointed to colleagues across departments and said many staff genuinely care about Apache Junction. She also encouraged young people to pursue careers that excite them, including public service. “There are bountiful careers in that, just like with the city,” she said, and urged teens to get involved through employment, volunteering and service on boards and commissions.

Kayla specifically praised the Youth Advisory Council’s role representing the city at the League of Cities and Towns and asked students to continue serving as ambassadors. The interview concluded with a short icebreaker segment and a note that the video is part of the Youth Advisory Council’s series.

The interview was recorded by the Youth Advisory Council and is intended to highlight municipal careers, community engagement opportunities and the city’s recent steps on lighting and parks improvements.