• A woman with long blonde hair smiling, sitting in a woven rattan chair, wearing a dark blazer over a light shirt.
  • A woman with long hair standing inside a building with flags in the background, wearing jeans, a grey long-sleeve shirt, and brown sandals.
  • Close-up portrait of a woman with long blond hair, fair skin, green eyes, wearing a navy blazer and a white collared shirt, smiling indoors.
  • Two women smiling and posing for a photo indoors, dressed elegantly with jewelry and makeup.
  • A woman sits on a painted wooden bench outdoors, smiling for the camera. She has long, light brown hair with streaks of gray and is wearing a light blue dress and brown sandals. The bench features floral artwork with white flowers and orange pumpkins, and a small plaque with information about the art. In the background, there is a person with a crown or hat, sitting at a table in a patio area.
  • A woman and a young boy sharing a close, affectionate moment, with their eyes closed and noses touching, in a cozy indoor setting with warm lighting.
  • Two women smiling for a selfie in an indoor setting. One woman is wearing glasses and a floral-patterned top, and the other is wearing a cap with a floral design.
  • Woman smiling while holding a wrinkly brown puppy in front of a blue digital display at an airport.
  • Two smiling women with long hair, standing close together inside a room with wooden furniture and artwork on the wall.
  • A couple sitting in front of a fireplace, smiling and dressed formally. The man wears a light gray suit with a pink bow tie, and the woman wears a pink lace gown. They are seated on the hearth of the fireplace, which has a mirror above it reflecting some guests and a fire inside.
  • A woman and a young boy smiling outdoors, making a heart shape with their hands, with a bright blue sky and some buildings in the background.
  • A young woman with long, reddish hair taking a selfie at the beach with a man in the background. The woman is smiling with red lipstick, wearing a colorful, patterned jacket, and the man is wearing sunglasses and a striped shirt, standing by a wooden railing overlooking the ocean during sunset.
  • A man with a red backpack and two children sitting on the ground watching a music performance in an outdoor plaza. The performance features musicians on a stage with various instruments and sound equipment.
  • A woman with long brown hair and light skin smiling, wearing a cream-colored top, standing in front of a blue presentation slide that reads 'Client-Counselor Attraction: Taboo Topic' with the name Teri Hourihan PhD, LPC, NCC and the date August 15, 2019.
  • A group of four people, two adults and two children, sitting and smiling at an airport. The woman is wearing a cap and the man has a backpack. The children are wearing blue shirts, and one child has a flower sticker covering his face.
  • Three people gathered around a birthday cake, celebrating with smiles. One woman on the left has brown hair, another woman on the right has blonde hair, and an elderly man in the middle has gray hair. The woman on the right is wearing a shiny necklace that says 'Happy Birthday'.
  • Woman with long brown hair smiling and holding a diploma with black text, standing in front of a colorful, abstract painting of a tree with pink blossoms and some blue and yellow elements.
  • People dancing at a wedding reception in a rustic venue decorated with string lights. The bride is wearing a white gown and the groom is in a dark suit. A woman in a blue dress and cowboy boots is dancing with a boy in a light blue shirt. Other guests are in the background under a wooden ceiling.
  • A happy group of four people, two adults and two children, taking a selfie outdoors on a sunny day. The adults are smiling, and the children are also smiling with one wearing a floral cap and the other with curly hair and blue headphones. The background shows a blue sky and part of a structure.
  • A woman with long blonde hair and light skin, wearing a dark blazer and a white shirt, sitting on a white couch with a woven rattan headboard behind her.
  • A woman sits at a table with a teal tablecloth displaying information about Teris Health Services, including pamphlets, jewelry, and toys for therapy. Behind her are banners advertising health services and treatment options. She is smiling and wearing a floral blouse.
  • Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with long hair, wearing a light-colored blazer and crossing her arms, against a plain gray background.
  • A young boy with short dark hair wearing reflective sunglasses and a light gray shirt, standing outdoors on a paved surface.
  • People watching fireworks over a river at night.
  • A woman with long blonde hair taking a selfie in a room with red chairs and other people in the background. She is wearing a light blue shirt with black text and smiling.
  • A woman with long blonde hair wearing a white blazer, standing against a gray background, smiling with crossed arms.
  • A smiling woman with long blonde hair, wearing a denim jacket over a green and white patterned top, against a gray background.
  • A woman with long blonde hair smiling and resting her chin on her hand, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, against a light grey background.
  • A woman with long, wavy blonde hair smiling, wearing a grey long-sleeve shirt, a name tag, and carrying a brown leather backpack, standing in an indoor space with a drop ceiling and fluorescent lights.
  • A woman sitting on a wooden chair on a boardwalk near the water, with a pier extending into the ocean in the background, wearing a colorful tropical dress.
  • Two women standing outdoors on grass in front of trees, smiling for the camera. One woman is wearing a floral dress and tan sandals, the other is wearing a striped blue and black shirt and black pants.
  • A group of women gathered outdoors in a park, with one woman wearing a floral dress holding a notepad and pen, and another woman wearing a blue and black striped shirt adjusting her hair while smiling. Others are standing in the background, some with pets, under trees on a sunny day.
  • A family of four enjoying time on a sandy beach with the ocean in the background. The father is carrying a young boy on his shoulders, and the mother is holding a baby girl. The family is smiling and celebrating together.
  • A woman with long blonde hair holding a young boy with curly dark hair outdoors in a park, with trees and green grass in the background.

Meet Teri

Teri Ann Hourihan is a proud Arizona native, devoted mother, small business owner of an integrated health care company, and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Since becoming licensed in 2017 and earning her Ph.D. in 2018, she has dedicated her career to helping individuals, families, and communities navigate challenges and build stronger futures.

Teri entered the race for Governor with one mission: to serve the people of Arizona. Driven by her love for the state and concern for its future, she is committed to protecting families, restoring trust in government, and addressing the corruption and systemic failures that continue to harm everyday Arizonans.

“I am tired of watching the people of the state I love—including myself—be harmed by the very individuals and systems that were put in place to help us. Arizona deserves better.” — Teri

Statement

Teri chose to run as an Independent/No Labels because she believes the growing political division in our state and nation is preventing meaningful solutions and leaving too many people behind. She believes Arizona needs leadership that brings people together, not further apart, and that the needs of citizens must always come before political agendas.

Guided by honesty, integrity, accountability, and common sense, Teri is committed to making decisions based on what is best for Arizona—not what is best for political parties, special interests, or wealthy donors. While she respects differing political viewpoints, her focus remains on serving all Arizonans regardless of party affiliation.

Teri does not accept, and will not accept (ever), PAC or corporate donations. She believes that special-interest influence has become one of the greatest obstacles to effective government and that elected officials should be accountable to the people they serve—not to donors or political organizations.

As Governor, Teri will work to restore public trust by ensuring that government agencies and public servants prioritize the people first. She believes many of Arizona’s systems are no longer serving citizens as intended and that meaningful reform is necessary to protect families, strengthen communities, and improve quality of life across the state.

Her priorities include addressing the rising cost of living, implementing a universal childcare program, protecting school choice and ensuring tax payer dollars going into the education system is accounted for, securing Arizona’s water future, reducing the homelessness, removing public encampments by providing safe shelters and resources, improving the court systems for families, supporting rural communities, ensuring an effective legal immigration process, and promoting government accountability. 

Above all, Teri believes leadership begins with listening. She is committed to being accessible, approachable, and accountable to the people of Arizona. Teri understands that problems cannot be solved by ignoring the voices of those most affected by them—Arizonans. Teri believes government works best when it works alongside the people. Her administration will prioritize openness, accountability, and public engagement to ensure every Arizonan has a voice in the future of their state.

A woman with blonde hair smiling while looking upward, wearing a white blazer, standing against a pink background.
A woman with blonde hair wearing a white blazer and white dress, sitting on a black and gold stool, smiling and adjusting her blazer against a plain gray background.

Personal Bio

My Story

I am an Arizona native, and my journey has been shaped by hardship, recovery, faith, education, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and an unwavering commitment to helping others. Alcoholism affected my family growing up, and by the age of 10, I was already heading down a difficult path that eventually led to addiction. I dropped out of high school at 16, earned my GED, and began college, but addiction continued to follow me. By age 23, I was exhausted by the direction of my life and knew I needed a profound change. I gave my life to Jesus and began my journey of sobriety on May 21, 2008. From that point forward, I committed myself to building a different life and helping others find recovery, hope, and faith.

The road that followed was not easy, but I chose life, and I chose to keep moving forward. I continued my education, set ambitious goals, and refused to allow my past to determine my future. I ultimately earned my PhD and became a licensed therapist, combining my personal passion for helping people with professional education and clinical experience. My desire to serve also took me around the world on mission trips to Uganda, Kenya, and India, where I had the privilege of serving others while learning about different people, cultures, and communities.

My life has included bankruptcy, divorce, hardship, loss, recovery, rebuilding, and starting over. Through each chapter, one Scripture has continually helped shape my perspective: “All things work together for good for those who love God and who are called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28. I have learned that hardship does not have to be the end of a story. Sometimes it becomes the beginning of an entirely new purpose.

Today, I am the mother of two young boys and engaged to their father, my longtime partner. I have founded several organizations, including Teri’s Health Services (THS), which is dear to my heart. Through THS, I built an organization dedicated to providing behavioral health and medical services to people across Arizona. My experiences as a healthcare provider, employer, and business owner ultimately became an important part of what led me into public advocacy and, eventually, into this race for Governor.

On September 22, 2023, THS entered one of the most devastating chapters in its history when the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) suspended Medicaid payments to THS following allegations of fraud involving me, as a licensed professional counselor, and my company. Within approximately five weeks, my team and I identified what we determined to be a software-related error in our system, which we documented and which the software company verified. Despite presenting this information, the payment suspension remained in place while the investigative process continued for over two years.

The consequences were devastating. I ultimately laid off more than 240 employees, closed six licensed clinics, and lost approximately 80% of our client base because Medicaid represented such a significant portion of the people we served. I fought to keep the company alive, even as it went from a large organization to a much smaller business. After two years and seven days, I was ultimately cleared of the fraud allegation. By then, however, tremendous damage had already been done.

That experience changed me. I learned firsthand what it feels like for a business owner, healthcare provider, employees, patients, and families to become caught in a government process that can have life-changing consequences. I also came to understand that many other Arizona providers and businesses have faced or continue to face their own battles with state systems. My experience is one reason I am committed to fighting for meaningful reform, stronger due-process protections, greater accountability, and state agencies that protect taxpayers from fraud while also treating legitimate providers and businesses fairly.

I am not against government. I believe deeply in what government is supposed to be: public servants working for the people. I am against government systems that lose sight of that responsibility. Government must protect communities, safeguard taxpayer dollars, enforce the law fairly, provide due process, and remember that every decision it makes can affect real people, families, employees, businesses, and communities.

I have never held government office, and I do not believe that is a weakness. Arizona does not need another career politician simply because that person knows how government has always operated. I bring experience from healthcare, behavioral health, business ownership, leadership, advocacy, education, and real-life adversity. I know how to build organizations, lead people, solve problems, survive crises, and keep moving forward when the odds appear overwhelming. I am running because I believe Arizona government can work better, and I am prepared to bring urgency, accountability, compassion, and practical reform to the Governor’s Office.

I love people. I approach problems rationally and fairly, and I believe people with very different beliefs can still unite around the issues that matter most. Good leadership requires listening, negotiation, compromise, and the willingness to bring people together. Sometimes successful compromise means neither side receives everything it wants, but Arizona moves forward because both sides were willing to find common ground.

At heart, I am a healer and a teacher. I am also a Christian. I attend Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV), read my Bible, and pray daily. My faith guides my personal life and my commitment to service, and I believe God has called me to this place and this moment—to run for Governor of Arizona in 2026 and to use everything I have experienced, learned, lost, rebuilt, and overcome in service to others.

Psalm 23 is the chapter of my life, and 1 Corinthians 2:9 is my life verse. Through the battle of the past several years to save my company, continue serving patients, and fight for those affected by broken systems, Isaiah 43 has become my mission chapter and Romans 8:31 my mission verse: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

My story is not one of having an easy path. It is a story of falling, getting back up, choosing life, rebuilding, serving others, and refusing to quit. Those experiences are part of why I am running for Governor—and why I will never forget who government is supposed to serve: the people of Arizona.