Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and his wife, Nicole, announced today that they are separating.

“After 10 years of marriage that brought us tremendous joy and two beautiful children, we have decided to separate,” the Stantons announced through the mayor’s public Facebook page. “This is a difficult but amicable decision.”

The couple often appeared together with their young children at public events, including when Stanton was sworn in to his second term as Phoenix mayor earlier this month. They said they now plan to reside in separate places but still “function as a family and do things together.”

“Our children are the light of our lives, and nothing is more important to us than being good parents to them,” they said in the statement. “We will continue to

make decisions together based upon their best interest.”

Nicole Stanton is the Phoenix managing partner for the law offices of Quarles & Brady. As the city's first lady, she spearheaded an initiative called "Stop Bullying AZ" to tackle bullying in schools.  

The Stantons also said in their joint statement that they plan to maintain “a strong presence” in the community and will continue to attend public events together: "Don't hesitate to invite us both — it will not create awkwardness.” 

The statement ends: “We ask for respect for our privacy during this time, and we will not make any further statements on this matter. Thank you for your support.”

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