Page Last Updated June 8, 2023.
The following citizens serve on the
Phoenix Women's Commission. Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor following formal approval by the Phoenix City Council. Once approved by the City Council, commissioners serve a term of up to three years. Members are expected to attend commission meetings and any task force or ad-hoc meeting the are assigned.
Anjali Abraham
Anjali Abraham is the Assistant General Counsel at Cable One, Inc., a broadband Internet service provider headquartered in Phoenix that focuses on serving rural communities in more than 20 states. Ms. Abraham attained a master’s degree in Divinity from the University of St. Andrews, a law degree from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, and undergraduate degree in history from Williams College.
Anjali is a native Phoenician, she excited to see the city of Phoenix continue to lead on issues that the Phoenix Women’s Commission champions. Anjali was appointed to the Phoenix Women’s Commission in October 2022; she is grateful for this opportunity to serve. Her eagerness to serve on the Phoenix Women’s Commission came from her firm belief that the entire community benefits when women have what they need to achieve their goals. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, volunteering, reading, and trying new activities.
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Maria Bailey Benson
Maria Bailey Benson is Residential Business Faculty at South Mountain Community College and a serial entrepreneur. She describes herself as having an innate understanding of how things work. Maria holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering, both from Georgia Tech. She is the co-author of
A Girlfriend's Guide to Social Media and loves to share her passion for technology and social media as well as how to successfully leverage it both personally and professionally. Her community affiliations include The Phoenix Chapter of the Links, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Phoenix Emerald Foundation, and the National Smart Set. She is the founder of the Red Dress Cocktail Party, an annual heart-healthy celebration, and currently serves on the national board of the Black Women Health Imperative.
Maria has always considered herself a designer and a fixer. She grew up in a family furniture manufacturing business and loves the process by which things are made. Engineering was a natural fit — her experience includes twenty years of manufacturing and software development in Fortune 500 companies. Maria is a Certified Raspberry Pi Educator and advocates for STEM education and physical computing in public schools.
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Lalitha Byra
Lalitha Byra is the founder and president of Vensoft Inc., an information-technology company. She started this business in 1996 and has soon built it to a multimillion-dollar business and soon became a successful serial entrepreneur. Byra leads one of the top Summer Camps search engine, CampNavigator.com, and web portals HealthSpectra.com, HerGamut.com and many others.
She is a visionary, strategic leader and accomplished executive with domestic and international experience in incubation, operations, P&L, financial and legal transactions, negotiation, marketing involving growth organization. Her core competencies include key partnership development, global strategic alliances and operations, risk management, human capital management, budget planning and sales forecasting. She has proven experience in people skills and specialized in operations management, leadership development, organic business growth, P&L management/budget planning and staff development promotion.
Byra is also the founder and president of Women Empowerment Foundation, a 501 ©-non-profit organization, whose mission is to empower women by increasing awareness in women's health, providing assistance to domestic abuse victims, supporting families with special needs children and promoting skill enhancement through various workshops, seminars, mentoring and networking events. Under her leadership, the foundation has organized one of the biggest women conferences in Arizona. She is an active contributor as a volunteer and Trustee of Indo American Cultural Religious Foundation, AZ serving Asian Indian Diaspora, promoting Indian heritage and values. A loving wife and a proud mother of two she who believes in family values, simplicity, honor and respect before wealth.
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Lisa Doromal
Lisa Doromal is a graduate of New Mexico State University majoring in Clothing Textiles and Fashion Merchandising with an emphasis in Business Marketing. Between 1992-1993, she served as President & Vice President of SAFMM, Student Association of Fashion Merchandising and Marketing that raised awareness and funds to attend the Dallas Fashion Mart. She began her career in retail and was selected by the JCPenney Management Training program, was offered a Merchandise Manager position, and worked for the retailer for approximately ten years.
In 2007, Lisa began to pursue her passion to start and operate a Dress for Success affiliate in Phoenix. Under her leadership, this organization became a global leader in funds raised, women served, and best practices amongst its colleagues. Over 16,000 women were impacted resulting in families being lifted from poverty and women reinvesting in their communities. The affiliate received local, national and international recognition. Lisa is an Athena nominee, Most Admired Leader from the Phoenix Business Journal, a Valle del Sol Profiles Success recipient, American Express Leadership Academy leader, and has garnered other prestigious awards. Lisa retired from Dress for Success in November 2021 to pursue other entrepreneurial endeavors. She has been married to her loving husband Michael for over 28 years and they share two beautiful children. Her greatest joy is seeing them compete in their respective sports and pursue their education goals. She enjoys volunteering in her community and at Cesar Chavez high school.
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Sharise Erby
A highly driven woman who was born to break barriers, Sharise L. Erby proves that when powered by purpose, women are unstoppable. She’s built her life and career brick by brick, fighting fears, failures, stereotypes, and setbacks to have the success she deserves.
Today, Sharise personifies what it means to ascend above adversity while inspiring countless others to do the same. She is a sought-after empowerment speaker, best-selling author, serial entrepreneur, and community leader. Over ten years ago, Sharise founded the Phenomenal Woman Empowerment Network, a non-profit based in Phoenix, Arizona. The organizational mission is to provide underserved women with education, training, relevant skills, and relationships to ensure they are equipped to participate in the economy fully. Sharise is pleased that 257,963 women have benefited from their programs, they have helped 233 women start businesses, assisted 25 women in achieving higher education, and awarded $98,250 in collegiate scholarships.
Prior to becoming a full-time entrepreneur, Sharise returned to college to earn her Master of Health Administration and spent 22 years in the health care industry ensuring that underserved populations had access to affordable health care.
Having honed her expertise for three decades, her work is a testament to what it means to leave an undeniable mark on the world. She has been recognized as a "Woman Rising Up" by Women on a Mission, the recipient of the 2016 Black Wall Street's Community Leadership Award, 2019 MOZ Award, 2019 RSG Businesswoman of the Year, and most recently her non-profit PWEN received the 2022 Phoenix Award. Sharise is the proud mother of two sons, and the Glam-ma to seven amazing glam-babies.
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Terri Jackson
After 40 years of dedicated service in the courts and the field of criminal justice, Terri Jackson retired from the position of Judicial Services Administrator in the Judicial Branch of the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County. She served as the Director of the Pre-Trial Services Agency and the Administrator of the Office of the Jury Commission. On December 2, 2012, her name was placed on the Maricopa County Pillars of Honor.
Terri organized the County’s African American Knowledge Network and was its first chair. She served on two national boards, the National Association of Pretrial Services Agency, and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. Terri is currently a Commissioner on the Phoenix Women’s Commission and a former chair, and the Human Relations Commission. Her recent service to the Phoenix Police Department includes participation on the Engagement Outreach Implementation Team/the Community Police Trust Initiative task force.
Her community involvement is diverse. She has served on the boards of the YWCA, the Children's Activity Museum, Maricopa County TASC and the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. She is a Read Across America program volunteer. Terri is a founding member of the Get It On TV show, a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and a graduate of Valley Leadership Class 6. In 2008 Terri served as a delegate for the Governor’s Office at the 2nd Annual Symposium on Women’s Issues at SIAS International University in Zhengzhou, China.
Terri holds a master’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix and a Certification in Storytelling from South Mountain Community College. Terri’s purpose in life is to assist in the development of women and girls into global leadership positions.
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Allison Otu
Allison Otu is the Associate Vice President of Outreach with Educational Outreach and Student Services at Arizona State University (ASU). Otu leads ASU’s efforts to comprehensively scale and elevate Access ASU initiatives, including WeGrad and the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program. As a member of the senior leadership team, Otu also oversees Experiences and Community Collaboration, tasked with building strategic partnerships and expanding targeted efforts.
Otu joined ASU in 2021 as the Executive Director of Brand Engagement and Communications for the Walter Cronkite School for Journalism and Mass Communication and Arizona PBS. Otu led an expanded team to elevate brand awareness and organize strategic engagement opportunities for the Cronkite School and Arizona PBS.
Otu’s tenure in higher education started in 2012 in various roles, including the University of Arizona Health Sciences Executive Director for Corporate and Community Relations. Her responsibilities included strategic planning and outreach, helping to grow UArizona partnerships with the corporate, community, civic, and health sectors across Arizona.
With more than 19 years of experience managing constituent relations, branding, executive communications and event management, Otu founded and organized signature programs, including the University of Arizona’s Connect2STEM annual event. Connect2STEM was the largest STEM outreach event in Phoenix, held at the Phoenix Bioscience Core with 41,000+ attendees over seven years. In 2021, Connect2STEM raised $56,000 in corporate sponsorships and leveraged 29.5M media impressions. Connect2STEM received top honors, winning Best in Show at the 2021 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Impact Awards for creativity and innovation and first place at the 2022 Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Institutional Advancement Awards for Excellence.
For three years, Otu was a member of the executive leadership team at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. She led the 14-person marketing & communications department responsible for shaping the overall strategic and creative direction of the College’s content development, public affairs, media production, graphic design, social media, community outreach and public affairs. Otu spent five years overseeing public relations at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Otu is a prominent community impact leader serving as the co-chair of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Health Innovation Committee. She is a board member for the Arizona School for the Arts, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix and Downtown Phoenix Partnership. In 2019, Otu was appointed by City of Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego to the Phoenix Women’s Commission and served as Chair for two years. Otu holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and an Executive MBA from the University of Arizona Eller College of Management.
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Janis Pelletier
Janis Pelletier spent seventeen years as a lawyer and her favorite cases were always real estate cases. Real estate was the only sensible option when she decided to change careers. As a lawyer, Janis specialized in criminal defense right out of law school but went on to civil practice fairly quickly. Janis has tried several jury cases but was equally successful in vigorously litigating and negotiating cases to settlement. She now holds a real estate broker’s license and brings those same attorney skills to her real estate practice. She has been a top producer at all her various brokerages.
In addition to being a Phoenix Women’s Commissioner, Janis is a member of the Arizona State Bar as well as an active member of the Real Property Section. She has provided legal advice to indigent persons through the Volunteer Lawyers Program. As a career woman, promoting women’s issues and opportunities to excel are near and dear to Janis’ heart, which is why she joined the Phoenix Women’s Commission.
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Yvonne Pipkin
Yvonne C. Pipkin is co-founder and Vice President of RAL Consultants, a firm dedicated to teacher engagement and training, student achievement and financial literacy. Previously, Yvonne was the Professional Development Manager for i-SAFE, where she was responsible for bringing internet safety education to students and educational organizations across the United States.
In a prior role, she served as the Outreach and Special Projects Coordinator for Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District where she was instrumental in bringing together stakeholders to build stronger communities.
Yvonne is the Board President and co-founding member of Science Prep Academy, founded in 2015 and Neurodiversity Education Research Center (NERC) founded in 2021. Science Prep Academy is the innovative private Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) middle and high school for Neuro-divergent students with Autism. NERC will focus on increasing the successful participation of Neuro-divergent students and young adults in the classroom and provide critical technical assistance and insights to educators, employers, and other invested in their success.
In 2019, she was the recipient of the City of Tempe Human Relations Commission MLK Diversity Award for her work in education. Yvonne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and her passion for education has led her to teach financial literacy to underserved communities to improve the wealth gap and push for economic equity. Always seeking new ways to impact her community Yvonne serves as a commissioner on the Phoenix Women’s Commission. “I promised myself a long time ago that I would never forget those who are hurting.”
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Heather Ross (Chair)
Heather M. Ross, PhD, DNP is a Clinical Associate Professor at Arizona State University and Special Advisor in the Office of Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. Dr. Ross holds a joint appointment in the College of Global Futures - School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.
She is a Senior Global Futures Scientist in the Global Futures Lab. Her research focuses broadly on the use of technology to impact public health using implementation science approaches. Major areas of focus include multidisciplinary approaches to address the complex challenges associated with behavioral health, public health, and public safety in the City of Phoenix and in under resourced communities around the world. Dr. Ross maintains an active clinical practice as a nurse practitioner in cardiac electrophysiology with the HonorHealth Cardiac Arrhythmia Group.
She is a national policy leader with the American College of Cardiology and serves on the Board of the Arizona Nurses Association and Arizona Anti-Defamation League. Heather serves on the Women's Commission to help build a more prosperous and equitable future for women of all ages in the city of Phoenix.
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Megan Schmitz
Megan Schmitz is a Director at Horizon Strategies, where she helps clients navigate the intersection of business, government, and community to reach their goals. Before joining Horizon Strategies, Schmitz was Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO of Arizona Public Service. She advised on the strategic operations of the utility and publicly-traded holding company. She also served as Program Manager at APS, where she advanced the company’s clean energy commitment and reputation management strategy. Previously, Megan was Chief of Staff to the Phoenix City Council District 4 Office. She led a small but mighty team that worked to enhance quality of life for City of Phoenix residents, and advised on policy issues including transportation, public safety, zoning, DEI, and more.
Schmitz volunteers to advance arts-focused initiatives as Board President of Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation and as an appointed commissioner on the Arizona Commission on the Arts. She holds a bachelor’s from Ohio State, an MBA from ASU, and is a graduate of Valley Leadership. In her free time, Megan throws pottery, experiments in the kitchen, and enjoys the outdoors.
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Carrie Whitten Simmons
Carrie Whitten Simmons is a seasoned public and community relations professional with more than 25 years of experience across various non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, healthcare organizations, and her own small business. Simmons specializes in marketing and communications, leadership in non-profit and higher education, media, community and governmental relations, and business management.
In her most recent roles, as Director of Marketing and Communications at Arizona State University and Senior Manager of Marketing, Communications, and Engagement at University of Arizona-Banner Health
All of Us Research Program, Simmons developed and implemented long-term communications and engagement strategic plans tailored to reach grant milestones from USAID and the National Institutes of Health. She designed bilingual messaging, campaigns, and outreach activities to specifically engage a diverse audience and garnered national recognition for the programs.
As the founder and owner of Travel with Kids/TWK Tours, she has visited more than 50 countries. She acts as the company spokesperson and travel industry expert for media coverage and produces short- and long-format multi-media educational travel content for distribution on PBS and multiple streaming platforms.
Simmons has held fellowship positions at Diane Halle Center for Family Justice and UMOM, where she worked to increase awareness of legal and humanitarian issues surrounding domestic and sexual abuse, human trafficking, and youth homelessness, and increased education through public, governmental and community relations and outreach.
Simmons has presented at national conferences, served on multiple boards and commissions, and was appointed by City of Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego to the Phoenix Women’s Commission in 2022. Simmons is a fourth-generation Arizonan and holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in Spanish from Northern Arizona University and a master’s degree in political psychology from Arizona State University.
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Christina Spicer
Christina Spicer is a nonprofit leader who has devoted two decades of her career to leading youth initiatives throughout our community.
After graduating from ASU with a BS in Communication, Christina joined notMYkid, as the director of the Clear Choices program. Clear Choices engaged teens in discussions about issues such as drug and alcohol use, body image disorders, and depression.
Christina earned a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from ASU in 2008. She joined Teach For America-Phoenix as the Manager of Corporation and Foundation Relations and was promoted to Managing Director of Development. She managed the high-profile advisory board and led the development team responsible for annual fundraising revenues of more than $7 million each year.
After six years at Teach For America-Phoenix, Christina joined Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus Pine Council (GSACPC) in 2014. She served as Deputy Director for three years with oversight of the programmatic operations, fund development, marketing, and the overall strategic direction of the Council. Integral in growing GSACPC’s annual fund from $600,000 in 2014 to $4 million in 2021, Christina served on the successful Campaign for Girls capital campaign that resulted in the building of the Parsons Leadership Center for Girls and Women, founded Badge Bash. Christina became the Co-CEO in October of 2022.
Christina is thrilled to be a member of the Phoenix Women’s Commission to support the efforts of creating a healthy and thriving city for our women and girls.
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Sharon Thompson
Dr. Sharon Thompson is a practicing obstetrician gynecologist in Phoenix Arizona where she owns and directs Central Phoenix Obstetrics and Gynecology. She earned a B.A. in Biology from Vassar College, an M.P.H in woman and child health from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Dr. Thompson completed her training in obstetrics and gynecology at the Harvard University affiliated Brigham and Women’s and Massachusetts General Hospital residency program.
A sought-after expert in her field, Dr. Thompson is welcomed around the country as a keynote speaker, teacher and health coach. She has given invited presentations to organizations including the American Medical Women’s Association and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Thompson is regularly featured on 3TV’s
Good Morning Arizona and Fox 10’s
Health Watch.
As a resource for her local community Dr. Thompson serves as Medical Director for the Arizona Community Health Partnership and volunteers on the Women’s Commission for the city of Phoenix. Dr. Thompson is dedicated to empowering the next generation of health care providers and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona School of Medicine Phoenix and an adjunct Professor at Grand Canyon University and the Arizona State University College of Nursing and Innovation. Outside of work, Dr. Thompson makes time to explore the Arizona outdoors with her nieces and nephews. Downtime will find her with a good book or a karaoke microphone in hand
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Miriam Weisman
Miriam Weisman was born and raised in the Chicago area. She and her family moved to Arizona in 1995. Miriam is an activist and advocate for all underrepresented groups. Her background and experience is diverse. For many years Miriam’s focus was human rights and anti bias education. She was a Facilitator for anti bias workshops for seventeen years. In 2019 Miriam was a speaker at the Women’s March.
Always a feminist, from the burn your bras era, until now. She is honored to be on the Phoenix Women’s Commission and work for equality.
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Elizabeth Wood
Elizabeth Wood was launched into a 15 year-long career in the nuclear energy field after receiving her degree in Physics from the United States Naval Academy and an advanced degree in Engineering Management. As a nuclear naval officer and later a civilian with Arizona Public Service at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, she contributed in a wide range of roles, such as: operations, engineering, business support, leadership development and technical training. After her two children arrived, she shifted gears and now strives for a healthy balance of family-time, meaningful employment, and volunteer work.
For over a decade, she has split her professional time as an Organizational Development consultant and Executive Director and Owner of Matrescence: 4th Trimester Planning and Support. Additionally, she has found purpose in many women-focused volunteer roles, most recently as a Board Officer with Postpartum Support International (PSI) - Arizona Chapter as well as serving on the Maternal Mortality Review Committee and Maternal Mental Health Task Force with the Arizona Department of Health Services. Throughout her life, she’s enjoyed staying fit and has experienced the great honor of representing her country in two field hockey Masters World Cup tournaments. Elizabeth serves on the Phoenix Women’s Commission because she believes in passionate citizen involvement, like perinatal wellness, is a key ingredient for communities to thrive.
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