Meet the commissioners of the Commission for Women.
Back row from left to right: Ayla Zhang, Enjoly Ramsey, Phylicia Woods, Alesia Taylor-Boyd.
Staff: Keesha Coke, Alexandra Hernandez
Department of Family Services Alert:
Meet the commissioners of the Commission for Women.
Back row from left to right: Ayla Zhang, Enjoly Ramsey, Phylicia Woods, Alesia Taylor-Boyd.
Staff: Keesha Coke, Alexandra Hernandez
Alyssa Batchelor-Causey is a research consultant and business owner who has called Fairfax County home since 2016. Appointed to the Commission for Women in 2021, she served as vice-chair before being elected chair in April 2024.
With a vision for proactive change, Alyssa has been instrumental in restructuring the Commission to maximize its influence and impact. As chair, she is committed to broadening the Commission’s reach through strategic planning, dynamic partnerships, and a renewed focus on initiatives that uplift women and girls across the county. Under her leadership, the Commission is primed to tackle critical issues and build lasting, community-centered solutions.
Alyssa holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in political science; is a graduate of The Campaign School at Yale; a published author in the Journal of Advocacy, Research, and Education; and a recipient of the Leadership Center for Excellence’s Northern Virginia 40 Under 40 Award. She lives in Herndon, Virginia, with her husband, Anwar, and their cat, Blaze.
Helen Cole is a retired Fairfax County teacher with 39 years of classroom experience. She has lived in the county since 1977. She is honored to have been appointed to the Commission for Women by Hunter Mill Supervisor Catherine Hudgins. Helen has served on the Board of Kids-R-First, an organization that provides school supplies to low income families in Fairfax County schools. She also volunteers providing assistance to homeless persons. Helen holds a BA in Education from the University of Maryland and an MA in Education from Virginia Tech. She looks forward to serving the residents of the Hunter Mill community.
Jordan Tautges, Vice Chair
Springfield District
Jordan Tautges is honored to have been appointed to the Fairfax County Commission for Women by Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity. She has lived in Springfield, Virginia, nearly all of her life and is excited to represent the Springfield District on the commission.
Tautges graduated from James Madison University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences. Her passion for public health, plus graduating during a global pandemic, led her to work with the Institute for Public Health Innovation and the Fairfax County Health Department. She started as a contact interviewer and then transitioned to the coronavirus call center. Tautges looks forward to continuing to serve the residents of Fairfax County in both her professional and personal life.
Valerie Francisco was appointed as the At-Large LGBQIA+ Commissioner in June 2025, in hopes of advocating for policies and programs that promote equity and opportunity for all women and girls in the community. Her role focuses on ensuring intersectional representation, particularly for LGBQIA+ individuals, in the Commission’s initiatives.
With a background in social services, Valerie previously worked with Child Protective Services in Texas, supporting low-income and single mothers through access to childcare, housing assistance, and essential resources. Her experience fuels her commitment to addressing systemic barriers and fostering inclusive solutions that empower marginalized women. Valerie believes supporting women and girls uplifts the entire community and she is excited to contribute to the Commission’s mission through advocacy, collaboration, and action.
Professionally, Valerie works in financial crime and sanctions investigations, leveraging her analytical skills to promote accountability and justice. Valerie has lived in multiple states and countries, but is now a proud Burke resident. Valerie also balances her advocacy work with raising her two children and spoiling her cat, Lola.
Amber Beichler is a long-time resident of Northern Virginia, having moved from Pennsylvania with her family in 1998, and is an active member of the local LGBTQIA+ community. After graduating from Potomac Falls High School, she went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and a Master of Science in environmental science & policy from George Mason University.
She cut her teeth as an activist as a member of Equality Loudoun when Loudoun County Public Schools was considering expanding discrimination protections to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity," and saw the new policy passed in February 2019. Through her work, she connected with other LGBTQIA+ organizations in Fairfax County, Prince William County, and activists across the commonwealth. While she first arrived as an attendee of a support group, Beichler is now a board member of the Transgender Education Association of Greater Washington, which provides support and educational resources for those within and outside of the trans community. Formerly, she has also been the chair of LGBTQIA+ Caucus of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, as well the Hunter Mill District representative for the Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee from January 2020 to June 2022.
She hopes to contribute her talents and add a unique insight to the Commission For Women, and to spread awareness of the issues impacting transgender women and the trans and non-binary community.
Enjoli Ramsey is an associate financial planner with Freeman Capital. She grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio and has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Ohio University and a master’s in industrial organizational psychology from Capella University.
Enjoli began her career as a Navy officer before transitioning to roles with Deloitte as a senior federal consultant and the Air Force as the diversity & inclusion outreach & recruitment program manager. She is currently a Navy reservist.
Enjoli has lived in Northern Virginia since 2007 and Fairfax County since 2012. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, working out, and trying out new restaurants.
Alesia Taylor-Boyd, Commissioner
Franconia District
Alesia Taylor-Boyd is a 3rd-generation Washingtonian who lived in the city until graduating from Howard University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. Taylor-Boyd accepted her first job with the March of Dimes, and after five years left the nonprofit space and transitioned to work in the federal government, where she completed a rewarding career with over 30 years of public service.
In 1990, Taylor-Boyd joined the Federal Emergency Management Agency to work on public information activities and outreach programs/materials for the FEMA Family Protection and Emergency Preparedness programs. After the major impact of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, her career focus shifted to disaster operations and emergency management planning with federal, state, and local governments, scoping and developing a revamped federal response plan for the nation. During her years at FEMA, Taylor-Boyd participated in disaster deployments; training development and conduct; continuity of government planning operations; and national planning efforts for the Y2K Rollover Operations Center. After 10 years at FEMA, Taylor-Boyd moved to the Department of the Treasury to continue in a continuity role working with department-level offices, stakeholders, Treasury Department bureaus, and external federal agency partners.
The 9/11 disaster and aftermath led to an offer for Taylor-Boyd to join the Board of Governors in a senior-level position to play an integral role with the development of an agency-wide continuity of operations program for the Federal Reserve Board. This involved establishing connections and coordination with stakeholders in various organizations and agencies along with Federal Reserve System partners, which are the 12 federal reserve banks located throughout the nation. In each of these positions, Taylor-Boyd worked collaboratively with internal and external partners, system counterparts and federal department and agency stakeholders to further Federal Reserve Board continuity planning, operational capabilities, program management, development and conduct of training, and managing teams in emergencies.
At the Federal Reserve Board, Taylor-Boyd had the opportunity to fine-tune her skills as a manager and leader with the development of staff; recruitment and mentoring of summer interns and staff, and providing training and support to colleagues to ensure that the agency is prepared and able to continue operations in the event of an emergency. Key areas of Taylor-Boyd’s demonstrated skills are leadership, program management, advocacy, and assistance to colleagues and friends. Her extensive work experiences, parenting, and support to friends and colleagues have advanced her ability to communicate with a variety of groups and work with teams to reach successful outcomes.
Taylor-Boyd is a 25-year resident of the Franconia District who retired in 2021. She is a single mom who raised a dynamic daughter and served as a caregiver and support system for aging parents for many years. Now she is ready to continue her public service by exploring new opportunities and looks forward to serving in the role of commissioner with the Fairfax County Commission for Women.
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Phylicia L. Woods, JD, MSW, serves as director of Government Affairs and Alliance Development at GRAIL, where she is responsible for developing and implementing coordinated federal advocacy strategies with federal policy makers and officials on issues that impact GRAIL.
Phylicia previously worked in patient advocacy as the executive director of the Cancer Policy Institute at the Cancer Support Community (CSC) and as director of Federal Relations at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), where she developed and executed policies to ensure federal legislation and regulations promoted access to preventive and affordable health care for people impacted by cancer.
Formerly, Phylicia was counsel to former U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) on the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and as health counsel on the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Before working in the U.S. Senate, Phylicia served as a non-formal education volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps in Nhlangano, Eswatini (Kingdom of Swaziland), as well as a health legislative assistant to former U.S. Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-MO-03).
Phylicia earned a juris doctor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, and a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Saint Louis University. Currently, Phylicia serves as chair of Virginia’s Fairfax County Commission for Women, which advises the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on policies and initiatives to promote gender equality, eliminate violence against women, and honor women and girls in the county.
Ayla Zhang, At-Large Student Representative
Ayla Zhang is a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology with a strong passion for computer science and addressing gender disparities in STEM fields. Ayla tutors Title I middle school students in STEM subjects, focusing on empowering underrepresented students and encouraging their interest in science and technology. She also volunteers at hospices and senior living facilities, building meaningful connections and giving back to the community. Ayla is honored to contribute her perspective as a student to the Commission and looks forward to serving the residents of Fairfax County.