ACHSO Executive Committee

Ms. Heather Peeler is the President & CEO of ACT for Alexandria. During her tenure, ACT expanded its service to the community and deepened its impact. Key initiatives have addressed racial equity, economic mobility for low-income Alexandrians, and youth success. In 2020, ACT distributed $5.76M in COVID emergency assistance. Prior to ACT Ms. Peeler served as the Vice President of Member and Partner Engagement at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, a highly regarded organization dedicated to effective philanthropy and nonprofit success. She previously served as Chief Strategy Officer at the Corporation for National and Community Service and as Managing Director at Community Wealth Partners. Throughout her career she has focused on bringing people together to make their organizations and their communities stronger. She regularly writes and speaks about capacity building, community engagement, collaboration, and learning and evaluation. Her own community involvement includes serving as Chair of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers and as a Commissioner on the Washington, D.C. Commission on Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes. Ms. Peeler holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts and earned her M.B.A. from The Anderson School at UCLA in Los Angeles, California.

Kate Garvey is the Director of the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) for the City of Alexandria.  DCHS is a unified department that is focused on the safety, well-being, and economic security of residents. The Department provides economic supports, behavioral health, developmental disability, early childhood, housing, workforce development, domestic violence, child welfare and aging services to more than 40,000 residents each year. Ms. Garvey joined the City in 2014.  Prior to her work in Alexandria, Ms. Garvey served as the Chief of Children, Youth and Family Services of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services for more than 10 years. There she focused on services and integrated approaches to support children and families and advancing opportunities and economic security for youth and adults.   Prior to Montgomery County, she worked in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she was served as the Executive Deputy Director for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS). Her responsibilities included service integration approaches and organizational development initiatives. 

Allen Lomax is retired from the federal government with over 30 years of service. During most of that
service he was with the U.S. Government Accountability Office where he led studies on such issues as
performance measurement, strategic planning, and the nation’s preparedness for a possible influenza
pandemic. Since retiring, he has been involved in a number of projects such as community indicator
systems’ best practices, community engagement best practices and government policies and practices.
Allen holds an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and Masters
in Public Administration from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. His community work includes
chairing the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria, Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria
and serving as a member of the Governing Board of the Alexandria Partnership to Prevent and End
Homelessness, and Leadership Council of the Suicide Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia.

Amy is a seasoned non-profit leader with an extensive history of advocating for at-risk youth and serving children and families within the Child Protective Services system due to abuse and neglect. With a comprehensive background in strategic visioning, team leadership, and collaborative problem-solving, effectively guides teams through the complexities of the child welfare system. Expertise includes a track record of successfully managing multiple initiatives, resolving unforeseen challenges, and delivering results in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments.

 Mary Lee Anderson serves as the Executive Director of Senior Services of Alexandria and is responsible for the overall health and well-being of this 55-year-old agency with an annual budget exceeding $1.1 million. She is also responsible for all staff supervision, budgeting, contract management, and compliance issues of the organization. Ms. Anderson has been Executive Director since June 2013 and joined SSA in 2010 as the Director of the Senior Resource Center.

 Mary Lee served on the Alexandria Commission on Aging 2013-2023, was chair of the COA Economic Development Committee and is a member of the Age Friendly Task Force. She represents SSA on Alexandria’s Council of Human Services Organizations (ACHSO) and was a member of the City’s 2022-23 Racial Equity Toolkit Task Force. She is a member of the Alexandria Rotary Club and Alexandria’s Chamber of Commerce. She has been involved in service to the Alexandria non-profit community for over 30 years and has 20 years of corporate experience in marketing and international relations in the international telecommunications industry.

 Ingris was born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, the daughter of Salvadoran parents. She joined the youth chapter of Tenants and Workers United (TWU) as a freshman in high school. A first-generation college graduate, Ingris earned her Bachelor’s in Sociology from Virginia Commonwealth University, the culmination of an academic journey that started at Northern Virginia Community College.

 After college, Ingris became a youth organizer at TWU, and now, nearly 10 years later, has since transitioned into Lead Organizer, overseeing all the organizing work that happens in Alexandria City, including the housing campaign. Ingris has lived experience and a deep understanding of community organizing, recognizing the critical importance of empowering working class families of color in order to transform systems. 

 Sonja, a seasoned professional with over 24 years of experience in operations and upper-level management, currently serves as the Executive Director of Friends of Guest House, a position she assumed in July 2022 after joining as Director of Operations in September 2018. With a B.A. in Sociology and Government from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from Howard University School of Law, Sonja brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role, demonstrating her commitment to understanding societal structures, governance, and justice.

 Prior to her current position, Sonja ran a private practice primarily serving indigent and under-represented populations, collaborating with organizations like Maryland Volunteer Lawyer Services, Maryland Homeless Representation Project, and Maryland Disability Law Center to address the legal needs of Maryland's most vulnerable communities.

 As the Executive Director of Friends of Guest House, Sonja oversees the organization's outreach and administrative responsibilities. Motivated by the belief in second chances, she finds inspiration in the personal growth and achievements of the clients served by Friends of Guest House. Sonja's leadership is characterized by a deep commitment to creating positive change and making a lasting impact on the lives of those seeking a fresh start.

Melissa Guerrero Gelinas is the Director of Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. Programs for Liberty's Promise. She also conducts the CE-BELL (Civic Engagement for Beginning English Language Learners) program at Alexandria City High School. 
She graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s in Linguistics, and later from Wake Forest University with a master’s in Spanish Interpreting and Translation. She has previous experience teaching English abroad, and working as an interpreter in the Forsyth County N.C. public schools, at Forsyth County Department of Social Services, and at World Relief. Melissa is thrilled to be participating in the Youth CTE & Employment Working Group as well as ALX Beyond's Program Quality Cohort this year. 

Ms. Ayers joined ALIVE! as its Executive Director in August 2019. Prior to joining ALIVE! she was an independent management consultant with 25 years of nonprofit management experience. Her firm, JL Ayers Consulting, LLC helped organizations implement new strategies to improve operational efficiency.
Jennifer Ayers was the Executive Director of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) from 2006 -2012. She has worked for several other nonprofits at the Executive Level including the Professional Landcare Network, National Association of Addiction Professionals, New York City Parks Foundation, and the Pasadena Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Ayers holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and English Textual Studies from Syracuse University.
She resides in Alexandria, VA where she volunteers her time with various local organizations and spends time with her family and beagle. She is an active member of Fairlington United Methodist Church, and Past President of Living Legends of Alexandria and served with several other local organizations as a volunteer or board member.

Taneika Taylor Tukan has been named to the role of assistant director of School Engagement and Community Partnerships at Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS), effective April 10, 2023. In this role, Tukan provides team support in collaboration with the executive director of Community Partnerships and Engagement and advances the ACPS Department of School and Community Relations strategic plan and goals. Her role also includes developing and implementing all public information and outreach efforts and supporting the overall vision, mission and strategic initiatives of the office, the department and the division.

“Taneika Taylor Tukan has been an integral part of the Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement over the past six years and brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and a high level of expertise and commitment to ACPS,” Executive Director of Community Partnerships and Engagement Kurt Huffman said. “We look forward to Taneika facilitating and implementing new innovative ideas and methods to ensure a continuation of access to services and information for our families from all language backgrounds. This promotion will also allow for Taneika to increase her role as a mentor and coach and serve as a collaborative leader for the team in partnership with the executive director.”

Tukan previously served as the school engagement and community outreach manager. She joined ACPS in 2016 as a community outreach specialist and helped design and implement traditional and innovative outreach strategies to increase two-way communication with linguistically and culturally diverse families. Prior to joining ACPS, Tukan served as executive director of the Literacy Council of Prince George’s County in Maryland. She also was the director of parenting and communications for Gender Public Advocacy Coalition in Washington, D.C., and has worked as a classroom instructor through Teach for America at District of Columbia Public Schools’ Plummer Elementary School.

Tukan earned a Bachelor of Arts in African American studies with a concentration in sociology from Yale University. She received an Award of Excellence from the Chesapeake School Public Relations Association in 2022 for developing a crisis communication campaign. Tukan also played a pivotal role in The Identity Project, which earned a Gold Medallion Award from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in 2021, and she helped create a strategic plan for the Department of School and Community Relations, which earned an NSPRA Golden Achievement Award in 2022. Tukan also was a past recipient of the “Forty Under 40” Award from Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund.

 Mary C. Horner joined the City of Alexandria Office of Housing as the Division Chief of the Landlord Tenant Division in May of 2024.  Prior to joining the City, Mary spent six years working as a Staff Attorney in the Alexandria Office of Legal Services of Northern Virginia where she represented low-income, elderly, and disabled residents of the City in housing matters. 

 Prior to her time as LSNV, Mary worked as a judicial law clerk for the City of Alexandria Circuit Court and as an associate at MercerTrigiani.  Mary is also active in the broader Alexandria community; she serves as President of the Alexandria Bar Association and as a court-appointed civil celebrant for the City of Alexandria in her free time. 

 Mary was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and is a 2011 graduate of Christopher Newport University and a 2015 graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law. 

Marion, a native of Germany and a social worker by trade, has been involved in the Washington, D.C. non-profit arena for over 17 years, working with communities, nonprofit and government agencies, and volunteers. As the Executive Director, at Volunteer Alexandria, she works with local municipal and community leaders to connect needs and people to further enhance the lives of Alexandria residents, visitors and businesses. Marion has served in this role since 2012 during which time she has significantly moved the organization forward to expand programs and increase visibility in the community. Prior to her service at Volunteer Alexandria, Marion served for eight years as the Employee Engagement Manager at Freddie Mac where she created and oversaw volunteer opportunities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for over 5,000 employees. During one of her Habitat for Humanity projects she created, she had the pleasure of working with President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn. In 2005, she received Freddie Mac’s Premium Achievement Award for her leadership in engaging employees in volunteering.

Marion began her career in volunteer service management as the Special Events Coordinator with the DC volunteer center, Greater DC Cares, from 1998 to 2002. She was responsible for creating service projects for 3,000 volunteers performing community service at more than 70 schools, and nonprofit and City agencies, and for creating an event for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in 2001 involving community leaders within the City, as well as local government. During this event, she had the pleasure of working with President Bill Clinton.

She followed as Operations Manager from 2002 to 2004 at Volunteer Alexandria (then called the Alexandria Volunteer Bureau).

Marion is a graduate of Leadership Alexandria’s first class (2004) and has served as a Virginia Volunteer since 2009 for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Currently, she serves on several community committees including, the Alexandria Council for Human Service Organizations (ACHSO), Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria, the Alexandria LGBTQ+ Task Force, and the Program SubCcommitee for the Points of Light Foundation. 

In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her wife Susan, her friends, travel, ride her motorcycle, garden and read books.

Jim Ferguson has served as the Executive Director of Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV) since 2006.  Prior to coming to LSNV, he was a director at the National Center for Victims of Crime and an attorney in private practice with firms in DC and the City of Alexandria.  Jim is a graduate of UVa and Notre Dame Law School.  He and his wife Lisa have four kids who all grew up in NOVA and are now adults.  In his spare time, Jim runs, cycles, and bakes.