About Us

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Monica Dorcey was born and raised in rural Wayne, Nebraska, one of nine siblings. After graduating from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, she worked in the independent adjusting business for 27 years. In 2003 she went to work as a senior claim representative for Farmers Insurance Group, moving to El Mirage with her daughter, Ashley. Monica is a member of Santa Teresita parish and has served in several ministries over the years.

Monica is now retired but continues to be involved in a number of non-profit organizations with a primary emphasis on children and their education, but also fostering the growth and development of El Mirage. She has served in a number of roles as a volunteer for the City of El Mirage. This work includes:

• Served as Vice Mayor from 2021-2022
• Served on the Planning and Zoning Commission from 2013 to 2018
• Served on the Judicial Review Committee from 2012 to 2017
• Named El Mirage Citizen of the Year in 2012
• Served on the planning committee for the El Mirage homeowners association (HOA) training presented in 2016 to 2017
• Board member of the Northwest Valley YMCA Advisory Board, serving on the board since 2014
• Treasurer of the Dysart Education Foundation Board and Scholarship Committee, active
• Treasurer of Arizona Career Pathways, 2011 to present.
• President of the West Valley Neighborhoods Coalition

Donna is a native Arizonan and grew up on the west side. She graduated from ASU, Magna Cum Laude and double majored in Criminal Psychology and Communication. She is married to Dr. Joshua Winston, DVM, has four children, two granddaughters and a grandson. She bought her first brand new home in Rancho El Mirage and has lived here for 24 years.

Donna has worked for Maricopa Community Colleges since 1996 and is currently a Student Service Analyst at the District Office. Along with her duties there, she has been an employee advocate leader for the last 24 years which included writing employee policy along with helping Maricopa Community College employees.

Through this advocacy work for employees, Donna was asked to start the public employee sector of Arizona Conference of Police and Sherriff (AZCOPS), called "Maricopa Employees". She is currently the President of this non-profit group and proudly leads her board by navigating public employees through processes and policies of their organization.

Donna’s husband, Dr. Winston, is a Veterinarian and worked at Sun City West Animal Hospital. Their two eldest sons are veterans of the U.S. military and are very dedicated to military personnel and their families. Donna is also a wedding planner and owns By Invitation Only.

Donna believes in giving back to her community and has been extremely involved in volunteerism since she was a very young girl. She was the Family Readiness Group Leader for almost five years for her youngest son's Army battalion. She served on the Executive Board of the Single Mom Foundation and taught a 10-week course called "The Road to Self Reliance." She currently sits on the Executive Board of Don't Leave Me, which started as a civic engagement project for college students and brings awareness to the dangers of leaving pets and children in hot cars.

Donna played a significant role, working with Judge Parascandola and community partners, in getting the Veteran’s Court established in El Mirage. One of Donna's goals for the City of El Mirage is to partner with not only our local businesses but with our sister cities around us to build a stronger economy throughout our community. She would like to utilize these connections to support education, police and fire awareness in our own neighborhoods to secure a safer, better future for El Mirage citizens.

My name is Thomas Gouer, and I’m excited to share a little about myself and my commitment to the future of El Mirage.

Born and raised in Phoenix, I’ve proudly called El Mirage home for the past 13 years, where I live with my wife, Ashley, and our two sons. Family and community are at the heart of everything I do, and I’m grateful to be raising my children in a city that values hard work, resilience, and connection.

My professional journey has been both diverse and rewarding. After graduating from Independence High School in 2004, I spent over nine years in healthcare administration, where I gained firsthand experience managing complex systems and ensuring resources were used effectively. That experience gave me a strong foundation in problem-solving and efficiency—skills that are essential for good governance.

In 2017, my passion for public service led me to obtain my Commercial Driver’s License and join the City of Surprise as a Solid Waste Equipment Operator. Over the years, I’ve worked in municipal operations, including waste management, resource allocation, and infrastructure maintenance. My time with the Surprise Streets Department gave me a deeper appreciation for the work that keeps our cities running—everything from asphalt repair to long-term infrastructure planning. These hands-on roles have given me a unique perspective on the real challenges and opportunities our city faces every day.

Currently, I’m honored to serve as an Alternate Commissioner on the El Mirage Planning and Zoning Commission and as a member of the Parks and Recreation Committee Task Force. These roles have allowed me to contribute directly to shaping the future of our community—ensuring that growth is sustainable, that our parks and public spaces serve our families well, and that residents’ voices are heard in city planning.

I’m running for City Council because I believe in El Mirage. I believe in smart growth, responsible leadership, and keeping our community strong for generations to come. My background in both public service and municipal operations gives me a deep understanding of how our city works—and how we can work together to make it even better.

I’d be honored to earn your support, and I look forward to listening, learning, and serving this incredible community we call home.

Alexis Hermosillo is in her second term as the Mayor of the City of El Mirage. As a proud fifth generation El Mirage resident, the Mayor is passionate about her community and is committed to enriching the lives of El Mirage residents.

Through her experience in public service, she has worked for the largest public transportation company in Maricopa County, was the manager of a radio network under the Cesar Chavez Foundation and worked for the U.S. House of Representatives as a District Representative for Arizona Congressional District 3.

Mayor Hermosillo has also led national efforts to improve climate conditions through carbon pricing and provided operational and managerial support to numerous non-profits on a state and national level.

Mayor Hermosillo currently serves on the following boards and committees:

• City of El Mirage Public Safety Personnel Retirement System Committee
• Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Executive Committee
• MAG Regional Council
• MAG Economic Development Committee (past Chair)
• League of Arizona Cities and Towns Executive Committee
• Arizona League of Arizona Cities and Towns Committee: General Administration, Human Resources and Elections Policy
• Arizona League of Arizona Cities and Towns Budget Subcommittee
• Luke West Valley Council
• WESTMARC Board of Directors
• Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council

Mayor Hermosillo has also served on the Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Board of Directors.

The Mayor is committed to the empowerment of women and has served on the Board of Directors for the YWCA of Metropolitan Phoenix.

She has worked with the Hispanic Women’s Corporation, supporting their national youth initiatives. She believes that investing in today’s youth is an investment in our future and has dedicated herself to engaging and motivating Latino youth through leadership development programs with various organizations such as UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza).

Mayor Hermosillo holds a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary arts and performance, both from Arizona State University. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in organizational leadership from Grand Canyon University.