Meet the Staff
Gabriela Barillas-Longoria, Chief of Staff
Gabriela serves as Chief of Staff for Council Member Lane Santa Cruz. In this role, she combines her passion for mobility justice, planning human-scaled cities, and migrant rights with her love for policy, systems change, and co-governance. For the past five years, she worked as a project manager at the City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM), where she managed various multi-modal transportation projects and the public art program.
Gabriela holds a master’s degree in Public Health and another in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the University of Arizona, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from Northern Arizona University. She was born and raised in Tucson and is fluent in Spanish. Gabriela’s father immigrated from Cuba, and her mother is a first-generation Mexican-American with family roots in Zacatecas and Chihuahua, Mexico. As a volunteer with FUGA, she supports community rides on Tucson's south and westside. She enjoys serving her community, especially those often excluded from decision-making processes. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, traveling, and spending time in nature with her husband and their cattle dog, Frida.
Eddie Barrón, Communications & Content Lead
Eddie is a Junior at the University of Arizona where they are studying Public Policy and Sociology. They are also the youngest staffer here at our office. They work to ensure young voices are a part of the decision-making process whether that's assisting with youth programming, communications, or policy. He was born and raised on the Southside of Tucson and is a proud product of the Sunnyside Unified School District. Growing up with a single mom, Eddie began to understand the structural inequalities that are holding so many of us back. Which is why taking part in community service projects in South Side neighborhoods, working on local political campaigns, and raising money for foundations that help working families has been his work since they were 14 years old. They also currently serve as a board member for the Sunnyside Unified School District Foundation which is the giving hub for Tucson’s Southside.
Benny Gomez, Constituent Services Manager
Benny began his career in public service as Special Staff Assistant to Pima County Supervisor Ramon Valadez in 2003. During his 17 years of service to the residents of Supervisorial District 2, Benny was able to provide constituents with impeccable service and aid in navigating local government services. Benny was also able to establish and build relationships with a vast array of neighborhood, business, grassroots, and government entities. In addition to the many experiences and skills Benny has developed during his professional career, he is most proud of his work with the Victoria Teresa Arias Memorial Foundation (VTAMF), which was established in honor of Victoria Arias and has given nearly $200,000 in scholarships to high school students from the Southside and Westside. He is the first of his family to graduate from college. Benny is married with 4 children and enjoys watching UA sports and hanging out with his family.
Michelle Myrose, Executive Office Specialist & Artist-in-Residence
Michelle is a proud Tucson native whose life has been enriched by community engagement, professional dedication, and the joys of motherhood. Born and raised in the vibrant desert city, Michelle has always been deeply connected to the local community. Her journey is marked by a genuine commitment to fostering connections and making a positive impact. Michelle is also a talented artist known for her geometric paintings.
Giselle Taylor, Community Outreach and Small Business Coordinator
Giselle was born and raised in Tucson with family roots in Agua Prieta, Sonora and Douglas, Arizona. After graduating from the University of Arizona, she embarked on a 7 year career in the Air Force where she worked as a Human Resources officer and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. Her experience ranges from managing quarantine camps during the pandemic to facilitating diversity events to bring out the voices of marginalized groups within the military. After separating, becoming nomadic and teaching yoga for a short time, she found her way back to Tucson with the passion for human connection and the purpose of serving inclusive missions that serve the broader collective. She loves seeing and supporting the endless potential community leaders have, especially those that are small business owners. In her pastime she loves exploring wellness, spirituality and science whenever she is not traveling in her van, painting, in nature, or being with her dog, Mystie.
Kristin McRay, Community Infrastructure Manager
Kristin is the Ward 1 Community Infrastructure Manager and she has been an educator, bike mechanic, and community advocate in Tucson since 2005. For many years Kristin was the education coordinator at BICAS (Bicycle Inter-Community Art and Salvage). Her work has focused on access to safe reliable transportation with the bicycle as a means of independence, empowerment, and creative expression. She is also a volunteer ride leader with FUGA, leading community rides in the southside and westside. In her spare time, Kristin studies medicinal plants of the Sonoran Desert and welds sculptures from salvaged metal and recycled bicycle parts.