MAG News

A fourth-generation resident of  El Mirage, Mayor Alexis Hermosillo now runs the city in which she grew up. 

Her great grandparents first came to El Mirage as field workers. Her grandmother was 3 years old when they made El Mirage their home. It is the only home Hermosillo has ever known. As a child, Hermosillo would gaze at the fields and imagine the possibilities.

“My great grandmother would take me on walks through the community. At the time, El Mirage was only about a 1-mile radius. I remember seeing the open fields and realizing we were at the end of the community. And even at 3 or 4 years old, I had this feeling, ‘there has to be more. So many things can go in these fields.’ Fast forward to today and the visions I had as a child are coming to life now as an adult.  I’ve always wanted more for my city.”

Mayor Hermosillo says helping improve the quality of life for others has been her “calling” ever since she can remember. She says she has come to realize that her mom, who worked for the court system, was a significant role model.

“She has a passion for law and justice. She enjoyed aiding family and friends in navigating legal processes and procedures. My mom was very vocal about anything she felt was unjust, and she taught me the responsibility of standing up and speaking up for myself and others. It is because of her that I enjoy being the voice of my constituents.”
Today, Hermosillo is focused on issues such as expanding public transportation and improving economic development in her community. 

“I believe economic development and access to public transportation go hand-in-hand. We have been focusing on the industrial and commercial growth in the southern region, and how that translates to the quality of life of our residents. Connectivity is at the forefront of our conversations—connecting residents to opportunities, as well as connecting residents to regional mobility.  Our priority is the residents and our focus is creating a better community moving forward.”

Hermosillo calls herself a lifelong learner who loves data and research. Most recently she has focused on small business development and organizational development.

“I come from a family of entrepreneurs and was raised in an environment where generating business ideas were as normal as deciding what to eat for dinner. While I enjoy researching business development practices in my spare time for my own curiosity, I am simultaneously thinking of ways to bring this information to residents through programming.”

That love for learning is apparent in her resume. Hermosillo received her undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance with a minor in Spanish and her Master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from ASU. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Organizational Development from Grand Canyon University. She studied business journalism in China and spent time as a journalist. She worked as a district representative for Congressman Raul Grijalva and in constituent services for (then) Phoenix Vice Mayor Michael Nowakowski. She helped businesses prepare for light rail development while working at Valley Metro, and she was the manager of a radio network that spanned three states. In her spare time, Hermosillo devoted her time to youth leadership development, allowing her to train and mentor youth to be leaders, themselves. All of which she believes uniquely prepared her, at the age of 29, for her role as mayor.

“A lot of this work revolved around people and helping people, and that’s exactly what being a mayor is all about. The radio station I worked for was under the Cesar Chavez Foundation that emphasized a double bottom line. The focus wasn’t only to meet business goals but also to meet community goals. It really helped me in understanding the link between business and community.”

Mayor Hermosillo says she most enjoys ensuring the voices of residents are heard. “I definitely feel very proud of being that person who brings middle ground. I feel we have worked very strongly to form a council that gets along, plays as a team, and builds consensus. That has trickled down into our community as well. I feel our community believes they are being heard and that their voice counts.”

Hermosillo says she considers all of El Mirage’s 35,000 residents as family. “I feel responsible for them and I take that responsibility seriously. I want everyone to be happy, healthy, safe, and I try to provide a high standard for their quality of life.”

An avid art aficionado, Hermosillo says she has grown into a “foodie.” Lately, she has discovered how food can be artistic, and has been on a mission to find some of the most dynamic restaurants locally. Her favorite food is as American as it gets.

“When it comes to comfort food, I can never pass up a really good burger. A lot of people love and rave about tacos, but I love burgers. How can you say ‘no’ to a burger?” she laughs.

Still, greater than her love for food is her love for El Mirage. “El Mirage is so full of life and opportunity. Our community is really amazing. We have a history of coming together, and together we have made El Mirage the best community to live, work and play.  I want to build on that legacy and provide even more opportunities and resources for our residents and businesses.”