Tamica Gaynor, MS, MBA
Finalist for Executive Director
Tamica Gaynor brings more than two decades of public-service leadership to her candidacy for Executive Director of the Travis County Family Justice Center. She currently serves as Administrator for Broward County's Crisis Intervention & Support Division — Justice Services, where she directs multimillion-dollar, multi-agency justice and behavioral health initiatives, oversees compliance across local, state, and federal funding streams, and builds the cross-sector partnerships that keep families connected to care rather than moving deeper into the justice system.
At the heart of Tamica's leadership is a servant leader's heart: she believes every decision, every budget line, and every policy initiative should begin with the people it serves. Her policy work is intentionally person-centered, built to treat families as whole units rather than case files, and shaped directly by the voices of the survivors, children, and community members who live inside the systems she designs. That same passion for strengthening the family unit and the broader community drives her hands-on, relationship-first style of leadership with the mantra “People first, always.”
Her career path from Senior Program Coordinator and Program Performance Analyst roles within Broward County's Office of Justice Services, to a formative tenure managing provider contracts and compliance at ChildNet a non-profit for child welfare has centered on turning strategic vision into measurable, accountable systems. Before her civilian public-service career, Tamica served as a recruiter with the U.S. Coast Guard, earning an honorable discharge after leading community outreach and diversity-recruiting efforts nationwide.
Tamica holds an MBA and a Master's in Conflict Analysis & Resolution, both from Nova Southeastern University, and a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice from Prairie View A&M University. She is a certified Project Management Professional, a Lean Six Sigma practitioner, and a Restorative Justice Trainer of Trainers. A Houston native, Tamica is excited to bring her career full circle returning home to Texas to serve the Austin and Travis County community with the same operational rigor, collaborative leadership, and belief in hope as a strategy that have defined her public-service career
Debi Hill, Ed.D.
Finalist for Executive Director
Debi Hill is an experienced public-sector and higher education executive whose career has centered on improving systems for people navigating complex circumstances. She has led multidisciplinary teams and programs spanning education, behavioral health, juvenile justice, disability services, student support, and community partnerships.
Most recently, Debi served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at California Polytechnic State University, where she provided executive leadership for a broad portfolio of programs and services and brought people across organizational boundaries together around shared goals. Earlier in her career, she served as a school psychologist, assistant principal, and principal of six alternative education programs, working closely with young people and families involved with multiple public systems.
Debi earned her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership, where her research examined the factors that encourage or inhibit men from intervening to help prevent gender-based violence.
Throughout her career, Debi has been drawn to complicated work that no single organization can solve alone. Her leadership is grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and the belief that the people most affected by a system should have a meaningful voice in shaping it.
Eric Byrd, M.Ed.
Finalist for Executive Director
Eric Byrd is a nonprofit executive and community leader with more than 20 years of experience across direct service, government, advocacy, and nonprofit organizations. A native East Austinite, Eric grew up in a community where intimate partner and family violence were common. He has spent much of his career working directly with people affected by violence and building programs and systems to better serve them.
Eric served as Chief of Staff and District Director for Austin City Council District 1, working across public safety, homelessness, public health, and constituent services. Before entering government, he spent 15 years in residential child welfare, including two terms as a Director at SAFE Children’s Shelter and as a licensed child care administrator of record.
Eric holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. His community leadership includes co-founding MEASURE Austin and serving as President of the Black Professional Alliance of Austin, where he significantly increased the organization’s revenue and expanded its community investments.
Eric is committed to building the Austin-Travis County Family Justice Center around a belief that has guided his career: survivors deserve to be believed, supported, and put first.