About Alixon

Alixon Collazos-Gill is a mother, wife, immigrant, Latina, small business owner, and proud Democrat. She and her husband, Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, have dedicated their lives to their shared calling of public service. Alixon and Brendan live in Montclair with their two children, Gabriel and Kristen, both of whom attend Montclair Public Schools.

Like many working moms, Alixon understands the challenges of balancing family, work, and civic engagement – she does it every day. She’s running for Assembly to be a strong voice for our families and diverse communities. Whether protecting women’s healthcare rights, advocating for common sense gun laws, supporting organized labor, or fighting for public education, Alixon will be there to represent our values.

Alixon is a proud Democrat because of her lived experience as an immigrant and a Latina. Her mother came to the United States seeking opportunity and a better way of life for her family. Due to the complicated American immigration system, it took seven years for Alixon to join her mother in Long Branch and many more before she was reunited with her brother and sister.

When she was just 14 years old, Alixon came to the United States from Colombia. She did not speak English and had to adapt quickly to her new home. She overcame those challenges, seized the opportunities the State of New Jersey afforded her, and lived the American Dream. Alixon graduated from Long Branch High School and became the first member of her family to graduate from college, earning her bachelor’s degree in sociology and Latin American Literature from Rutgers University–Newark. She decided to pursue a career in public service to ensure that all children in New Jersey would have the same opportunities she had.

Through her work in the office of Democratic Congressman Steve Rothman, Alixon helped families navigate the same immigration issues her family experienced. She went on to serve as the Director of Latino Outreach on Governor Phil Murphy’s 2017 campaign. Alixon and her team organized a series of Latino Policy Forums throughout the state – starting a dialogue between New Jersey’s diverse Latino communities and their future Governor. Today, Alixon and her husband, Brendan, own and operate The BGill Group, a public affairs and communications business based in Montclair.

Giving back to the community through volunteer work has always been a priority for Alixon. She is a member of the Montclair Democrats, a BlueWaveNJ board member, a former LUPE Fund (Latinas United for Political Empowerment) board member, and she serves on the board of the Hispanic Research and Information Center – a nonprofit organization housed at the Newark Public Library whose mission is to preserve the history of Latinos in New Jersey.

Alixon is also an alumna of Emerge New Jersey, an organization that trains and encourages Democratic women to run for office. Emerge’s six-month training program empowered Alixon and inspired her to join the organization’s board and support other women. She has the experience, she has the training, and now, Alixon is Ready to Run.