Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women Welcomes New Commissioners

BOSTON — Two new state commissioners have joined the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW). The commission welcomes Giselle Byrd and Candace Pérez, both appointees of Gov. Maura Healey.

Giselle Byrd is executive director of the Theater Offensive, located in Boston, making her the first Black trans woman to lead a regional theatre company in the U.S. As a producer, she is the first transgender woman to be accepted into Through Her Lens: the Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program. Her documentary film debut, Giselle’s Story, directed by Susan O’Brien, was accepted into the Imagine This International Women’s Festival.

Byrd also serves on the board of directors at both Callen-Lorde Community Health Center and the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art. She is also the co-vice chair of the advisory board for the Ali Forney Center, and she was recently elected vice chair of the MCSW’s program and planning committee for the FY 2026 program year.

Pérez is a transformational leader, executive coach, and strategic consultant with a distinguished career spanning healthcare administration, public policy, workforce transformation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. As founder and principal consultant of Iya of the North Consulting, she partners with executives, leadership teams, and organizations to drive meaningful change, elevate leadership effectiveness, and build inclusive, high-performing workplaces.

“These leaders bring a fresh perspective to the work of the MCSW with a diverse range of personal and professional experience,” Chairwoman Mary-dith Tuitt said. “The work and dedication of these two leaders will only enhance the commission’s ability to focus on our mission and agenda to impact change for all women and girls across the Commonwealth.”