Candidate Connection: School Board At Large | Ellington

Cassandra Aucoin holds a bachelor's degree in business management degree from Virginia Tech. She and her husband have 2 children. She is Baptist. 

Cassandra Aucoin - Ballotpedia

Cassandra retired. She previously worked as chief of staff with the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. She also worked for the Army and Navy. 

Cassandra ran for member of the Fairfax County Public School Board in 2023, but did not win. 

Supports responsible spending and accountability in the school district budget.

Wants to bring back "responsible" spending and accountability in the school district budget.

- Wants to bring back "responsible" spending and accountability in the school district budget.

Economy

As of September 17, 2025, Cassandra R. Aucoin did not have a website or any information online.

Energy & the Environment

Supports legalizing recreational marijuana.

Opposes gender-affirming medical treatments for minors.

Supports legalizing physician-assisted suicide.

Opposes participation of transgender individuals in sex-segregated sports and spaces.

- Supports legalizing recreational marijuana.
- Opposes gender-affirming medical treatments for minors.
- Supports legalizing physician-assisted suicide.
- Opposes participation of transgender individuals in sex-segregated sports and spaces.

Public Safety

Supports policies that require parental involvement and ensure the safety of children in school bathrooms.

Supports policies that require parental involvement and ensure student in school bathrooms.

Supports establishing Education Savings Accounts for private school tuition, tutoring, or supplies.

- Supports policies that require parental involvement and ensure student in school bathrooms.
- Supports establishing Education Savings Accounts for private school tuition, tutoring, or supplies.

Education

Supports requiring medical care for infants born alive after an abortion attempt.

- Supports requiring medical care for infants born alive after an abortion attempt.

Healthcare

Supports term limits for Congress members.

- Supports term limits for Congress members.

Voting & Elections

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Cassandra R. Aucoin

Cassandra Aucoin earned a business management degree from Virginia Tech. She and her husband have two children.

Cassandra is a business manager. She worked for the Army, Navy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance Office for 35 years. In her last position as Chief of Staff, she ran a global organization with over 1,000 personnel. 

Cassandra's campaign for Virginia House of Delegates, District 7 is her first entry into politics. 

James Auchincloss

Buket Urgen

Karen Keys-Gamarra was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and speech communications from Tulane University and a law degree from Washington University School of Law. Keys-Gamarra and her husband have 3 sons. 

Karen is a self-practicing attorney at her own law firm, Karen Keys-Gammara, PLC. She previously worked at the Eastern Missouri Legal Aid, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in St. Louis, and as a staff attorney and organizer with Teamsters for a Democratic Union.

Karen previously served as a member of the Fairfax County School Board. She was first elected in 2017 and served for 2 terms. She also served a Fairfax County Planning Commissioner. 

Supports raising the minimum wage to a living wage, saying, "No one should have to work three jobs to support their family or themselves."

Supports raising the minimum wage,  saying, "No one should have to work three jobs to support their family or themselves."

Supports collective bargaining and ending right-to-work laws.

Supports policies that ensure equal pay, paid sick leave, paid family leave, affordable childcare, and universal preschool.

- Supports raising the minimum wage,  saying, "No one should have to work three jobs to support their family or themselves."
- Supports collective bargaining and ending right-to-work laws.
- Supports policies that ensure equal pay, paid sick leave, paid family leave, affordable childcare, and universal preschool.

Supports state policies to address climate change, including the Virginia Clean Economy Act provisions.

- Supports state policies to address climate change, including the Virginia Clean Economy Act provisions.

Supports gun control and wants to ban assault weapons. 

Supports the Equal Rights Amendment, calling it essential for codifying equal protection for women.

- Supports gun control and wants to ban assault weapons. 
- Supports the Equal Rights Amendment, calling it essential for codifying equal protection for women.

Supports multiple pathways to graduation, including workforce readiness, experiential learning, and dual enrollment.

Believes there are multiple pathways to graduation, including workforce readiness, experiential learning, and dual enrollment.

Supports funding schools to improve safety and security measures and prevent unauthorized access.

Supports funding for trauma-informed training and mental health support for staff.

Supports funding a centralized state reporting system to alert schools of employee misconduct.

Supports inclusive practices for Special Education and neurodiverse students in workforce training programs.

Supports menstrual equity programs and, as a school board member, collaborated to implement a pilot program providing menstrual supplies in girls' bathrooms.

- Supports raising teacher pay.
- Believes there are multiple pathways to graduation, including workforce readiness, experiential learning, and dual enrollment.
- Supports funding schools to improve safety and security measures and prevent unauthorized access.
- Supports funding for trauma-informed training and mental health support for staff.
- Supports funding a centralized state reporting system to alert schools of employee misconduct.
- Supports inclusive practices for Special Education and neurodiverse students in workforce training programs.
- Supports menstrual equity programs and, as a school board member, collaborated to implement a pilot program providing menstrual supplies in girls' bathrooms.

Supports securing funding to enhance women’s and infant health through educational initiatives.

Supports ensuring prenatal care is accessible to women of all income levels to reduce the infant mortality rate.

Supports funding mental health services for students related to the opioid crisis and other substance abuse issues.

- Supports abortion access.
- Supports securing funding to enhance women’s and infant health through educational initiatives.
- Supports ensuring prenatal care is accessible to women of all income levels to reduce the infant mortality rate.
- Supports funding mental health services for students related to the opioid crisis and other substance abuse issues.

Supports reducing barriers to voter access, such as eliminating voter ID requirements and excuses needed to vote early.

- Supports reducing barriers to voter access, such as eliminating voter ID requirements and excuses needed to vote early.

Karen A. Keys-Gamarra

- Supports abortion access.
- Supports ensuring prenatal care is accessible to women of all income levels to reduce the infant mortality rate.
- Supports funding mental health services for students related to the opioid crisis and other substance abuse issues.

Karen Keys-Gamarra was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Keys-Gamarra moved to Fairfax County in 1990. She earned a bachelor's degree from Tulane University in 1982 and a J.D. from Washington University School of Law in 1987. Keys-Gamarra and her husband have three sons who graduated from the district.

Karen is an attorney who has practiced law in multiple states, focusing on bankruptcy, employment discrimination, labor law, and criminal and family law. She began her law career in private practice and later worked with nonprofit organizations that specialized in employment and labor law, including Eastern Missouri Legal Aid, the EEOC in St. Louis, and Teamsters for a Democratic Union. After taking time off to raise her three sons, she returned to law as a Guardian Ad Litem, representing the best interests of children in abuse, neglect, and family law cases.

Karen is a current member of the Fairfax County School Board. She was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021. 

Walter Ley

Supports the passage of the 28th Amendment, which would make Election Day a national holiday.

- The Virginia General Assembly, made up of the House of Delegates and the State Senate, is responsible for creating state laws.  
- Your state delegate serves your local district in the Virginia House of Delegates, advocating for your community's needs and interests.  
- Delegates have the power to write, sponsor, and vote on proposed legislation, including all bills related to the state budget, which begin in the House of Delegates.  
- The House of Delegates consists of 100 members, each elected to represent one district.  
- Delegates serve two-year terms and receive an annual salary of $17,640.