Michelle Melendez
Director of Equity & Inclusion
City of Albuquerque
“Small businesses are the backbone of our
economy, and Latinx entrepreneurs have the
hustle that is needed to make big dreams
come true in our City,” shares Michelle
Melendez, Director of Equity & Inclusion, City
of Albuquerque. “We see it every day, from
the creators who are selling their marvelous
creations during our ABQ ArtWalk and at the
grower’s markets and Railyards Market, to
the small and medium-sized companies
supplying the film industry and the goods and
services that make our economy grow. We
will rebound from the economic impacts of
the pandemic because of Latinas.”
Albuquerque, New Mexico native,
Melendez has more than 18 years of
experience in community development,
leadership development, and advocacy to
address the social determinants of health and
their policy antecedents. Today she brings a
lifelong vision of racial equity to the Office of
Equity and Inclusion and believes that her
relationships with incredibly dedicated social
justice, economic development and public
health champions will lead the City of
Albuquerque to embrace equity as a guiding
principle in all areas of civic life.
As the inaugural Director of Equity
and Inclusion at the City of Albuquerque,
Melendez aims for legacy impact.
“I am leaving the City of Albuquerque
with policies and practices in place that will
outlast any change in administration and that
improve outcomes for people who have been
systematically left out,” she shares. “We use
data, plus our lived experience, to inform
policies and practices to influence who we
hire as a City, who we do business with as a
City, where we invest as a City and how we
provide services so that ALL Burqueños have
equitable opportunities to thrive.”
Carolyn Ortega
Director
CABQ Animal Welfare
Lifelong resident of New Mexico, Carolyn
Ortega, Animal Welfare Director for the City
of Albuquerque leadership goes beyond her
role as director. A businesswoman, wife,
mother, grandmother and philanthropist,
Ortega has inspired programs and her
entrepreneurial spirit has resulted in building
a new Veterinary clinic (first of its kind) that
will serve all of the residents of Albuquerque.
As the Animal Welfare Director, she oversees
five Divisions, which include Animal
Protection Services, two shelters, four
adoptions centers, two shelter clinics, one
community veterinary clinic and
administration. She has 149 staff and
manages a $13 million budget. Annually the
shelter cares for over 20,000 animals and
has a 92 percent live exit rate.
“This clinic will offer low to no cost
services (sliding scale based on income)
to the residents of Albuquerque, which
includes spay/neuter, vaccinations and
microchipping,” she shares. “This will create
a revenue stream to reinvest into the
shelters, so that AWD can expand their
services without pulling money out of other
important programs in the City or requesting
more taxpayer dollars.”
For Ortega, her roots in the community
have shown her that it is not only the most
impoverished that need help. She believes a
large population of medium-income residents
don’t quite qualify for low-income assistance
but can’t afford the services.
“I grew up low-income and my mom
had so many resources to help, but when I
became a single mom of three making $12
the hour there weren’t any programs to help
me; there was no help even to subsidize,” she
shares. “I want everyone to have the same
opportunities and access to services.”
Helen Maestas
Deputy Director for Public
Affairs, Office of the Mayor
City of Albuquerque
“What I love about our City is that it is not
unusual to see Latinas in positions of
leadership—we are entrepreneurs, small
business owners, non-profit executives, and
at the City of Albuquerque Latinas, and Latinos
too, serve as Department Directors, Deputy
Directors, and managers,” shares Helen
Maestas, Deputy Director for Public Affairs City
of Albuquerque, City of Albuquerque, Office of
the Mayor. “We are leading in ways that
challenge convention to move our community
forward. When I think of the Latina women I
know and work with, I see women who are
fierce advocates for the communities; women
who don’t take “no” for an answer, and who
aren’t afraid to claim their seat at the table.”
In her role, she enjoys working with her
Constituent Services and Civic Engagement
teams, collaborating with community members,
City departments, and external agencies to
improve the lives of Albuquerque residents.
Today she feels fortunate to work for
bright and compassionate Federal, State,
and local elected officials in service to
her community.
“My current role gives me that
opportunity to make sure that government is
responsive to the needs of our community
members,” she shares. “Working in the
Mayor’s Office and having a seat at the table
with him and members of our executive team,
I am able to elevate the questions, comments,
and concerns that people bring to us, and to
leverage the resources of City government,
across 20 different departments, to get
answers and find ways to meet the needs of
our constituents.”
LATINAStyle V ol. 27, No. 5, 2021 www.latinastyle.com 21
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