Who am I?

Yes, I am a transplant. An outsider.  Landing in Deming was a process of careful analysis.  Even though I loved the year round gardening opportunities in Central Florida, my aging body rebelled at the high humidity night and day for six months of the year.  I felt trapped indoors and I knew it was time to move.  What was my search criterion? This answers the question I'm often asked, what brings retirees to Deming? I love the wide open spaces of the desert southwest.  I didn't like the way the AZ government was giving away water to Middle Eastern companies, putting farmers and whole towns out of business.

As we know, there are not a lot of choices in places to live in Southern NM.  I like Silver City but it seemed too far away to get anywhere else. With a population of around a million, Pinellas County, FL, traffic was a nightmare at times. Las Cruces is just too big and getting bigger.  For me, it was no snow, mild winters and low humidity summers that cooled off at night.  While I might pick up the occasional contract work to keep my mind busy, I also wanted to be able to live on my social security, and a house purchase was more reasonable here than anywhere else.  I bought a cute little house in downtown, a few blocks from the Courthouse. It was a bonus to eventually find how inexpensive in general it is to live here.

As a retiree I have the time, experience and skill set to be a contributor in our community. I also have an inherent drive to keep busy.

I was not born with a silver spoon, or able to enjoy the white privilege my skin color would suggest might favor me. In fact, my years 1 - 5 were spent in an upstate New York orphanage, followed by foster care until the day I graduated high school.  The mantra a foster parent instilled was, "Life is what you make it." Someone instilled a desire for a college education.  I worked and attended school fulltime, able to use the tuition reimbursement afforded foster kids in New York State for my bachelors degree.  My two masters degrees and half of a doctorate were all on me. 

Today I am a mostly retired GIS/data analyst (map maker) with years of federal, state and county government experience behind me.  I worked for FEMA on disaster response and recovery for 14 years, starting with Katrina, then county emergency management and, most recently, as a contractor where I worked with Hagerty Consulting in the Florida State Emergency Operation Center (EOC) for hurricanes Ian, Milton and Helene. I was in the ESF6 Mass Care unit, creating a public facing map to track the NGO feeding operations, shelters, food banks, etc., throughout the state on a daily basis. Partners included World Central Kitchen, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Mercy Chefts, etc.

Prior to joining FEMA I was a college instructor in both Education and Business Information Systems programs. I started the first online courses in the San Diego Community College District. There, I also developed their first "Introduction to the Internet" and "HTML web site design" courses.  I have half of a Doctorate degree in Education and Leadership Change. When he hit his teenage years, my adopted foster son needed my presence more than I needed another degree. I have two Masters Degrees in Education,  Technology Design and Education Administration.  I also have a Bachelors in Business Administration, as well as an Associates in Office Systems. The geek in me has always gravitated towards technology.  Being an overachiever, I completed all of my degrees full-time - while working full time.

Like being an Independent politically, my religious leanings are equally unconventional; I credit Gods' Grace and the friendship of th eHoly Spirit for how wonderfully amazing my life has been during my 72 years on the planet.

What have I done lately?

I decided to run for County Commissioner after the Primaries. Even thought I am an Independent, I was knocking on doors for Democrat candidate, Ray Trejo. Unfortunately the voters didn't come out to support him. He lost by only 40 votes!  I decided to run when I realized the elected Democrat Party candidate did not reflect my vision for Luna County.  I consider the Democrats' candidate, Eddie Mesa, a DINO (democrat in name only).

Articles in the Deming Headlight quote his passionate opposition to the Mimbres Peaks Monument, with photos standing with his farmer and rancher friends. He consistently runs with the MAGA farmers and ranchers in the county, most recently parading his campaign signs on July 4th with his MAGA friends.  He owns a cattle ranch in the Floridas and has a business in the well drilling industry.  These are both industries that have the most to gain by blocking water security initiatives. So, this election, you have a choice to vote for one of two MAGAs or me.

Initially, in this election, I wanted to "spoil the Democrat vote" and get the Republican elected.  At least the Republican is honest about where his alligences lay. I've been told an Independent has never won an election in New Mexico. So, eyes wide open, I initially ran to "spoil the vote".  In Luna County over 30% of the voters are Independent. Is it possible I have a chance at beating both of them?  Will you vote for me? Remember Ray Trejo lost by only 40 votes.
EVERY VOTE WILL COUNT!

I have been actively supporting Luna County in ways unique to my skill set: research, analysis, government systems, writing, social media, web design and, my favorite activity, map making (geo-spatial information systems as a GIS analyst).

This is my "kitchen sink" map that contains a wide variety of layers that have helped me get a better "view" of Luna County.

I have been an American Red Cross volunteer for years. Last spring, as a volunteer, I worked the Trout fire near Silver City, functioning as a Government Liaison between the Red Cross shelter, fire, police, state, local government, and non profits. A few weeks later I worked the floods in Ruidoso and Vado, hiking along the flooded river beds doing damage assessments, enabling clients to get Red Cross financial assistance.

I also happen to be the current President of The Friends of the Floridas', an advocacy group protecting the Florida Mountains from the ravages of large scale commercial mining. You can see a story map here, and a white paper on American Magnesium below.

Join the conversation on Facebook at my site:
Luna County, NM - Political Talk

Read up on local issues at my Luna County Water Issues site.

I actively stay in touch with issues critical to our community and have  written letters to our elected representatives, and white papers for our community, long before deciding to run for office:
Letter: Geothermal Opportunities
Letter: Energy Transfer Desert Southwest Pipeline & Data Centers
Letter, Mtg 1: Palomas/Columbus to I-10 Road Connection
Letter: American Magnesium LLC & Peru Mill
Slides: American Magnesium LLC & Peru Mill
White Paper:  American Magnesium LLC & Peru Mill
White Paper: Dust, Water and Cattle
White Paper: Produced Water Myth
White Paper: GRT, Farm Multipliers & Water