Aurora for Santa Fe

About Me

I was a candidate in the most recent Santa Fe City Council election and am now seeking appointment to Mayor Garcia’s vacant seat. I aim to safeguard neighborhood interests, represent working families, and bring a practical, lived‑experience perspective to city decision‑making. My approach emphasizes humility, transparency, community‑centered leadership, and accountable public engagement.

Background and Education

I was born and raised in Santa Fe’s Hopewell/Mann neighborhood in a working‑class family with a strong tradition of public service. My father served as a city pipefitter and is a Vietnam Veteran; my grandfather, a WWII Veteran, worked multiple jobs to support our family; and my mother worked in Civil Rights. Those family experiences shaped my commitment to community care and public service.

I attended Salazar Elementary, De Vargas Junior High, and graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1992. I earned an A.A. in Liberal Arts from Central New Mexico Community College and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of New Mexico, concentrating on Behavioral Research, Research Methods, and Statistics. While in college, I served as a crisis counselor with Agora and contributed to academic research.

Public Service and Consulting

I began my public service career in child protective services with CYFD and later worked in care coordination and behavioral health. I joined the New Mexico Department of Transportation, where I advanced from Management Analyst to Acting Traffic Monitoring Manager. In that role, I led the statewide Traffic Monitoring Program, managed federally funded projects, implemented quality control protocols, and ensured compliance with FHWA standards. At the Department of Finance and Administration, I supported federal program administration through data evaluation, regulatory compliance, and interagency collaboration.

I later transitioned to the private sector to work more directly with communities. As Managing Partner at Noonen‑Martinez Consulting, I help organizations navigate public programs with a strategic, results‑oriented approach. My firm regularly sponsors Santa Fe youth initiatives and prioritizes ongoing community investment.

Community Engagement

I serve on the City of Santa Fe Public Safety Committee and previously served on the Resilient Community Advisory Council for United Way. Those roles, together with my background as a certified crisis counselor and former child protection investigator, inform my hands‑on work in public safety, crisis response, and community resilience. I am an active community advocate who shows up for neighborhood issues across the city.

Through Noonen‑Martinez Consulting, my firm and I regularly sponsor and support local youth programs, neighborhood initiatives, and mutual‑aid efforts. I also founded Los Gatos del Barrio, a grassroots nonprofit that supports feral cat caregivers and strengthens neighborhood mutual aid networks.

Personal Life

I live in my grandfather’s adobe home with my son in the Hopewell/Mann neighborhood. I am a single mom, and I am raising him on a single income, so I know what it’s like to juggle bills, work, and parenting in Santa Fe, the late nights, the tight budgets, and the small victories that keep you going. I made my life here, and I carry my roots with me every day; growing up the way I did taught me gratitude and a deep responsibility to help people.

I split my time between consulting work, my son's sports or school, and showing up for Santa Fe. I’m driven to help people because I’ve lived it, and I believe our community is strongest when we lift each other up.