Loretta Naranjo Lopez

Loretta is a native Albuquerquean and fifth generation Martinez from Martineztown.  In 2003, she retired from the City of Albuquerque after 25 years of service. 

In 2006, Loretta ran a grassroots campaign for the Bernalillo County Commissioner seat in District 1.  Although she lost by a small margin, she has since completed the Emerge New Mexico program and feels confident in her ability to win in 2010. 

Loretta comes to her second campaign with a breadth of organizing experience.  She has been involved with the San Ignacio/Albuquerque Interfaith - Community building through community organizing and directed the development of affordable housing with the Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership Board.  In 2001, she was the President, of AFSCME, Local 3022 bargaining for employee benefit improvements. 

Many people from Loretta's union and Emerge class have stepped up to help her with her campaign, providing everything from pointers on public speaking, potential donors contacts, to feedback on her overall campaign plan.  Some of Loretta's key issues are providing affordable households and examining the future of water availability.

"Running for office is totally different now that I've gone through Emerge," Loretta states, "I have a much more detailed campaign plan than I did in my previous campaign."  She loves that she now knows how to analyze voter statistics and deliver a strong message.  "With my Emerge experience and my organizing background, I've learned that running for office is a science, and you need to start with an understanding and carefully follow each step." 

Loretta received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1996 and a Master of Community and Regional Planning in 2000 from the University of New Mexico.