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Bernalillo County FY 2019 Q4 Employees of the Quarter Honored

09/10/2019

The Employee Recognition Committee presents seven employees to the Board of Commissioners to receive the recognition of Employee of the Quarter. Each person selected received the highest ranking in their division. The recognition committee ranked each nomination form submitted and selected the employee from each division with the highest average. The Board of County Commissioners recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication of seven employees who have shown exemplary dedication to Bernalillo County.

Division 1 (County Manager) – Lisa Mondragon

Lisa started working in the Human Resources Department’s file room through a Temp Agency in 2000, and in 2001 she joined the County full-time as an Employment Specialist. This year she was promoted to a Benefits Specialist in the Benefits Section where she is responsible for administering FMLA, Leaves of Absence, and Donated Leave applications. During the short time in this position she has implemented paperless processes which reduce costs and enhance tracking and maintenance of the various requests.

She has been married for 22 years to husband Donald, who is also a county employee and coincidently shares the same hire date. They have three children: Emmanuel, age 19; Lynae, age 16; Xavier, age 13; and also a “wild” English Bulldog named Doozer. She and the family are extremely proud of Emmanuel who, after graduation, enlisted in the National Guard and left for basic training on Sept. 3.

When not at work or children’s athletic events or practices, she enjoys relaxing with her family and her parents in Torreon or fishing at the Pecos River.

Division 2 (Community Services) – Michael McDaniel

Michael joined Bernalillo County Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department 11 months ago as the Assistant Manager for the Los Vecinos and Vista Grande Community Centers. He came to the county with 13 years of cumulative recreation experience gained from the State of New Mexico and the Village of Los Lunas. He enjoys working with the community and is committed to improving the quality of life for the citizens. Outstanding initiatives implemented by Michael include the Ed Chismar Mobile Rec Program, which brings recreational activities to participants in under-served areas of the County, and the Teen Center at Vista Grande Community Center with a curriculum designed specifically for teens.

He is a devoted husband and father of two children. He is also devoted to his faith and strives to integrate integrity, humbleness and hard work into all areas of his life. He enjoys relaxing and playing with his family, watching and participating in sports, hunting, and—believe it or not— yard work.

Division 3 (Finance) – Marilyn Howard

Marilyn came to the County’s Information Technology Department in May 2017 after 19 years with Cardinal Health. As an IT Analyst II in IT’s Project Management Group she managed projects such as KRONOS, RM/HR Data for Nurse Triage, and OHSS Data Collection & Reporting, just to name a few. Last January she became the ERP Functional Supervisor, overseeing a team of Business Systems Analysts who provide support for SAP, the county’s financial system. She is not only dedicated to her county responsibilities, but consistently helps others improve themselves by mentoring, supporting and recommending training when needed.

In her spare time, Marilyn volunteers for the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Roadrunner Foodbank, and the Desoluna Ballet Folklorico Dance Company. She truly feels the need to make a difference in her community and in her work, and is happy and proud to be part of the Bernalillo County family.

Division 4 (Public Safety) – Jennifer Garcia

Deputy Garcia is a 2006 graduate from the BCSO Regional Training Academy; was a Patrol Deputy from 2006 – 2008; in the DWI Unit from 2009 – 2012; on the Fugitive Apprehension Surveillance Team 2013 -2016; and has had many other duties along the way. She is currently a Deputy First Class assigned as a Recruiter and also serves on the Field Training Officer Board.

On April 13, and again on July 24, after months of planning and coordination, she hosted seminars for women seeking a career in law enforcement. The seminar was both educational and practical for women and provided detailed information, valuable insight and firsthand knowledge regarding the success women can have in this field. In spite of a climate in which law enforcement is sometimes perceived in a negative light, through her seminars she has established excellent rapport with approximately 100 women.

Deputy Garcia has been married for 12 years and has two children, ages 3 and 8.

Division 5 (Public Works) – Patrick Chavez

Patrick joined the county five years ago and is currently the Storm Drainage Maintenance Manager. He has instituted many innovative changes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in his department, including implementation of high speed communication lines to many lift stations the county maintains. The system will allow staff to remotely monitor water levels, clear faults in the system, and determine if emergency response is needed, effectively decreasing response times and overtime.

He routinely steps up to collaborate whenever needed and offers thoughtful solutions to various problems. Most recently his quick thinking and efforts ensured water was available to sustain an upcoming event at the Mesa Del Sol amphitheater when a pump failed for the well.

Although originally from Socorro County, he grew up in Phoenix and Albuquerque. He’s been blessed with five children and eleven grandchildren. Two of his children are UNM students, and two are United States Marine Corps combat veterans. He enjoys outdoor activities with his grandchildren and teaching them about our beautiful culture throughout the state.

Division 6 (General Services) – Victoria Baca

Victoria started her career with Bernalillo County in 2016 as a Contact Center Specialist in Constituent and Support Services. She also balances her time at the Contact Center with her participation on the Pathways to Excellence Committee, and recently became a Quality New Mexico examiner. She enjoys special projects and is dedicated to her team and to the county as a whole, volunteering to support not only her department but other departments as well.

She was born and raised in Albuquerque’s beautiful South Valley by her loving parents Leonard and Pam Baca, and is the youngest of four children. She has been with her supportive & dedicated fiancé Robert for 8 years, and they are the proud parents of four kids: Adrianna, Meyah, Xavier and Alex. Outside of work, she enjoys time with family and friends, camping at the lake, and dancing.

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Division 7 (MDC) – Nicole Jaramillo

Officer Jaramillo came to the county in January as a Corrections Officer at MDC, and in this short amount of time she has already made an impact. Without a second of hesitation she began CPR live saving measures upon observing a male inmate collapsed on the floor without visible signs of life. She worked diligently to preserve life until the medical team arrived and CPR was seamlessly transferred over to them. She remained in the cell to offer assistance until the inmate was transported to UNMH.

Her empathy for human life feeds her goals of preserving life and protecting the community. To that end she also serves in the National Guard and plans to become an officer for APD, or perhaps BCSO, eventually hoping to become a part of the K-9 Unit.

Her mother Alysia, stepfather Antonio, and five siblings offer continued love and support. The loss of her father Bernard when she was younger has fueled her drive and dedication to help her community today. In her down time she enjoys bowling, fishing, and playing guitar or percussive instruments.

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