TAOS FIESTA COUNCIL

Hon. Don Francisco Trujillo II

President; Treasurer; Entertainment Chair; Member since 1982
Email: dft@taosnet.com
Biography: The Honorable Don Francisco Trujillo II is a native Taoseño from two long standing, time-honored Taos families. He is currently the Deputy Secretary of State for New Mexico and is a former Taos County Commissioner, former Director of Sales and Marketing for the community of Taos and former Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the Enchanted Circle. Don Francisco is also a Board Director for NALEO, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Chairman of the Taos Regional Airport Advisory Board, Board Member of Habitat for Humanity Taos and Board Member of Ancianos, Inc. He is a single father raising three boys: Christopher, LeRoy and Moses.

Elizabeth 'Liz' Peralta

Vice-President; Fiestecita Chair; Parade Chair; Member since 1980
Biography: Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Peralta has served in almost every position during her 27 year tenure as a Taos Fiesta Council member. She enjoys volunteering at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and fishing with her husband of 45 years, Alfred Peralta. They have been blessed with two children and six grandchildren and enjoys spending time with them all.

Elma Vigil

Secretary; Royal Committee Co-Chair; Member since 1990
Biography: Elma Vigil is a native Taoseña and a graduate of Taos High School. She is married to her high school sweetheart Wilbert Vigil. They have three wonderful sons. Elma has been employed in retail most of her life. She worked at J.C. Penny’s for thirteen and a half years and has been employed at Wal-Mart for the last twenty-one and a half years. She has served as a Mayordoma at San Francisco de Asis church. Elma joined the Fiesta Council in 1990 and has served in various committees. Her family and preserving traditional values are very important to her.

Kathleen Y. Branchal

Member since 2007
Biography: Kathleen is a life long Taoseña and a 1982 Taos Fiesta Princesa. She is the Executive Administrative Assistant for the Town of Taos. She currently serves as Survivor Chair for the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life Taos and enjoys volunteer work as it gives her a sense of connecting with the community. Kathleen has three daughters, Sonya, Sarah, and Raylyn, as well as a precious granddaughter Mariah. Kathleen contributes her accomplishments in life to a strong connection to her faith and the community of San Francisco de Asis.

Edward 'Bardo' Coca

Director, Public Relations; Parade Co-Chair; Mass Co-Coordinator; Member since 2006
Email: bardo_coca@hotmail.com
Biography: Edward is a native Taoseño. He is a single father of two wonderful children, Ej and Raylinn. Edward enjoys volunteer work and currently serves as treasurer for the Taos Tiger Athletic Boosters Association. He also enjoys his 6 year tenure coaching youth sports. Edward has also served as Mayordomo for Our Lady of Guadalupe and caretaker of Nuesta Señora de Dolores Capilla in Cañon. He has been employed at Holy Cross Hospital for 11 years and joined the Fiesta Council to help instill the values of culture and tradition in our children.

Jose R. Coca

Member since 2006
Biography: Jose R. Coca was born and raised in Taos and is married to Kathy R. Coca. Their daughter Monica is a 2006 Taos Fiesta Princesa. Jose’s children, five grandchildren and other family are most important to him and by joining the Fiesta Council he feels that he is doing his part to preserve a centuries old tradition. He takes great pride in working with horses at Casa de Caballos, loves fishing and spending time in the mountains.

Kathy R. Coca

Member since 2006
Biography: Kathy R. Coca is a native Taoseña who enjoys her children and grandchildren. She is married to Jose R. Coca and their daughter Monica is a 2006 Taos Fiesta Princesa. Kathy loves New Mexico history and researching her genealogy. Being involved with her daughter’s Fiesta activities gave her an inspiration to become more actively involved in order to help preserve the cultural integrity of Taos.

Georgianna Gonzales

Member since 2007
Biography: Georgianna was born in Northern New Mexico and raised in Taos. She is a graduate of Taos High School and currently is the Executive Assistant to the Chief Nursing Officer at Holy Cross Hospital in Taos. She is also very involved in a number of wellness and charitable committees at Holy Cross. Georgianna has been married for 25 years and has two daughters, Anita and Consuelo. Her family is the love of her life.

Carlos A. Gutierrez

Member since 2007
Biography: Carlos A. Gutierrez is the third of four children born to Deacon Julian and Maria del Rosario Gutierrez, who are originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Carlos graduated in 1996 from The University of Iowa Law School and was Co-Chair of the Chicano-Hispanic Association for Legal Education. He currently is an attorney in private practice specializing in adult criminal and juvenile delinquency defense; and is also a Contract Town of Taos Attorney prosecuting Town cases in Municipal Court. Carlos is a former assistant district attorney in Santa Fe and Taos, NM and currently a Mayordomo at San Francisco de Asis Church; a volunteer and Board Member for the Dream Tree Project; Board Member for Habitat for Humanity-Taos; and is honored to be on the Fiesta Council with girlfriend Kathleen Y. Branchal.

Cheryl Lucero

Mass Coordinator; Member since 2006
Biography: Cheryl Lucero is a proud mother of a beautiful daughter Brandy Rose. Cheryl joined the Fiesta Council to teach her daughter the values and traditions of our northern New Mexico culture. Cheryl is the Mass Coordinator for the council and enjoys volunteering in this capacity.

Donna Jo Martinez

Entertainment Committee Co-Chair; Plaza Security Coordinator; Member since 2005
Biography: Donna was born and raised in northern New Mexico. She is the third child of four, married to Juan E. Martinez, mother of two sons, one daughter and step-mother of three daughters. Donna is the Human Resources Assistant at Holy Cross Hospital and is actively involved in various wellness/charitable committees within the hospital. She enjoys the out doors and spending time with family and friends. She feels that by being a Fiesta Council member, she and her family may give back to Taos, a community that has given so much to them.

Reuben Martinez

Member Since 2006
Biography: Reuben Martinez was born and raised in Northern New Mexico. He is a US Navy Veteran and married to Theresa Martinez. They have three children: Josephine, Reuben James, and Eric. His commitment to the community and local youth include membership in the Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4-H. Reuben is a member of the San Francisco de Asis Parish in Ranchos de Taos.

Theresa C. Martinez

Member since 2006
Biography: Theresa has lived in Taos all of her life. She has been married to Reuben Martinez for 27 years and they have a daughter Josephine, two sons, Reuben James and Eric, and the pride of her life, their granddaughter, Christina Rose. Theresa loves Taos and the people who make it a truly special community dating back generations.

Manuel Medina

Vendor Booth Committee Co-Chair; Member since 1992
Biography: Manuel is a 20 year Board Member of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in Taos. He and fellow council member Theresa Trujillo have a daughter, LeAndra, who was the 1992 Reina de las Fiestas de Taos. They also have two grandchildren, Durin and Bree. Manuel is self employed and runs his own business, MTM Crane Service. In addition, he and his siblings share the responsibility of running their parents company with a 50 year plus history, Robert Medina & Sons.

Christina Montez

Member since 2007
Biography: Christina is happily married to her best friend Ronald and fortunate to be a stay at home wife and mother. She is very proud to be a Taos Fiesta Council Member. This is her way of passing down to her children, through traditions like Las Fiestas de Santiago and Santana, the true meaning of culture, religion, respect and love, which will foster for generations.

Ronald Montez

Member since 2007
Biography: Ronald Montez, Sr. is a retired Police Captain of 21 years. He is a Taos High graduate and a Veteran of the US Air Force. Ronald also graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico. VA. He is married to a wonderful woman, Christina, and is a proud father of four. He believes firmly in family values and traditions such as Las Fiestas de Santiago y Santana. By assisting with Fiestas he is doing his part to ensure that our traditions remain in our hearts and in our lives.

Hon. Evangeline ‘Vangie’ Romero

Royal Committee Chair; Royal Pageant Coordinator; Member since 2001
Biography: The Honorable Evangeline ‘Vangie’ Romero is a native Taoseña and is the Taos County Treasurer. She is a graduate of Taos High School, a member of NALEO, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and a member of the Ranchos Guadalupanas for over 20 years. She became involved with the Fiesta Council, when her daughter Sonya Francesca was crowned the 2001 Reina de las Fiestas. She strongly believes that it is very important for our community to maintain our traditions, culture and heritage for future generations. Evangeline has been married to Toby Romero for 39 years and they have two children, Antonio and Sonya who are the love of her life.

Sonya F. Romero

Royal Committee Vice-Chair; Royal Pageant Coordinator; ‘Reina de las Fiestas de Taos 2001’ ; Member since 2001
Biography: Sonya is a native Taoseña She is a graduate of Taos High School and has an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from the University of New Mexico. She is currently working on her Bachelors in Elementary Education. Miss Romero was crowned Reina de las Fiestas de Taos in 2001. Since her reign she realizes that the true beauty of Taos is in the traditions that lie within the hearts of its wonderful people.

Theresa Trujillo

Vendor Booth Committe Chair; Member since 1992
Biography: Theresa is a native Taoseña stemming generations. She is employeed with Holy Cross Hospital and is very involved in charitable organizations that support the local hospital. Theresa and fellow council member, Manuel Medina, became officially involved with the Fiesta Council when their only daughter, LeAndra, was crowned Reina de las Fiestas in 1992. She has two grandchildren that are the joy of her life, Durin and Bree. Theresa has served on the Executive Committee of the Fiesta Council and for many years has chaired the Vendor Booth Committee.

Andy Fambro

Auxiliary member since 1996

Charlotte Perez-Fambro

Auxiliary member since1996

Leandra Medina-McCash

‘Reina de las Fiestas de Taos 1992’; Auxiliary member since 1992

Strider McCash

Auxiliary member