A Valedictorian from St. Michaels High School now helms the Community Development Department for the City of Santa Fe. Elisa Montoya’s resume highlights an impressive list of academic and professional accomplishments.  Montoya attended Stanford University for undergrad and earned a law degree from the University of Southern California.

As the Community Development Director, Montoya oversees tourism, the film office, arts and culture, affordable housing, planning and land use, and economic development.  A significant project that falls under the Community Development Department includes the redevelopment of Midtown. Montoya has nearly 25 years of professional experience specializing in community impact, operations development, strategic planning, and crisis response. “I am thrilled to be part of the City of Santa Fe team and feel that now more than ever is a great time to step up and do my part to help our community thrive,” says Montoya.

Mayor Alan Webber says Montoya’s background is an asset to the city. “I’m extremely grateful to Elisa for joining our team in such an important role at a critical time. She has the experience, judgment, knowledge, and can-do enthusiasm that will drive real outcomes in key areas for Santa Fe, such as housing and the Midtown development. It’s great to have her join us.”

Montoya served most recently as a senior executive for Meow Wolf. She also spent time as a senior executive in the Obama administration. She helped advise presidential candidates on topics ranging from Latinx community outreach, civil rights, and telecommunications and technology policy.

The position was vacant for about 10 months. Former Community Development Director Rich Brown retired in June 2024. He served in the position since September 2020.