Sandoval County treasurer picked to lead national association

RIO RANCHO, N.M. — A county official recently received an honor in Sandoval County. Jennifer Taylor, the Sandoval County Treasurer, was elected as the secretary of the National Association of Hispanic County Officials.

“I did not ever think I would have the privilege and honor to be able to serve on a national level,” said Taylor.

It’s an honor Sandoval County Treasurer Taylor said she isn’t taking for granted.

“In that caucus we come together, we select policy priorities to best address the needs of the Latino constituents,” she said.

She was appointed for a four-year term on March 1, 2025, and just came back from Washington D.C. where the caucus was able to address various topics like bi-partisan immigration reform, mental health and healthcare service, environmental justice, and education. 

“As a local, county level, we aren’t always included in the conversation when it comes to these topics and so it feels good to be a part of that and be able to speak on behalf of the counties, but it is also nice to meet other county officials where we do share the similarities,” said Taylor.

Taylor added that having a seat at the table is even more important for New Mexico as a minority-majority state. According to the Census, in Sandoval County, around 40% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino.

“Especially me being Latina myself, growing up in a Latino community. I guess because I lived that I can share those experiences that a lot of our Latino communities face today and a lot of those concerns because they are my concerns as well,” she said.