BIO JoAnne Vigil Coppler
-An educated professional-
• Master’s Degree – Public Administration, University of New Mexico
• Bachelor’s Degree – Psychology, Eastern New Mexico University
• Fellow Attained - Court Executive Management, National Center for State Courts—United States Supreme Court
-An active member of the community-
• Born and raised in Santa Fe
• Former Santa Fe City Councilor
• Vice Chair, NM State Employees Credit Union Board
• Former Chair, Labor Management Relations Board, Northern New Mexico College
• Former Board Member, UNM Lobo Club
• President, Santa Fe County Federation of Democratic Women
• Former Treasurer, Santa Fe County Democratic Party
-An experienced professional - 25 years in public service-
• Retired, Director of the First Judicial District Courts
• Former Deputy Director, New Mexico Supreme Court
• Former HR Transition Team, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
• Former HR Transition Director, Governor Bill Richardson
• Former Chair, NM State Personnel Board
• Former HR Director-City of Santa Fe, Los Alamos County and New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department
• Former Adjunct Faculty in Public Administration, University of New Mexico
-Real estate experience-
• Qualifying Broker, JoAnne Coppler Real Estate, LLC
• Instructor for National Association of Realtors
• Vice Chair, Legislative Committee and Former Chair, Issues and Advocacy Committee of the NM Association of Realtors
• Member of the National Association of Realtors
• Member of the Albuquerque Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service
• Member, Government Affairs Committee, SF Association of Realtors
• 2011 President Santa Fe Association of Realtors and served on the Board 9 years
• Former Member of Board of Directors, NM Association of Realtors
• HGTV – 3 Time Guest Realtor, “What You Get For the Money”
-City Councilor Committees and Initiatives-
• Served as Chairperson of the Economic Advisory Committee, Buckman Direct Diversion Board and Solid Waster Management Authority.
• Served on the Public Works and Utilities Committees.
• Sponsored and worked toward passage of the city Veterans Banners project which serves to recognize the contributions and deserved recognition of our city’s prized Veterans. Currently known as the Hometown Heroes Veterans Banner Project, former retired Police Officer and a Veteran himself, Don Cristy was a major force behind the success of this program.
• Sponsored and worked toward passage of a Resolution requiring city council approval prior to the administration selling off city property.
• Identified and lobbied for city budget to rebuild and/repair city tennis courts identified to be chock full of pot hole size openings and crevices. Children were learning tennis from skilled tennis instructors and practicing on these unsafe courts. Tennis instructors lobbied the city for years to fix these courts. Eventually, the tennis court projects were funded.
• After two years of lobbying and testifying at the legislature alongside firefighters on a senate bill that would equalize the retirement benefits for firefighters with other retirees—not only in Santa Fe but across New Mexico—the measure passed and was signed into law providing firefighters with equal financial benefit as all other retirees already enjoyed.
• Sponsored and worked to passage of renaming Alto Park after Ron Shirley—a renowned and much beloved, successful city Parks and Recreation Director. Ron was highly instrumental in preserving and caring for the maintenance and beautification of city parks giving of himself and his personal time, as well. Ron was my department head colleague when I worked at the city.
• Lobbied the mayor and city council identifying the specifics on the illegality of the bonus salary increases awarded to only a handful of city employees by the city manager effective on the eve before the inauguration of the governing body. Those raises were subsequently overturned.
• Sponsored and passed a Resolution that gave bicyclists the right of way to use the full lane and created new traffic signs to place on the roadways. This measure provided an improvement to bicycle safety.
• Argued against the increase in fees assessed within the Planning and Land Use Department that would be deposited into the General Operating Fund rather that back into the Planning and Land Use Department where those funds were sorely needed. During our competitive race for mayor, the current mayor ensured my measure did not pass.
• Sponsored an ordinance change that would have appropriated a ½ of 1 percent gross receipts tax already collected from Short Term Rental income to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. During our competitive race for mayor, the current mayor ensured my measure did not pass.