José López

José López a 13th generation New Mexican with deep roots in the Peñasco Valley. After graduating from the University of New Mexico with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, he worked as a process engineer for a startup in Albuquerque. In 2022, Jóse returned to Northern New Mexico to be with his growing family and became actively involved with the Peñasco Valley Historical Preservation Society (PVHPS). Initially volunteering and helping organize various aspects of the nonprofit, he was hired as the Executive Director in May ‘23. This role has been both challenging and fulfilling, with their primary goal to restore the historic St. Anthony’s School Building and transform it into a community space dedicated to cultural preservation, economic development, and community service. Since joining PVHPS, he has worked on starting the Peñasco Valley Farmers Market, organizing outreach efforts, building organizational capacity with strategic planning, and advancing the goal of rehabilitating the old school building. Growing up, I spent summers in Peñasco playing, cleaning acequias, baling hay, raising cattle, and exploring the natural landscape. My work with PVHPS continues my commitment to preserving my history, heritage, and community while contributing to its future development.