Raúl Torrez and Laura Montoya Join New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority Board

Albuquerque, NM—New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and New Mexico State Treasurer Laura M. Montoya have joined the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) Board of Directors as Ex-officio members, after being recently elected to their leadership roles in the state. They replace Former Attorney General Hector Balderas and his designee Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Malave and Former State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg, who also served as ex-officio members.

 “We’re excited to welcome Attorney General Torrez and Treasurer Montoya to our Board,” said MFA Executive Director and CEO Isidoro Hernandez. “Their wealth of experience and expertise will play a pivotal role in expanding affordable housing opportunities throughout the state.”

Torrez was sworn in as New Mexico's 32nd Attorney General on January 1st, 2023. He previously served as Bernalillo County's District Attorney for six years, as a former Federal Prosecutor, Assistant United States Attorney, Assistant Attorney General and Assistant District Attorney and previously served as a Senior Advisor in President Obama's Department of Justice.

Torrez graduated from Harvard University, went on to receive a Master's Degree from the London School of Economics and attained his law degree from Stanford University. Torrez was born and raised in Albuquerque, where he currently lives with his wife, Nasha, and their two children.

Montoya was sworn into office on January 1, 2023 as the first female State Treasurer of New Mexico and the first Latina State Treasurer in the U.S. Montoya was born, raised and educated in Northern New Mexico, earning her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Sociology and her master’s degree in Public Affairs from New Mexico Highlands University.

Serving New Mexico for more than two decades in federal, state, tribal and local government, she worked under U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, Treasurer Douglas M. Brown, and Treasurer James B. Lewis, and was elected to two terms as Sandoval County Treasurer. Montoya has worked in several capacities in both the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico Senate, in addition to serving as the vice-chair of Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs, chair of the Next Generation of Young Elected Officials, and several other boards and committees.  She is an advocate for financial literacy and teaches finance and treasury classes to county and city employees, elected officials, and union members.

As a self-supporting quasi-governmental agency, the MFA has a board composed of several governor-appointed officials and a variety of business and community leaders. In addition to Torrez and Montoya, the Board is composed of: Chair Angel Reyes, who also serves as President of the Centinel Bank of Taos; Vice Chair Derek Valdo, who also serves as CEO of AMERIND Risk; Treasurer Rebecca Wurzburger, who also serves as a strategic planning consultant, New Mexico Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, and Dr. Patricia Sullivan, associate dean in the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University with a joint appointment as director for strategic initiatives in the Office of the Chancellor.

About MFA:

MFA was created in 1975 by the New Mexico State Legislature to provide quality affordable housing opportunities for all New Mexico residents. MFA uses housing bonds, tax credits and other federal and state resources to fund more than 30 housing programs. In addition to funding the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing and rental properties, MFA’s programs include down payment assistance, homelessness prevention and emergency shelter, weatherization services, rental assistance and housing for people with special needs.

To learn more about MFA, visit: www.housingnm.org