Ms. Montoya has served as a volunteer in the Albuquerque Senior Affairs Department for 5 years. Elena is genuinely concerned for the welfare of the Senior Companions and their elderly clients. She provides counseling and assistance encouraging the companions to help themselves and others. She focuses on improvement to programs that impact our aging community. Her talents in fund raising and organization have been instrumental in raising significant monies to add to the quality of life for many of the elderly seniors that rely on this particular program to make ends meet.

Elena has spent a tremendous amount of time in outlying Native American communities where she meets with the Senior Companions and their clients to ensure they are being provided for and that the Senior Companion Program is in compliance with the City’s regulations for the senior programs. She has worked for years with the State Legislature to advocate for funding to support senior programs. Additionally for the past two years she has served as a grandparent volunteer at James Monroe Middle School. She works to motivate and challenge students to develop goals serving as a caring and compassionate role model.

New Mexicans, both young and old have benefited from her caring attitude and extraordinary sense of community