Liz Marquez

When her daughter entered middle school about 20 years ago, Liz Marquez made the difficult decision to quit her job and become a stay-at-home mom.

It was the best decision of her life — not only for her family but also for her community.

She doesn’t need or want any fanfare for what she does, but her unceasing volunteer work, her giving heart and her strong faith has shed light on the many different reasons why Belen resident Liz Marquez is the Valencia County News-Bulletin’s 2025 Citizen of the Year.

Nominated by Bryan Mascarena, who, himself, is a past Unsung Hero, said Liz exudes what a “true volunteer is.”

“Liz has worked tirelessly to make Our Lady of Belen Fiestas the success it has become,” said Mascarena, who is also a Fiesta volunteer. “She is the chairperson of the committee ... and spends countless hours with the organization every Fiesta. She is a true leader.”

If she had any more enthusiasm, any more dedication or even any more time, Liz would probably use it all to help others. She says other than her family and her faith, there is nothing more important to her than her community.

“Just showing up is the first step in making a difference in the community,” she said. “It’s a challenge but anybody can do it. You just show up. If you can make your community better, why not? The reward you get from volunteering is amazing.”

When Liz stepped down from her career at IT Corporation, an environmental firm, she said it was all about her family.

“There was a big concern about what was going on in the schools so we made the decision that I would stay home,” Liz remembers. “It was a big deal because middle school is tough and she was asking questions about drugs and other things. It was time to stay home.”

Saying it was the best and biggest decision to give up her career and security, Liz has no regrets. While she and her family were living in Los Lunas at the time, she began volunteering as a cheerleading coach, something she did throughout her daughter’s middle and high school years.

When her family — husband, Gabe, and children, Samantha, Ally and Josh — moved back to Belen in 2006, she really got going.

“This is where we’re from,” Liz says. “This is where we want to be and we immersed ourselves in the community.”

As lifelong members of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church, Liz and Gabe were selected to be the Fiesta padrinos. Honored by having been chosen, Liz decided she would continue volunteering with the Fiestas and became a member of the committee.

At first, Liz would volunteer to do whatever was needed — slinging sodas and chicken legs. Then she was in charge of the Fiesta Queen committee. After a few years, she became more involved and has been the committee chairperson for several years. To date, Liz has volunteered on the OLB Fiesta committee for 17 years.

The Our Lady of Belen Fiestas is the oldest and largest weekend event in Valencia County. It’s a tradition that’s been here for more than 200 years, and it takes a lot of volunteers and a lot of work to plan and put on the annual mid-August event.

The committee members help with everything from deriving the theme, and bringing everything together from the vendors and parade, security and the car show, bingo and the salsa and royalty contest.

“We have amazing people in the committee who make it easy for me,” she said. “We have these strong people who work very hard for this event, for our church, for our community. It’s always been a tradition in our church, and it’s an annual event that everyone looks forward to. It’s almost like a family reunion. It’s a big celebration.”

As the major fundraiser for the parish, Liz says a lot rides on the Fiestas, which is enjoyed by members of the surrounding churches, people from all across the state and even from those returning home from out-of-state.

“I want our community to succeed. We all want this event to succeed every year,” she said. “It’s an honor to be a part of it and I’m always looking for more parishioners to help.

“It’s amazing when a community comes together — Catholic or not — to celebrate each other and to honor our faith.”

Liz doesn’t just lead the OLB Fiesta committee; she’s been heavily involved in the local 4-H and FFA programs as well as the cherished Valencia County Fair.

She has been a 4-H leader for the Country Camo club, which has 70 members throughout the county.

“I grew up doing 4-H and FFA, and showed horses. That’s where my kids learned,” she said. “My son is a baseball player, and likes raising animals a little, but my daughter, Ally, that’s her sport. My oldest (Samantha) also rode horses.”

This is her third year on the Valencia County Fair Board. She volunteered for a year, then was a member for a year and was just elected president last month. She gives credit to the past president, Lincoln Hill, for bringing the fair back to its glory.

“I have big shoes to fill. They have a great community, but I have to admit it’s a little intimidating because it’s a lot,” she said. “They have a lot of volunteers and they do it for the kids. They work so hard to make sure the kids have a great place to show their animals.”

As the board continues to negotiate with Valencia County to take over ownership the property, she is hopeful it will be best for the community as the fair will continue on as usual.

“Our main goal is to make sure the fair keeps going. The county has a lot more access to grants,” she said. “Right now, the fairgrounds is maintained by volunteers, and we’re always fundraising to keep it going.”

As one of the biggest cheerleaders for children in Valencia County, Liz says the fair is for everyone, and hopes to get more high school students involved — regardless if they’re involved in 4-H or FFA.

“It’s not just a livestock show, it’s a county fair. Along with all the livestock our kids work so hard with, we have our indoor exhibits — flower arrangements, photography and more,” she said. “The livestock is 75 percent of the fair, and we support our kids and their work 100 percent. It’s a year-long commitment for them with their animals, and we’re trying to make it great for the kids, letting people and businesses know what they have and what they can get.”

As her stint as chairwoman just begins, she has plans for the future of the fair. She wants to invite more public input and make it bigger and better for everyone.

While what she does for the community might seem a bit overwhelming for some, she says it’s remarkable how satisfying it is to help others.

“Yes, it can sometimes be stressful, but how else do you improve your community? I’ve met so many amazing people I would have never met. It’s just like growing your family.

“Being a positive influence in a child’s life can make all the difference in their future,” she added.

Liz has made it a point to teach her children the act of giving of their time to make a better community.

“When you give of your time, that’s the biggest gift you can give anybody,” Liz said. “At that point, it’s not volunteering anymore — it’s something I have to do. It’s part of who I am. It’s giving of yourself, living your best life.”

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