Hector Vazquez
Alamogordo,NM
Summary
Dynamic community engagement and public affairs leader with over 20 years of experience in fostering partnerships, enhancing community trust, and collaborating with government agencies to drive impactful public-facing programs across municipal operations and the U.S. Air Force. Expertise includes stakeholder outreach, public communication, event coordination, policy implementation, and collaborative problem-solving, ensuring effective engagement with diverse audiences. Recognized for navigating complex bureaucratic landscapes while delivering transparent communication and cultivating strong relationships among organizations, residents, and strategic partners. Committed to creating inclusive environments that empower communities and promote sustainable development.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Community Affairs Manager
City of Alamogordo
07.2023 - Current
- Lead community engagement, public-facing operations, civic event coordination, and cross-department partnerships for the City of Alamogordo.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for community groups, businesses, nonprofits, and partner organizations, building relationships that improve cooperation, participation, and city visibility.
- Represent the city at community events, stakeholder meetings, public programs, and regional collaborations, ensuring consistent messaging and professional engagement.
- Coordinate interdepartmental communication to support major public initiatives, high-attendance events, facility use, and community services.
- Managed public-facing operations of the Civic Center, tourism programs, and citywide event portfolio, ensuring accessibility, safety, and strong citizen engagement.
- Led planning of 24+ community events, connecting local organizations, vendors, sponsors, and civic groups with opportunities to participate and collaborate.
- Administered New Mexico Tourism Department’s Cooperative Marketing Grant program, securing $200K in matching annual funds to promote community initiatives and strengthen local tourism.
- Designed inclusive outreach strategies that expanded participation, improved public awareness, and strengthened relationships with underserved and multi-generational populations.
- Standardized community-focused processes including vendor onboarding, event applications, and public information workflows to improve transparency and responsiveness.
- Facilitated public meetings to ensure transparency and gather citizen feedback on initiatives.
- Developed community outreach programs to foster local engagement and collaboration.
Fitness & Sports General Manager
United States Air Force
10.2021 - 06.2023
- Organized community wellness programs, special events, and installation-wide engagement activities serving 4,000 personnel.
- Coordinated with base agencies, mission partners, and community offices to support public programs, safety initiatives, and recreational engagement.
- Delivered clear and actionable communication across 18 facilities, strengthening service availability, and improving accessibility for diverse audiences.
- Directed operational strategies, enhancing mission effectiveness and resource allocation across multiple divisions.
- Oversaw compliance with safety regulations, ensuring readiness and operational integrity at all times.
Recreational Services Manager — Morale, Welfare & Recreation (Deployed)
United States Air Force
04.2021 - 09.2021
- Directed community programs and engagement activities for 3,500 deployed personnel in a high-pressure international environment.
- Built partnerships with installation agencies, overseas contractors, and private organizations to deliver morale, welfare, and recreation events.
- Created inclusive engagement opportunities across rank groups, nationalities, and diverse workforces.
- Oversaw daily operations, ensuring high-quality service and customer satisfaction.
- Implemented process improvements, increasing efficiency in service delivery and team performance.
Food Services Contingency Manager
United States Air Force
12.2019 - 03.2021
- Coordinated with public health, command teams, and partner agencies during emergency feeding operations supporting quarantined personnel.
- Led broad-reaching communication with workers, supervisors, and cross-functional partners to ensure consistent updates and service continuity.
- Led cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency and mission readiness.
- Developed training programs for personnel, increasing skill levels and performance standards.
Fitness Operations Manager
United States Air Force
11.2018 - 11.2019
- Collaborated with civic groups, local organizations, and military families to expand community fitness programs and annual events.
- Enhanced community participation through targeted outreach and improved public information processes.
- Oversaw daily operations, ensuring compliance with military standards and efficiency in workflow processes.
- Led cross-functional teams to implement process improvements, enhancing operational effectiveness and resource management.
Missile Field Regional Manager
United States Air Force
07.2015 - 11.2016
- Coordinated between remote communities, security forces, operations teams, and support agencies across a 9,600-square-mile, multi-state region.
- Provided leadership presence in remote locations, resolving concerns, improving communication, and strengthening stakeholder trust across 15 sites.
- Led regional operations to enhance mission effectiveness and coordination among diverse teams.
- Developed training programs for personnel to improve operational readiness and leadership capabilities.
Education
B.S. - Business Administration
University of Maryland Global Campus
A.A.S. - Hospitality & Fitness Management
Community College of the Air Force
Skills
- Community Engagement
- Public Affairs
- Government Relations
- Stakeholder Partnerships
- Public Information
- Media Interaction
- Interagency Coordination
- Policy Implementation
- Outreach Strategy
- Event-Based Community Programming
- Coalition Building
- Crisis & Sensitive Communications
- Cross-Department Collaboration
- Public Education Campaigns
- Government Process Navigation
- Coalition building
- Volunteer coordination
- Partner agency collaboration
- Public meeting support
- Engagement planning
- Multicultural communication
- Accessible content development
- Community listening & feedback capture
- Vendor & nonprofit partnership management
- SharePoint
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Office
- WordPress
- Web Content Updates
- Analytics Dashboards
- Digital communication platforms
- Event management systems
- Community engagement
- Public relations
- Event coordination
- Stakeholder management
Certification
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
- Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
- ServSafe
SELECTED COMMUNITY IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
- Connected 1,500+ vendors with city event opportunities, strengthening the local small-business ecosystem.
- Managed community-facing operations serving 20,000+ annual participants.
- Strengthened cross-agency collaboration that improved event safety, communication flow, and operational consistency.
- Developed public information systems that improved transparency and citizen access to city services.
- Represented the city in tourism, economic development, and regional collaboration efforts.
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Community Affairs Manager
City of Alamogordo
07.2023 - Current
Fitness & Sports General Manager
United States Air Force
10.2021 - 06.2023
Recreational Services Manager — Morale, Welfare & Recreation (Deployed)
United States Air Force
04.2021 - 09.2021
Food Services Contingency Manager
United States Air Force
12.2019 - 03.2021
Fitness Operations Manager
United States Air Force
11.2018 - 11.2019
Missile Field Regional Manager
United States Air Force
07.2015 - 11.2016
A.A.S. - Hospitality & Fitness Management
Community College of the Air Force
B.S. - Business Administration
University of Maryland Global Campus