Meet Your Neighbor: Tracey Bryan

Tracey Bryan, 49, will return July 5 to her role as president/CEO at The Bridge of Southern New Mexico, a nonprofit organization supporting educational excellence and the workforce in Doña Ana County. She left The Bridge three years ago to move to Washington, D.C., where she was a vice president with Widmeyer Communications, a Finn Partners company, supporting the work of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Bryan has spent more than 20 years in nonprofit and for-profit communications and leadership positions. Much of that time was in the philanthropic sector, engaged in groundbreaking, resident-led, community transformation efforts in San Diego, California. However, she counts her work with the Bridge and alongside the committed leaders and residents of Doña Ana County as the most fulfilling of her life.

1. What was the first car you owned? A Ford pickup with no air conditioning (in Houston, Texas).

2. What's your favorite restaurant in the area? It’s a tie between Andele's Restaurant and St. Clair Winery & Bistro.

3. What do you have on your iPod right now? Or: What’s your favorite music and musician? All kinds of contemporary Christian music — with Nichole Nordeman, Plumb and Amy Grant as my top three.

4. What's your favorite movie? "The Sound of Music"

5. What's your favorite book or author? The Bible, "Come Away My Beloved" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."

6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? After living all over the country, moving 13 times by the time I was 13 years old, I am happy to say that Las Cruces is the first place I’ve ever truly been able to consider my home.

7. If you could time-travel to any place or time in history, where would you go? Some time in history when the best form of transportation was on horseback.

8. What super power would you like to have? I would love to fly!

9. What's your favorite sports team? San Diego Chargers.

10. If you won the lottery, what would you do? I would give to support work that I truly believe in and take my family on a once in a lifetime trip.

11. What do you do with your free time? Spend as much time with my family as I can.

12. Involved in any clubs or groups? Mesilla Park Community Church marriage and women’s ministries.

13. If you could magically add one thing to Las Cruces, what would it be? A big lake, perfect for jet-skiing.

14. What's your favorite annual event in Las Cruces/Mesilla? Fireworks on New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July.

15. What was your nearest brush with fame? At the beginning of my career, I was the public relations director for Blue Bell Creameries in Texas. I had the opportunity to meet many political leaders, celebrities and sports figures — mostly because I was the one who had the camera!

16. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Raising two fine young men who have taught me so much!

17. What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I am a superhero and Star Wars nerd.

18. Do you have any pets? Three dogs.

19. Do you collect anything? No.

20. When you cook, what’s your specialty? My father’s lasagna recipe — the real Italian deal.