Carter will identify key roles needed and build the department’s skillset, aligned with the County’s strategic needs for economic development.
Source: Doña Ana County
Photo: Courtesy
Denisse Carter was selected for the role of Economic Development Director at Doña Ana County. She will lead economic development efforts by driving the County’s economic growth, continuing with business development, foreign trade zone oversight, and strategic planning efforts.
She will also identify key roles needed and build the department’s skillset, aligned with the County’s strategic needs for economic development.
“Denisse quickly established herself as a strategic leader in economic development when she joined the County,” County Manager Scott Andrews said. “Throughout her career, she thoughtfully built the blocks that made her the best candidate for this role. We are proud and excited to have her on our team as we implement our strategic plan, enhancing economic opportunities for all residents.
Ms. Carter earned the designation as a certified Economic Developer (CEcD) in March of 2024, becoming one of only 1,200 professionals in the nation who hold the prestigious designation. This is a group that makes up less than 1% of an estimated 168,000 economic developers in the U.S. It establishes an industry benchmark of excellence and sets the gold standard for knowledgeable professionals who are steadfastly committed to fostering innovation, attracting investment and driving economic growth and prosperity in their community and around the world.
Most recently, Ms. Carter served as the Economic Development Administrator at Doña Ana County. She provided professional assistance to the Community Development Department in implementing, administering and creating economic development initiatives and maintaining incentive program activities.
In this role, she led several inaugural initiatives such as convening a quarterly Economic Development Roundtable for the County, its municipalities and its closest partners. She planned the first Binational Roundtable including the states of New Mexico and Chihuahua, along with Ciudad Juarez. Finally, she implemented the first Creative Industries initiative. The latter inspired the County’s investment, following state funds and the engagement of 57 creatives, 20 staff and eight organizational participants in its first year.
With a career spanning more than 17 years in economic development, she started her professional journey at the Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) as a Research Assistant working in conjunction with the Housing Authority of El Paso to implement the Hope VI grant. As Director of Research and Knowledge at the El Paso Regional Economic Development Corporation (El Paso REDCo), which later became the Borderplex Alliance, an award-winning economic development and policy advocacy organization, she conducted economic research and contributed to industry attraction efforts.
Ms. Carter served 11 years in several progressive leadership roles with the City of El Paso’s Economic and International Development Department. She negotiated and drafted a variety of incentive agreements, created, instituted and managed the Contract Compliance Division. She helped implement the Small Business Assistance Division, providing bilingual (English/Spanish) technical assistance, hosting informational roundtables in Spanish, and serving as the primary point of contact for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding assistance related to small businesses.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a minor in Spanish, and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Intelligence and National Security Studies, both from the University of Texas at El Paso.
“Denisse has deep roots in our area and has served in both the El Paso and greater Las Cruces areas. One of Denisse’s strengths is that she sees the big picture, while not losing touch with all of the parties and people that help bring that vision to life,” Andrews said. “It has been a true joy watching her grow and I look forward to serving with her for many years to come.”