Woods: Why I’m Running For County Clerk

By AMY WOODS
County Clerk Candidate
Democrat

I’m Amy Woods and I am running for Los Alamos County Clerk. I grew up here in Los Alamos. Our family came to Los Alamos when it was a closed military town and everyone had to have a badge or an escort. Clearly, things have changed a lot, however, I have inherited Carlotta and BB McInteer’s commitment to contribute to the community. 

I returned to Los Alamos after living in a variety of places. In the communities I lived in I served as well as I could; I was on the Board of Directors at the Albuquerque YMCA, and on the Planning and Zoning commission in the town of Chanute Kansas. Since I have returned to Los Alamos, I have had the honor of serving on the Board of the Los Alamos Council on Cancer as President, and until recently, on the PAHOA Board in both the ACCC arm (Architectural Controls Committee) and as the Board Secretary. I am in my second term on the Planning and Zoning Board here in Los Alamos, where we are in the last phases of the new Comprehensive Plan for the County.

The position of County Clerk requires excellent management and communication skills, precise documentation protocols to ensure accuracy, the ability to absorb and implement new technologies, and a commitment to transparency and ethics.

To describe the experience that demonstrates those skills, I have a successful 30-year history in management, training and technology. In the early days of distributed computing, I was an IBM Field Service Manager, IBM Branch Manager and a Data General Regional Service Manager. That part of my career provided me with familiarity with data driven managerial decisions to manage people and operations. As County Clerk, I will use both my IBM Sponsored BS/BA from Syracuse University, and my MBA from Anna Maria College in Massachusetts, along with the line of fire management training.

I have demonstrated communications skills in training roles, notably as an over-the-road trainer. That meant that I lived and worked in a small space, directing women to manage 80,000 pound big-rigs going up and down big roads and in big mountains. Communication was pretty critical in that life challenging environment.  Along the way I was appointed as a Pro-Trainer, meaning I was the only woman trainer to be qualified to train other trainers as well as teach in the classroom for various safety courses. In total, I have trained 95 women to drive big trucks, and to potentially earn a living wage.

I am currently an Associate Broker with Zia Realty Group here in Los Alamos; this experience has been invaluable in understanding the demographics of today’s Los Alamos County. Further, this position has emphasized the importance of proper documentation, understanding and cooperation with multiple and potentially conflicting regulations, and the significance of maintaining accurate records while providing superior customer service. I have come to understand that good customer service requires important information and services be accessible easily understood by a broad range of people.

This broad range of experience is just what we need in the County Clerk position; experience and understanding of the regulations of Los Alamos County and the State of New Mexico support an appreciation of the special nature of Los Alamos County, and honors every family who calls Los Alamos home.

I claim experience in the following managerial skills; being a good coach, empowering employees instead of micromanaging them, the ability to express concern, being results oriented, the ability to listen and communicate goals, offering career help, having a vison and a strategy, and of course, having the ability to gain the necessary technical skills.

My vision and values include the following:

I want to ensure that we retain the excellent knowledge base and employee skill set currently in place.

I want to assure voter accessibility through the use of technology and direct communication with high needs voters, thus reducing any barriers to voting.

I want to continue the outreach to younger voters by bring them into the system early, offering specialty training classes in civics and government courses. I want to encourage younger voters to bring forward technology that can move forward into the voting process. 

Finally, in the light of security breaches from foreign countries, I want to assure security of our voting processes.

I’m Amy Woods, and I ask for your vote for Los Alamos County Clerk.

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