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Beverlie Frazier鈥檚 toughest professional moment was when she lost her well-established career as a national sales manager at KRQE Media Group due to a consolidation.

Not long after, though, Frazier met the challenge her boss handed her: create a different job and step into that role instead.

The job was business development director, and while Frazier was in that role, she helped create the award-winning multimedia campaign 鈥淣ew Mexico Frontiers鈥� to showcase people who are pushing the state鈥檚 economy forward.

It鈥檚 a mission similar to the one Frazier just took on when she became CEO of the New Mexico Technology Council on May 4. She replaces Mia Petersen, who stepped down after four years.

鈥淣ew Mexico鈥檚 poised for greatness, if we can all move together with the same voice and the same goals and in collaboration,鈥� Frazier says. 鈥淎nd this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to get to that point of New Mexico being known (as a) tech hub.鈥�

The Tech Council has more than 145 member organizations that represent roughly 1,000 people. It is known for hosting the annual New Mexico Tech Summit 鈥� the largest such event in the state, Frazier says 鈥� and the 18-year-old Women in Tech Awards.

Frazier, who has been on the Tech Council鈥檚 board since January, says her goals include creating a 鈥渦nifying voice鈥� for New Mexico鈥檚 technology sector and expanding into areas beyond sa国际传媒官网网页入口, Santa Fe and Los Alamos.

Frazier, who grew up in sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Old Town area, has experience in nonprofits. She is a board member of the National Institute of Flamenco and the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation and is past chair of the Hispano Philanthropic Society.

She explains her involvement this way: 鈥淚 feel like people were constantly helping me, supporting me. Now it鈥檚 my turn.鈥�

How do you see the Tech Council鈥檚 role when it comes to the state鈥檚 economy?

My vision is for the Tech Council to serve as the central tech hub for New Mexico. It started out 25 years ago, and now we have space and bioscience and advanced manufacturing and quantum. The Tech Council is huge on advocacy and education and networking, so it鈥檚 really important for us to have a unifying voice with all tech sectors.

Plans for huge AI data centers have been controversial in New Mexico. How do you view this issue?

I will tell you I don鈥檛 know enough about the consequences of bringing big data centers to New Mexico, but I think my role is to gain understanding and talk to different people, as far as policymakers and people who are for it and people who are against it. Sharing that information with the community and with our members is going to be really important. Tech is such a big part of New Mexico鈥檚 economy 鈥� and so it is going to be important that we are partners and working hand in hand with the economic development departments and associations.

What has made you successful?

Oh, I think the people around me have made me successful. I am blessed to have so many mentors and people who have just opened doors and helped me walk through those doors. I always look at serving a bigger mission. I feel like the Tech Council鈥檚 role is to help impact New Mexico鈥檚 economy and long-term prosperity. I have a great ability to build trusted relationships. I have people who will listen to my ask and listen to the story, and I鈥檓 able to create a reason for them to be involved.

What got you interested in flamenco?

I鈥檝e always been a fan of the music, and I鈥檝e always been a fan of watching. But I will tell you, I was sitting there waiting for my kids to finish up their classes, and I noticed something about adult classes, and it happened to be at the same time. Well, this was an easy way to get some exercise and to utilize the time while they were in their class. But I don鈥檛 dance anymore. I would love to get back in there. It鈥檚 a powerful dance.

What do you do in your free time?

I love to travel. My kids are a little bit older now, so we try to meet up in Maui or in Cancun. I love to visit my daughter in San Diego. I tried pickleball and still play, but I wouldn鈥檛 say I鈥檓 a pickleball player. I like to take my dogs on walks. We love to go skiing, too.

What advice do you have for others?

I would say find your community and be a constant learner. And I would also encourage giving back to the community, because it is so fulfilling. It might be a selfish thing to say, but I give back because it really is fulfilling for me. It goes beyond my circle, and maybe it lasts for a while.

What is your involvement with the Hispano Philanthropic Society?

I鈥檓 a past chair now, but currently my involvement is convening the past chairs and the founders and figuring out ways that we can better impact and support the work that they鈥檙e doing. Maybe the endowment that is being built (will have) a legacy for many years forward, and I think about the Tech Council in that way, too. I was born and raised here and have many generations from New Mexico. So seeing it just grow and thrive, it鈥檚 like having a child, right? You just want to see it get better and do well and be successful. And so that鈥檚 how I think about New Mexico鈥檚 prosperity.

Ellen Marks, a former Journal editor, writes One-on-One profiles and Scam Watch. You can reach her at emarks@abqjournal.com.