Ramona Martinez
Encyclopedia
Ramona Martinez is a member of the Democratic National Committee
from Colorado
. A businesswoman and former president of the Denver City Council
, Martinez has served on the DNC since the 1990s. As a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
, Marquez has publicly supported Bill Richardson, and then Hillary Clinton.
city council. In 1987, she was elected to represent District 3 on the Denver City Council and served for a total of 16 years. During her tenure, she was elected the first Hispanic female city council president.
With her sister, Joelle Martinez-Prutch, Martinez launched a successful travel agency. After leaving the Denver City Council, Martinez helped found REM Associates in 2003, a campaign management and public relations firm with corporate and political clients. Martinez is married; she and her husband, Lawrence, have three grown children: Larry, Laura, and Leonard.
Appointed as an at-large member of the Democratic National Committee during the Clinton
administration, Martinez has been an active member of the DNC's Hispanic Caucus serving as vice-chair and later acting chair from February to November 2007; she was elected to head the Hispanic Caucus at the November 2007 DNC meeting.
Martinez has also served as secretary of the DNC Women's Caucus; and has been an executive committee member of the DNC since at least 2005. She has also served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for NALEO (National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials) and as the first Chair of the Hispana Leadership Institute. In 2005, Martinez supported Howard Dean
's successful bid to become DNC chairman.
As a member of the Democratic National Committee, Martinez has been a superdelegate
to the 2000 and 2004 Democratic National Conventions, and will be a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
. In 2007, she announced her intention to vote for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson; after he withdrew from the race in January 2008, she endorsed New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Although Martinez faced pressure to switch her convention vote to Illinois Senator Barack Obama
after Obama won Colorado's caucus in February and became the Democrat's presumptive nominee in June, Martinez remained the lone holdout in the Colorado delegation to remain committed to Clinton as late as early August. Martinez supported Obama following the Democratic National Convention in August. She was later named to the Colorado Latino Advisory Council for Obama's campaign.
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. A businesswoman and former president of the Denver City Council
Denver City Council
The Denver City Council is the legislative branch of government for the City and County of Denver, Colorado. The council is made up of elected officials from 11 city and county designated districts and two at-large elected members. Although the offices are officially non-partisan, the members are...
, Martinez has served on the DNC since the 1990s. As a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
, Marquez has publicly supported Bill Richardson, and then Hillary Clinton.
Biography
Active in politics since the 1970s, Martinez was named chair of the Colorado Voter Registration Project in 1976 and worked for the Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
city council. In 1987, she was elected to represent District 3 on the Denver City Council and served for a total of 16 years. During her tenure, she was elected the first Hispanic female city council president.
With her sister, Joelle Martinez-Prutch, Martinez launched a successful travel agency. After leaving the Denver City Council, Martinez helped found REM Associates in 2003, a campaign management and public relations firm with corporate and political clients. Martinez is married; she and her husband, Lawrence, have three grown children: Larry, Laura, and Leonard.
Appointed as an at-large member of the Democratic National Committee during the Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
administration, Martinez has been an active member of the DNC's Hispanic Caucus serving as vice-chair and later acting chair from February to November 2007; she was elected to head the Hispanic Caucus at the November 2007 DNC meeting.
Martinez has also served as secretary of the DNC Women's Caucus; and has been an executive committee member of the DNC since at least 2005. She has also served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for NALEO (National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials) and as the first Chair of the Hispana Leadership Institute. In 2005, Martinez supported Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
's successful bid to become DNC chairman.
As a member of the Democratic National Committee, Martinez has been a superdelegate
Superdelegate
"Superdelegate" is an informal term commonly used for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Democratic Party....
to the 2000 and 2004 Democratic National Conventions, and will be a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
. In 2007, she announced her intention to vote for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson; after he withdrew from the race in January 2008, she endorsed New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Although Martinez faced pressure to switch her convention vote to Illinois Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
after Obama won Colorado's caucus in February and became the Democrat's presumptive nominee in June, Martinez remained the lone holdout in the Colorado delegation to remain committed to Clinton as late as early August. Martinez supported Obama following the Democratic National Convention in August. She was later named to the Colorado Latino Advisory Council for Obama's campaign.
External links
- Biographical sketch at REM Associates.