City Fills Key Positions

The City of Albuquerque has filled critical roles within the Department of Municipal Development and the Gateway Health Hub to ensure large projects continue to move forward efficiently. Jennifer Turner has been appointed as the Director of Municipal Development, Jennifer McDonald will serve as the Operations Officer for the Gateway Health Hub, and Shawn Maden will be the Capital Implementation Program Officer.

“Each of these roles is critical to making sure large projects stay on track to meet the needs of our families,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We’re grateful for the experience that each of these folks brings, both from within and outside of the City, and look forward to keeping our city moving forward.” 

Jennifer Turner, Director of Municipal Development

Jennifer Turner has been named Director of the Department of Municipal Development. DMD crews engineer, build, and maintain Albuquerque’s roads and storm drains, as well as design and build city facilities like community centers, libraries, and public safety facilities. Turner was previously the Deputy Director in charge of vertical construction and Parking.

Jennifer Turner is passionate about the built environment and those projects that help make Albuquerque the best city for families. She has 20 years of experience as an attorney and leader in the public and private sectors. Turner joined the City as General Counsel for the Municipal Development Department in 2020 and was soon promoted to Deputy Director.

Before joining the City, Turner spent 12 years at the United States Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. where she managed attorneys, assisted in litigation and rulemaking, and counseled high-level political appointees on issues related to tribal economic development, real estate transactions, environmental law, and governmental affairs. Turner also worked as a Senior Associate at a boutique law firm in Albuquerque where she counseled tribal governments and business entities on construction, real estate transactions, health care, and contracts. 

Turner received her B.A. in political science with honors from Vassar College, her J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law, and her L.L.M. from Brunel University in London. In her free time, she enjoys running half marathons, seeing live music, and adventuring in the New Mexico outdoors with her two children, her partner, and two rambunctious dogs Yoda and Chewbacca.

Jennifer McDonald, Gateway Health Hub Operations Officer 

Jennifer McDonald is a proud native New Mexican who is dedicated to serving her community through servant leadership. She is passionate about building partnerships that bring resources together to elevate people and our community. Her career started as a newspaper reporter where she was passionate about telling stories about people and issues. That passion transitioned into roles where storytelling and data are combined with strategic partnerships to accomplish large projects that change lives. McDonald is certified in change management and loves helping people thrive in fast-paced environments. 

Previous to joining the City of Albuquerque, McDonald was the senior director of P20 strategic partnerships at Central New Mexico Community College where she was part of the team that opened College and Career High School at the college’s main campus in partnership with Albuquerque Public Schools. She also worked with Rio Rancho Public Schools and industry partners to design and program the Rio Technical Education Career Hub, which will be a center focused on training adults and high school students in trades and vocational fields. A proud Cougar and Lobo, McDonald earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Brigham Young University and an executive MBA from the University of New Mexico. 

Shawn Maden, Capital Implementation Program Official

Shawn Maden has been promoted to CIP Official. Maden will now oversee the City’s Capital Implementation Program where he will administer approved capital expenditures for acquiring, constructing, replacing, upgrading and rehabilitating the City’s built environment.

Maden has a long history with the city, first serving as a lifeguard. He then worked as a paramedic before joining the Aquatics department at Parks and Recreation. He’s been in DMD as the City’s CIP Strategic Program Manager since 2020. When he’s away from City Hall, he spends quality time with his dogs Clovis and Daisy, as well as hikes, bikes, plays board games and works on logic puzzles.