For Taylor Moreno, everything is about giving back to the community. So much so, that while being interviewed, she was at a local store buying pan dulce for all the janitorial staff that had worked countless hours organizing events at work.
“You have to give back to the community that made you”, said Moreno. “I always told myself that no matter what position I took, this will always go back to help my hometown”.
A fifth-generation El Pasoan, and a chemist by trade, Moreno says her passion for voluntarism and philanthropy began looking at her great-great-grandfather and her grandmother: both with important work in the border community.
“My great-great-grandfather was one of the people who represented México at El Chamizal Treaty”, Moreno said proudly. “My grandma worked with Planned Parenthood and was one of the first females to be part of the board of directors of what was then Thomason Hospital. I always had the example of giving back to the community”.
Moreno is a Government/Community Relations and Philanthropic specialist within the Paso del Norte region. With over 15 years of experience, Taylor brings a diverse background to her current role as Director of Institutional Development with El Paso Children’s Hospital. Serving as the chief fund development official for the hospital, she has already successfully quadrupled revenue for the El Paso Children’s Hospital Foundation since coming on board in August 2017.
“Both El paso Children’s Hospital and the University Medical Center, UMC, are changing lives”, Moreno stated.
She has brought millions in media coverage, donations, and an immeasurable community interest to the hospital since joining the team. In this role, Taylor is able to combine her passion for giving back to her community, her interest in the medical field, and her personal empathy to help further the mission of the hospital.
“We have so much in these hospitals that I do not think people of El Paso know we have. Our care is top of the line and now residents do not have to go outside of El Paso to get care: they can get it here in their town without the financial burden that represents getting healthcare outside the city”, Moreno said. “We don’t tell this story well enough, but we have people from all over the world as patients in our hospitals that come to El Paso to have surgeries”.
She mentioned that the work of both Children’s Hospital and UMC is so important that is now attracting researchers and specialists who will continue the excellence in care in both institutions.
“For example, we are announcing a head and neck cancer fellowship at UMC. This is one of only 13 fellowships of this kind in the United States”, she said.
Before her job at El Paso Children’s Hospital, Taylor served as the Chief of Staff for El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser during his first term. As the Mayor’s top policy adviser and chief liaison with the community, she was responsible for the implementation of the Mayor’s El Paso Open for Business initiative that included national marketing tours, business roundtables, as well as local economic development familiarization tours.
Moreno’s professional experience also includes her work on federal, state and municipal government relations for six years. She was the Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator under the Cook Administration with the City of El Paso and with Congressman Silvestre Reyes in his Washington, DC office. It was in DC when Taylor began fundraising and was responsible for tripling annual fundraising efforts resulting in an approximate $3 million for re-election efforts. Precisely during her tenure at Congressman Reyes office, Moreno learned the importance of mentorship.
“The Chief of Staff at Congressman Reyes office took me under her wing, and she became a life-long mentor”, Moreno said. “Mentors are important in my life and now I am doing that. I do help people getting to what they want to get: I coach them. You have to be there for the future generation”.
Taylor’s work has been recognized by the US-Mexico Border Health Caucus as she was presented with the Service and Dedication Award for her advocacy and commitment to access to healthcare for individuals along the US-Mexico border. She stays engaged outside of her career and actively participates as a volunteer for a number of national and local nonprofits.
Taylor is the proud mother to her son, Camden, and is raising him to appreciate the culture and uniqueness of the city they call home.
“I chose to come back to El Paso after being away for almost 10 years. Things happen for a reason. Family is very big for me. El Paso is family, El Paso is culture” Moreno said. “You have to return the favor to make a difference in this community. We have to lift each other up”.