About Debbie
“My family story is about five generations growing up in the heart of Albuquerque.”
Debbie O’Malley’s roots go deep in Albuquerque’s Downtown, Old Town and North Valley communities. In 1850, Debbie’s great, great grandfather established a mercantile shop in Old Town and later became the area’s postmaster. Debbie’s father, Nick Werner-Smith, a World War II veteran who worked at the Sawmill, met Debbie’s mom, Lydia Torres-Romero (from Barelas), at Soldier’s Park located in historic downtown in 1947.
Growing up in Albuquerque, Debbie didn’t need to look any further than home to learn about how to organize neighbors to get things done. In the late 1950’s Debbie’s mother grew tired of rinsing diapers outside, so she started a door-to-door petition drive to get the City to bring water and sewer lines to the Sawmill community.
Debbie herself worked for years at the grassroots level to redevelop the Sawmill area. In 1998, Debbie founded the Sawmill Community Land Trust, a not-for-profit community development corporation whose innovative redevelopment project has received national acclaim. Debbie was Executive Director of Trust from 1998 to 2003.
Debbie and her husband, Michael O’Malley, who both graduated from Valley High, have been married for 49 years and have two grown, married daughters, and four grandchildren, all who live in the North Valley, in Senate District 13.
Debbie was elected to her first term as City Councilor in District 2 in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. In 2014, she ran for County Commission District 1 where she served until the end of 2022. During her years in public service she has served in leadership roles on the Commission and Council and on several boards and commissions such as the Albuquerque Bernalillo Water Authority, and the Metropolitan Transportation Board and Mid Council of Governments.
Proven Track Record
Elected Office
Bernalillo County Commission, 2014-2022
Albuquerque City Councilor District 2, 2003 to 2014
Work History
City of Albuquerque, Associate Chief of Staff for Policy, 2023-2024
Executive Director, Sawmill Community Land Trust, 1998 to 2003
Community Service
Board member, Sawmill Community Land Trust, 2023-present
Board member, P B & J Family Services Inc., 2023–present
Project Director, Sawmill Advisory Council / Development Corporation, 1995 to 1998
Executive Board, Sawmill Advisory Council, 1989-1995
Vice President, North Valley Coalition, 2002-2003
Board Member, Near North Valley Neighborhood Association, 2002-2003