Former Bernalillo County leader to take over Balloon Fiesta

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has a new executive director. Julie Morgas Baca will assume the role on Sept. 3.

“I am very honored and I am grateful for the opportunity,” Morgas Baca said. “I know that I have big shoes to fill.”

Paul Smith is retiring for a second time after 27 years as executive director with the organization. Smith began his career with he AIBF in 1997. He initially served as an attorney for AIBF and also as a pilot.

Smith first retired as executive director in January 2023. Sam Parks took over, but stepped down in December. The AIBF board reached out to Smith and asked him to return until they found a new executive director.

“(He) did a phenomenal job and I’m very fortunate that I’m going to get to shadow him during the Balloon Fiesta,” Morgas Baca said of Smith. “He’ll be there still and I am really fortunate because I will be able to learn so much from him and the staff.”

Smith said his words of wisdom to Morgas Baca: “be patient.”

Morgas Baca, who recently retired as the Bernalillo County manager, was selected through an intense nationwide search process by Berkhemer Clayton Retained Executive Search in Los Angeles, according to an AIBF news release. She has extensive experience in policy development, strategic planning, fiscal management and community engagement.

She began her role as Bernalillo County manager in 2015. Prior to that, she served as CEO of the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation, deputy Bernalillo County manager for community services, and fiscal services director for the state’s 2nd Judicial District Court.

“The (AIBF) board is amazing,” Morgas Baca said. “During my interviews, I got to understand the knowledge that they have in ballooning and the passion that they have for ballooning, and so I’m going to be able to learn a lot from them.”

Morgas Baca said she understands there will be a learning curve in her new role. It will be a quick turnaround with the 52nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta taking place Oct. 5-13 at Balloon Fiesta Park.

“I’ve got a lot of learning to do, but I am going to be learning from the best,” she said. “And I’m just hoping to be able to utilize my knowledge and my skills in order to advance the organization.”

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the world’s premier ballooning event, featuring 550 balloons, according to the news release. The event attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists and balloonists annually. AIBF showcases the sport of ballooning, educates people about flying balloons and promotes the city of Albuquerque and New Mexico.

“We are so pleased to welcome Julie Morgas Baca,” Judy Nakamura, president of the AIBF board of directors, said in a statement. “Her leadership track record, her impressive background (and) her contacts in community and government make her the right choice for AIBF.”

Morgas Baca said she will continue to connect with the community and is exited to be part of an event that promotes the state nationally and internationally.

“I am looking forward to meeting and working with the pilots because they are the stars of the show,” she said. “It’s our signature event. It’s beautiful. It’s spectacular. It’s a chance for New Mexico to showcase our beautiful state and our beautiful culture. I just can’t wait to be a part of that end of it, just showcasing our beautiful state to the rest of the world.”