About Us

What We Do

We Cultivate

We partner with local schools, universities, trade, and technical schools to provide financial education.

We Collaborate

Through outreach programs, we work with the community and partner with other non-profit organizations to build financial confidence.

We Empower

Through grant-making, member contributions, and the generosity of the community, we provide educational scholarships to students in El Paso, Ft. Bliss, and Las Cruces communities.

WHY WE DO IT

To elevate individual & community financial wellness.

Through our people, our community, and our industry partners, our Foundation strives to:

  • Inspire social change via diversity, equity, and inclusion in what we do.
  • Find new and alternative ways to promote financial education in our serving communities.
Micaela Ihorn- graduated from El Paso HS, going to University of Michigan and Jaiden Thomas, from El Dorado HS, going to Texas Tech University
2022 Scholarship Recipients

Building Financial Awareness

If you are a school administrator, business owner, or nonprofit organization, we can provide certified financial counselors, licensed financial advisors, or just high-energy team members to speak to your students, employees, or soldiers in your classroom or special event.

Get In Touch
Victoria Perez and Ricardo Portillo class of 2022
2022 Scholarship Recipients

Who We Are

Jaime Medina- Chairman

Jaime Medina

Chairman

Jaime Medina As a previous project engineer for a primary defense contractor and in various management capacities and government contracts for more than 30 years, Mr. Medina has always committed to serve. “First and foremost, during my enlistment, my duty was to God and my country to support and defend. I bring these same above obligations to all my efforts in supporting FirstLight Federal Credit Union as a volunteer.”

Daniel Hernandez

Daniel Hernandez

Board of Director

Daniel Hernandez is the Local Sales Manager at KTSM-TV (NBC), NTSM-TV (Estrella TV), KTSM.COM, and Nexstar Digital Marketing Services in El Paso. Mr. Hernandez has over fifteen years of industry experience in helping the El Paso and Las Cruces business community grow through strategic marketing campaigns. Before working at KTSM-TV, Mr. Hernandez worked at Entravision Communications managing accounts and marketing campaigns targeting the Hispanic community through radio and television advertising. Having lived in El Paso for most of his life, Mr. Hernandez holds a bachelor’s degree in media advertising from the University of Texas at El Paso. His passion and care for the future of his community is what brings him to serve as a Board Member at FirstLight Federal Credit Union.

 

Miguel Chen-Guajardo

Miguel Cheng-Guajardo

Board of Director

Miguel Cheng-Guajardo is the owner of MCHG Architects PLLC, an architectural consulting firm.  Mr. Cheng-Guajardo retired as the Post Architect at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he coordinated the design and construction of facilities on the installation.  He has over 30 years of experience in architectural design and construction.  Mr. Cheng-Guajardo holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Architecture.  Mr. Cheng-Guajardo began his service to the Credit Union on the Supervisory Committee in 2003, and he is currently serving on the Board of Directors at FirstLight FCU, having started his Board service in 2011. 

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Mica Short

Board of Director

Mica Short joined the Paso del Norte Community Foundation as Vice President of Development in the Fall of 2018.  In her role, Ms. Short oversees the foundation’s development portfolio, including major gifts, El Paso Giving Day efforts, and the management of more than 150 agency funds and donor advised funds. Mica has experience in public relations, having served as the Community Relations Manager for Texas Gas Service (TGS), where she was responsible for the company’s charitable giving for the El Paso region. Prior to joining Texas Gas Service, Ms. Short served as Executive Vice President at the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, where she oversaw the Chamber’s advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels in the areas of healthcare, transportation, education, infrastructure and development, and border issues. Ms. Short is a native El Pasoan.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, both from the University of Texas at El Paso. Mica is passionate about the El Paso community and is happy to be in a role that allows her to collaborate with so many dedicated, optimistic, and visionary individuals who recognize El Paso’s greatness and who work tirelessly to make things happen. She is happily married and is raising her three children to be kind, humble, and compassionate contributors to society. 

Karl Murphy gray background

Karl Murphy

Board of Director

Karl Murphy oversees FirstLight Federal Credit Union with over 108,000 members and $1.4 Billion in assets, offering an array of financial products and services, including mortgage loans, consumer loans, business loans, and investment products and services.  The Credit Union maintains a cooperative spirit, joining with industry and local partners to enhance the communities it serves.  The Credit Union’s outreach to provide financial education and help the underserved is designed to help the socio-economic wellbeing of our members and the community at large.

Under Mr. Murphy’s leadership, the FirstLight Federal Credit Union has received several recognitions and awards, such as the Distinguished Credit Union of the Year in 2000, 2006 and 2014 from the Department of the Army. He was inducted into the Fort Bliss Hall of fame in 2013 and inducted into the Defense Credit Union Council Hall of Honor in 2022.   The Credit Union was also recipient of the Corporate Sponsor of the Year 2007 and 2014 from the Association of the United States Army – Bradley Chapter, and the VIVA Award for vision, innovation and community leadership from the Association of Commerce and Industry from the State of New Mexico.

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Margie Salazar

President/CEO Board of Director

Margie Salazar is the President/CEO of FirstLight Federal Credit Union.  Margie has worked at the Credit Union for 24 years, starting her career as a teller while attending college. She obtained her Bachelor of Business degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Texas at El Paso.  During her career, she has held several positions overseeing various areas of the Credit Union including branch operations, marketing, human resources, consumer lending, mortgage lending, business lending, collections, card services and most recently Chief Financial Officer.   Margie has been active in the Credit Union industry for many years, having served as President of the Board of the El Paso Chapter of Credit Unions and Treasurer for the Armed Services YMCA.  She currently is Chair of the Board for the YMCA of El Paso and will be serving on the newly formed advisory council for the University of Texas at El Paso Banking Academy.

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Anthony Walker

Executive Director

Mr. Anthony T. Walker is the SVP of Marketing & Community Impact at FirstLight Federal Credit Union—responsible for the administration and supervision of all marketing projects/research, public and community relations, and is also the Executive Director of the FirstLight Community Foundation. He was previously the President/Chief Executive Officer at credit unions in Arizona and Virginia. Mr. Walker, who earned his M.B.A in 2003, is a Certified Chief Executive (CCE) after completing a three-year program at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, the Samuel Curtis Johnson School of Management, Cornell University, and the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia facilitated by the Credit Union Executive Society (CUES). A passionate advocate for the community, Mr. Walker is responsible for developing and executing strategy to support the Foundation’s mission—to elevate individual and community financial wellness. In his role, he champions community financial wellness initiatives, fundraises for educational scholarships, and spearheads the FirstLight Giving Program to combat food insecurity.

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Mayra Garcia Lopez

Grants & Community Impact Manager

Mayra Garcia Lopez is the Grants & Community Impact Manager at FirstLight Federal Credit Union supporting the Firstlight Community Foundation operations. In her unique role, she manages all aspects of grants to raise much needed funds to serve the Borderplex region.

Ms. Garcia Lopez has over 19 years in various marketing and grant development roles, such as Marketing Manager for Junior Achievement in El Paso and most recently, Marketing /Grants Director for the YMCA of El Paso. She taught undergraduate and graduate courses for the college of Business, University of Phoenix. She has an MBA and BA in Communication/Organizational Communications & Public Relations from University of Texas at El Paso.

With a commitment to making a positive impact in her community, Ms. Garcia Lopez currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Moms on Board and is a Steering Committee Member for United Way’s Border Out of School Time (BOOST) Network.