For the last 11 years, Tracy Jaramillo has been the passion and dedication behind UNM-Taos Kid’s Campus and the Early Childhood Education program.

Now, Jaramillo is set to retire this month.

"We applaud her vision, purpose and everything she has done to make the lives of children, families and her co-workers better." - UNM Taos leadership 

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Tracy Jaramillo

“I am proud to have had the opportunity to be a part of so many lives of Taos children and families,” Jaramillo said, in a Taos News article. “Each and every one has been my greatest teacher.”

Jaramillo said her journey began with her parents, and their “courage to take a risk and begin a new life in Taos.”

The family relocated from Illinois to New Mexico in 1974 when she was a junior in high school. After graduating from Colorado College in 1980, with a degree in anthropology, Jaramillo, and her soon-to-be husband, Greg, settled in Taos.

In 2010, Tracy joined UNM-Taos as the director of the Kids’ Campus and faculty member of the Early Childhood Education Department. 

“I feel fortunate to have had the support and encouragement of the administration to pursue my advocacy efforts,” she said.

Tracy didn’t stop there. She’s also a founding member of Paso a Paso Network. For almost 20 years, the group has focused on bringing community agencies together on behalf of children and families. A recent Paso a Paso project is the formation of the UNM-Taos Teacher Residency Program. 

For leadership at UNM-Taos, Jaramillo has not only left an indelible mark on campus, but within the greater Taos community.