FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2025
Texas Border Coalition Statement on 2026 Leadership Changes
Laredo, Texas – December 10, 2025 – The Texas Border Coalition (TBC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the security, prosperity, and opportunity of the Texas-Mexico border region, is pleased to announce the election of Hudspeth County Judge Joanna MacKenzie as its new Chairwoman.
Outgoing TBC Chairman, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, made the decision to pass his leadership responsibilities to Judge MacKenzie one year into his two-year term. Tijerina recently announced a run for Congress and did not want his campaign to distract from the duties of the organization. He will remain a member of the TBC’s Executive Committee as the Immediate Past Chairman.
Judge MacKenzie has nearly twenty years of leadership in disaster response, prevention, and preparedness. She has deployed to countless disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, provided low- resource pre-hospital care in Haiti, coordinated medical clinics at refugee camps in Mexico, and supported pandemic emergency management in underserved areas. A skilled linguist and critical thinker, Joanna brings cultural competence and strategic insight to crisis environments.
In her home region of Far West Texas, where she was raised, Joanna has served as both County Emergency Management Coordinator and County Administrator. As the Hudspeth County Judge, she continues her commitment to rural and vulnerable populations, ensuring their needs are not only heard but addressed. “I am honored to become Chairwoman of the Texas Border Coalition and build on Judge Tijerina’s excellent leadership of this important organization. My commitment remains the same: to help ensure our border communities are prosperous, secure, and well-represented in both Austin and Washington D.C.,” said Judge MacKenzie. “We deeply appreciate Judge Tijerina’s long-standing commitment to TBC and congratulate him on continuing his long record of public service. Serving alongside him is a privilege, and I’m excited for his next chapter as a binational advocate.”
Throughout his tenure, Judge Tijerina served as a consistent advocate for strengthening the border region by advancing regional prosperity, public safety and security, and fair immigration policies. His pursuit of federal office reflects not only his longstanding dedication to Webb County but also to the broader Texas-Mexico border region. “Judge Tijerina has served as an excellent steward of the Texas Border Coalition. I’m proud to work alongside him to lead this organization, and excited for him to take this next step in service to the people of Laredo,” said TBC Vice Chair Eddie Aldrete. “I am confident that Judge MacKenzie will continue her tireless efforts to advocate on behalf of every border community.”
“It has been an honor to serve as the Chairman of the TBC and advocate on behalf of the entire Texas- Mexico border community,” said Judge Tijerina, “I look forward to continuing to champion the border region by expanding education and workforce opportunities, driving economic and trade development, improving transportation infrastructure, and enhancing healthcare and overall well-being for the community. Judge MacKenzie is an incredible advocate for border communities, and I look forward to seeing what she’ll do in this role.”
The TBC remains a nonpartisan organization dedicated to its mission to make recommendations to the Texas Legislature and Congress that will help the Texas-Mexico border region grow and prosper, and looks forward to Judge MacKenzie’s leadership in this new chapter.
For more information, please visit: https://texasbordercoalition.org/
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About the Texas Border Coalition (TBC): The Texas Border Coalition (TBC) remains a collective voice of border mayors, county judges, and economic development commissions focused on issues that affect 2.8 million people along the Texas-Mexico border region and economically disadvantaged counties from El Paso to Brownsville. TBC is working closely with the state and federal government to educate, advocate, and secure funding for transportation, immigration and border security, workforce development, economic development, and health care.