About Tim
Tim, a native New Mexican, was born and raised in Albuquerque. Following graduation from St. Pius X High School, he attended the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree studying in Public Service, Art History and Finance. He then went on to earn an M.B.A. with honors from the Harvard Business School.
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Tim is the youngest of three boys, his father was a founder of Union Savings Bank and his mom was a public school teacher and homemaker. Tim followed that family tradition of helping others by applying his education to benefit the disadvantaged and the members of his community: following his graduation from the University of Notre Dame, he spent three years co-founding a social enterprise, Data Digital Divide (DDD), which extends help to land mine victims and other disadvantaged persons in Cambodia. DDD has over 200 employees and was ranked by Fast Company magazine as a global Top Innovator. DDD was also profiled in the best selling book The World Is Flat by Tom Friedman. Prior to that, Tim worked as an investment banker with Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette where he focused on energy technology corporate finance.
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Tim's dad and best friend from High School, Rob
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Tim, however, could not forget his New Mexico roots: after completing his M.B.A. at the Harvard Business School, he returned to New Mexico. He became a Senior Manager at Booz and Company (formerly Katzenbach Partners) specializing in strategic planning and industry evolution. Tim led projects in strategy under uncertainty and on organizational performance, helping clients-culture transformation and change. Tim put his values and business skills to work in the community, volunteering for groups that foster economic opportunities in Albuquerque's Southeast Heights. Tim has served on boards of a New Mexico Private Equity Fund, the Open Hands Foundation, the Asian American Association and Albuquerque Southeast Team for Entrepreneur Development.
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Tim, serving as County Parliamentarian, with Bernalillo Democratic Party Chairwoman Ana Canales
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| Tim has introduced 50 pieces of legislation ranging from higher education reform to small business development. He passed 10 bills: 6 of which were signed into law by Governor Bill Richardson establishing a 40% solar tax credit, community schools initiative, unemployment support, sweeping state investment fund reform, economic development accountability incentive reform and an adaptive driving program. |
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Contact Tim:
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11023 Vistazo PL SE 87123
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H: 505 332-9441
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O: 505 986-4261
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Committee Assignments
Corporations & Transportation
Education
Finance Authority
Legislative Finance Council
Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy
Rural and Economic Development
Investment Oversight
Committee's Committee |
| Proven Track Record |
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Community
Board Member, Albuquerque Southeast Team for Entrepreneur Development (STEPS)
Board Member, Asian American Association of Albuquerque
Board Member, Open Hands Foundation, New Mexico elder care
Steering committee, Road Runner Food Bank
Parliamentarian, Democratic Party of Bernalillo County
Member, Holy Ghost Catholic Church
Volunteer Docent, National Hispanic Cultural Center
Ward Chair, Democratic Party of Bernalillo County
Policy Advisor, New Mexico State Legislature
Eagle Scout |
Professional
Partner, Business Consultant, Sandia Advisors LLC
Co-Founder, Data Digital Divide, Cambodia
Investment Banking Analyst, Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette
Named top 40 under forty by New Mexico Business Weekly
NM Freedom and Liberty 2009 Award Winner
Harvard Business School, MBA, with honors
University of Notre Dame, B.A., Public Service, Art History and Finance |
See Tim on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=senator+tim+keller&aq=f
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tim Keller (center) with Digital Data Divide workers in Cambodia
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Recently I've been writing positive things about Tim Keller, who's a progressive Dem running in the primary for State Senator in District 17. I've had a chance to talk with Tim at some length, and he spoke at last week's DFA-DFNM Meetup, making a very positive impression on the group with his passion and his positions. There's a lot of excitement in the progressive community about Keller's candidacy, including right here on this blog.
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Unfortunately, I noticed that there's an item on Monahan today trying to make an issue of the fact that when Keller was 18 he registered as a Republican. Tim was also an independent for some years afterwards as he involved himself in exploring life and finding his niche -- before developing a focused political identity. It appears that Tim's opponent, four-term incumbent Shannon Robinson (SD-17), may try to use this to discredit Tim, but it's clear to me that Keller has a solid record he can stand by.
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Monahan could have explained what Tim was doing when he wasn't registering himself as a Democrat. What was he up to? Among other things, getting a top notch education and helping to develop an innovative non-profit program overseas:
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He was away at Notre Dame getting his undergrad degree
He helped start a non-profit in Cambodia helping land mine victims and other displaced persons (see article about Digital Data Divide)
He went to get his MBA at Harvard
He moved back home--to be closer to his family
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Tim in Cambodia
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Since returning to New Mexico, he's been busy working at his regular job in addition to volunteering for groups that foster economic opportunities in Albuquerque's Southeast Heights—putting his business skills to work in the district where he lives. He also serves on the boards of numerous groups in the state and has helped develop small businesses here. The sum of his experiences led him to run for office as a Democrat -- because core Democratic values match his own heartfelt values. As Tim says:
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"I have been a registered Republican, an Independent, and a Democrat. I am not a political insider and have got my experiences and values from things outside of politics, through community involvement, economic development and poverty alleviation both abroad and in New Mexico."
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"I have a record I am proud to explain. I was born and raised in New Mexico. I went away to school and lived and worked overseas to improve the lives of disenfranchised people. I paid attention to issues more than I did politics. But now, I want to take those same organizing, civic minded skills to politics and the public sector--to help people.
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"I became a Democrat thoughtfully and through conviction."
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Tim (upper right) with Digital Data Divide workers in Cambodia.
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I don't know about you, but I have a lot of respect for a real Dem who started out in a Republican family, became successful in the business world, found a way to put his business acumen to work to help people in need help themselves -- and decided to run for office to serve his community.
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Unfortunately, there are too many politicians in office today who call themselves Democrats but who have lost their way and abandoned many of their Dem ideals in order to acquire and hang onto power and clout. From my point of view, Tim's the real deal, and he came to his political identity through his rich experiences in life, as well as a conscious choice. I hope he's a harbinger of many more caring, progressive candidates to come, in his generation and beyond.
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| To read our previous coverage of New Mexico legislative races, visit our archive. |
| www.democracyfornewmexico.com |
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