Karissa Culbreath

Making a difference in our community, one step at a time.

A little about me...

Karissa Culbreath is a scientist whose passion for community has led her to service, advocacy and leadership. She was appointed by Mayor Gregg Hull in December, 2020 to the Rio Rancho City Council, District 5 and was reelected to the seat in 2022. She is passionate about serving the community and bringing voice to the needs of the people with compassion, strategic thinking and collaboration.

I am the councilor for Rio Rancho District 5, one of the most vibrant and exciting communities in Rio Rancho. My goal is to ensure the citizens in this district are represented with compassionate, innovative and fair leadership!

My Priorities

Healthy People, Healthy Families, Healthy Communities

Health is at the core of what I do and ensuring a health community is what is most important to me. How do we achieve this? Through addressing the 4 things that are more important to your health than your DNA or any pre-existing condition. These are the things that are at the heart of what a city government is tasked to improve.

Where You Live
rio rancho neighborhood

Creating communities that are healthy and vibrant starts with ensuring we have great neighborhoods, housing and resources for our community.

Where You Work
piggy bank

Jobs are mission critical for Rio Rancho. We have to ensure an economic path that is supportive of the small businesses that are the foundation of our community. We also must be ready for future economic growth from larger businesses who seek to make Rio Rancho their next expansion project.

Where You Play
people hiking a trail

From amazing community centers to beautiful trails, Rio Rancho has some things to offer. However, we still have a lot of work to do to make more recreational opportunities for young professionals, children, seniors and families.

Where You Learn
child in a classroom learning

Rio Rancho is known for our amazing schools and everything we do for the city supports the schools that are at the heart of our city. The city plays a role in educating our children through our libraries and community centers. With the changing dynamics of modern education, having strong and functional broadband is an absolute necessity.

Where You Live

    • District 5 is poised for additional economic growth with the Westside Expansion project and the development of the Unser Gateway
    • I am working to ensure that there are housing options for everyone in Rio Rancho and we have the services to meet all of the needs of the community.
    • I am working to improve the roads and the challenges of the antiquated platting that exists in the city. I have supported our amazing public safety departments in the work they do to keep our communities safe and protected while ensuring they get the necessary training to confront the challenging issues of today.

Where You Work

    • District 5 is one of the major economic centers with proximity to two of our major employers, Intel and Presbyterian Rust Medical Center.
    • I worked to ensure the development of The Villages! We were excited to welcome the MarketStreet grocery store and LotaBurger as the first businesses in this growing area.
    • I support construction ready development and using our economic resources to encourage thoughtful and strategic economic growth in our community

Where You Play

    • District 5 is the prime location to some of our best city parks and recreational areas, Cabezon Community Center, the Park Above and Haynes Park
    • We made significant improvements and refurbishments in the Park Above to ensure equitable access to adaptive playground equipment.
    • I envision an economic center with a vibrant entertainment core and retail space is the next wave for Rio Rancho.

Where You Learn

    • District 5 is home to amazing schools and libraries, let’s continue to make this area the best place for our children.
    • I will continue to work to ensure we have the necessary bandwidth to support virtual education and work experiences for all students. Every family, child and senior can take advantage of the learning resources we have at our centers in the city.

Rio Rancho's Accomplishments

Rio Rancho was recognized as a 2026 top place to retire in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Rio Rancho was named in the Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Southwest by Livability in 2024.

Fortune.com named Rio Rancho one of the 50 Best Places to Live for Families in the U.S. in 2024.

Motley's Fool ranked Rio Rancho #2 on their list of The 10 Most Affordable Cities with High Salaries and Low Cost of Living in the West in 2024.

Rio Rancho's Resources

File a Non-Emergency Report with the City of Rio Rancho – Report Rio Rancho
City of Rio Rancho Boards and Commissions
City of Rio Rancho Meetings and Agendas

Connect With Me