SIERRA BLANCA, Texas — In the sprawling expanse of Far West Texas, Hudspeth County presents a stark geometrical contrast to the bustling metroplexes of the state. Encompassing 4,500 square miles, it stands as the third-largest county in Texas—larger in landmass than the state of New Hampshire—yet it is home to just 3,200 residents.
"We have more cows than people, and about 100 miles of the Texas-Mexico border," says Hudspeth County Judge Joanna “JoJo” Mackenzie.
As a relative newcomer to elected office, Mackenzie describes herself as a "baby judge," but her trajectory to the county’s top elected office represents a rare fusion of corporate finance, international disaster response, and rural governance. It is a dual background in fiscal management and emergency operations that serves her uniquely well as both chief budget officer and emergency management director for a border county on the precipice of major industrial development.
Mackenzie’s career did not begin in public administration. In the early 2000s, she was established in the banking and mortgage industry. Her trajectory shifted permanently in 2005 following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Responding as a spontaneous volunteer coordinator with organizations like the Humane Society of the United States and Best Friends Animal Society, Mackenzie spent weeks in New Orleans rescuing displaced animals.
"I did a lot of rescue relief work in New Orleans, came back, went back to my mortgage job, and kind of realized that’s something I really love," Mackenzie recalls.
She left the financial sector to earn her emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic certifications, pivoting entirely toward international disaster relief. Her work eventually led her to Global Response Medicine (formerly Global Response Management), an NGO specializing in setting up medical infrastructure in high-risk zones and developing nations.
When the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), colloquially known as "Remain in Mexico," went into effect in 2019, Mackenzie deployed to the Texas-Mexico border. She served as field staffing director and clinical medic, establishing the first medical clinic in Matamoros and subsequently expanding operations into Reynosa to assist vulnerable populations in the refugee camps.
Returning to her roots in Far West Texas, Mackenzie accepted a part-time role as Hudspeth County’s Emergency Management Coordinator to give back to the community that shaped her. Her entry into county politics came unexpectedly through her predecessor, a 95-year-old county judge who urged her to run for the seat.
"I realized that I actually had more impact in my little rural community than I did in places like Haiti, where I could do bandaging and patching, but I couldn't make that big change," Mackenzie says. "When you look at my background of medicine and banking, it really marries well for county judge. We're the chief budget officer and the emergency management director."
Mackenzie was named 2024 Elected Official of the Year by the Rio Grande Council of Governments.
As Hudspeth County navigates the complexities of the modern border landscape, Mackenzie identifies the ongoing border wall debate and localized agricultural threats, such as New World screwworm infestations, as immediate daily concerns. However, a multi-decade industrial project at Round Top Mountain is rapidly positioning the rural county at the center of the domestic tech and defense supply chains.
Round Top Mountain, situated on Texas General Land Office (GLO) property, holds what is widely recognized as the largest deposit of rare earth elements in the United States. While the mineral rights are held by USA Rare Earth, local residents have viewed the project with a degree of skepticism born from decades of unfulfilled timelines.
"Truthfully, it is a lot of white noise," Mackenzie notes regarding local sentiment. "For the last 30 years, our residents have been hearing that in two years it’ll be operational. Until people start seeing it, there’s not much local noise."
However, Mackenzie emphasizes that the current economic and geopolitical environment marks a definitive turning point for the project. "The trifecta now is it actually is coming to the fore. They’ve got the funding, they have the correct technology, and the administrations behind this mean we have the perfect storm. We are fixing to become a mine."
The potential industrial boom raises questions about adjacent technology investments, particularly data centers seeking vast acreage. While Mackenzie acknowledges that Hudspeth County offers the flat, arid terrain sought by tech infrastructure firms, she notes that no formal data center proposals have reached local government doors yet.
Mackenzie’s responsibilities extend well beyond the courthouse in Sierra Blanca. She recently assumed the role of Chairwoman for the Texas Border Coalition (TBC), stepping into the position late last year after serving as the county’s proxy since 2021.
TBC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the security, prosperity, and opportunity of the Texas-Mexico border region. MacKenzie succeeded Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina as the group’s chair. Tijerina stepped down after announcing his candidacy for a seat in Congress. He said he did not want his campaign to distract from the duties of the organization. He remains a member of the TBC’s Executive Committee as the Immediate Past Chairman.
“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.,” MacKenzie said, in a TBC press release.
“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.”
Mackenzie’s leadership portfolio reflects the regional interconnectedness required of modern rural officials. In addition to her work with the TBC, Mackenzie chairs the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee and the Hudspeth County Historical Commission, while maintaining seats on the Rio Grande Council of Governments Executive Board and the Federal Communications Commission Inter-local Advisory Committee. Locally, she balances public safety and community health initiatives through roles on the Far West Texas Public Defender Office Oversight Board and the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence.
Managing a territory that sits up to two hours away from the nearest metro area of El Paso requires a persistent focus on localized sustainability. For Mackenzie, ensuring that Hudspeth County remains resilient through impending economic shifts is the core mandate of her tenure.
Editor's Note: The above feature is the second in a five-part series on the work of the Texas Border Coalition. Click here to read Part One.
