Maria Elena Quintanilla, City Administrator of Ransom Canyon was the Regional Services Director for South Plains Association of Governments for sixteen years prior to her employment with Ransom Canyon.  In this role, she was responsible for a multitude of programs to assist elected officials in a fifteen-county region. 
In 1995, Elena received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and received a full-paid fellowship to Texas Tech University to perform her graduate work.   In addition to her job, Elena has been heavily involved in civic activities which includes her service as a state appointee to the Municipal Solid Waste Resource and Recovery Advisory Council, former Chair of the Lubbock Housing Authority, Board of Directors for United Way of Lubbock, previous Board of Trustees for Lubbock Regional MHMR, previous Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Lubbock, Junior League of Lubbock member, volunteer of Holy Spirit Church, steering committee member and graduate of Leadership Lubbock.   In 2008, Elena was recognized as a Woman of Excellence in Government by the YWCA. 
Elena is married to David Quintanilla, and they have a thirteen-year old daughter named Carisa Marie, and a nine-year-old named Katelyn Rose.  
Her motto in life is:  “Always know where you are going, but never forget where you came from.”