Taking a shine to the famous faces on social media and TV shows is pretty normal, especially when you see those on our list of the most influential people in New Mexico.
The list comprises musicians, actors, politicians, entrepreneurs, and sportspersons you may know but would not have guessed were from New Mexico.
These individuals were born and raised in New Mexico or were born there but left the state when they were very young.
In this article, we will explore the 17 most influential people from the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico. We will also include their images, social media, and Wikipedia links for your perusal.
Table of contents
- Most influential people in New Mexico
- #1. Jeff Bezos
- #2. Demi Lovato
- #3. Demi Moore
- #4. John Denver
- #5. Neil Patrick Harris
- #6. Holly Holm
- #7. Conrad Hilton
- #8. Geronimo
- #9. Adrian Grenier
- #10. Chip Gaines
- #11. Adrienne Maloof
- #12. William Hanna
- #13. Lauren Sánchez
- #14. Michelle Lujan Grisham
- #15. Dolores Huerta
- #16. Harrison Schmitt
- #17. Jace Lee Norman
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
Most influential people in New Mexico
Here are the 17 most influential people in New Mexico:
- #1. Jeff Bezos
- #2. Demi Lovato
- #3. Demi Moore
- #4. John Denver
- #5. Neil Patrick Harris
- #6. Holly Holm
- #7. Conrad Hilton
- #8. Geronimo
- #9. Adrian Grenier
- #10. Chip Gaines
- #11. Adrienne Maloof
- #12. William Hanna
- #13. Lauren Sánchez
- #14. Michelle Lujan Grisham
- #15. Dolores Huerta
- #16. Harrison Schmitt
- #17. Jace Lee Norman
#1. Jeff Bezos
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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American technology entrepreneur Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon.com, the world’s largest online retailer. Miguel Bezos, a Cuban immigrant, adopted him when his mother married him, but he was born to Jacklyn Gise and Ted Jorgensen.
He went to Miami Palmetto Senior High School and graduated “summa cum laude” with a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University. He created the online bookstore Amazon.com and later included functions including one-click buying, customer reviews, and email order confirmation.
He later extended it to incorporate other goods like apparel, CDs, toys, jewelry, watches, gadgets, and shoes. He founded Blue Origin, an aerospace business creating technology to offer space travel to clients. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Bezos was one of the world’s wealthiest and most influential people, with an estimated net worth of $28 billion.
Read also: Top 12 Most Influential People In Texas | Social Media Handles 2022
#2. Demi Lovato
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
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Though she started as a teen star in films like “Camp Rock,” Demi has established her talent as a singer with impressive albums like “Unbroken,” “Don’t Forget,” and “Here We Go Again.”
Most of her songs have become hits, peaking at the top of music charts like the “Billboard 200,” and are well-known outside the United States in places like New Zealand and Syria. Now, she is one of the most influential people in New Mexico.
The actress credits modern pop stars like Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, and Christina Aguilera, who impacted her through their musical tastes, for her successful musical endeavors. Demi is also renowned for collaborating with charity groups, such as ‘PACER,’ which promotes the rights of bullied children.
#3. Demi Moore
Roswell, New Mexico, United States
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Demi Moore had a challenging childhood in a dysfunctional household and had to fend for herself. She worked numerous odd jobs and persisted in her goal of breaking into the entertainment industry before finally making her acting debut in the movie “Choices.” Her outstanding performance in the film “St. Elmo’s Fire” helped her eventually achieve popularity.
Demi Moore is one of the most talented and famous actresses in New Mexico and Hollywood, with an estimated net worth of $150 million. After her lauded performance in “Ghost,” she rose to the position of one of the best-paid actresses.
She wed the actor Bruce Willis in 1987, and they had three daughters. But in 2000, they separated, and she married actor Ashton Kutcher in 2005. However, in 2011, they got divorced.
#4. John Denver
Roswell, New Mexico, United States
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John Denver, an American singer, is regarded as one of the past century’s most influential people in New Mexico and the music industry. His songs continue to be appreciated throughout most of the English-speaking world.
His songs from the 1970s covered a wide range of topics, including country life, the outdoors, and his feelings about love.
But what gave him a unique voice was that he was also an activist who shared his thoughts in his songs. Though Denver dabbled in movies as an actor and singer, he composed and wrote all his songs apart from the times when he took part in collaborative projects with other singers or music groups.
#5. Neil Patrick Harris
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
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Neil Patrick Harris is a multi-talented entertainer, an American actor, writer, producer, singer, and magician. He was featured in different movies thanks to his excellent acting abilities in films and TV shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and “Uncoupled.” When he portrayed the character in the “Doogie Howser, MD” series on the “ABC” network, he became famous in the US.
He then had many offers to play essential roles in several movies and television shows. He appeared in the films “Starship Troopers,” “The Next Best Thing,” and “Undercover Brother.”
He has dabbled in directing and voice acting in different animated movies. He received a star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame” in September 2011 due to his remarkable performing abilities and talent. He is one of the most influential people in New Mexico, especial for those looking to venture into entertainment.
#6. Holly Holm
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
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American mixed martial artist, Holly Rene Holm-Kirkpatrick, is a former professional boxer and kickboxer. She was formerly a world boxing champion who competed in three weight classes and successfully defended her title eighteen times.
It was in the International Rules Adult Women’s Welterweight Division of the International Kickboxing Federation that Holm earned her first title at the age of 20. Her boxing career started soon and took off reasonably brilliantly. She twice received the title of the female fighter of the year from Ring Magazine.
She then became the first person to have won titles in both boxings and mixed martial arts. Holly Holm has performed in the current action movie “Fight Valley,” directed by Rob Hawk.
#7. Conrad Hilton
San Antonio, New Mexico, United States
Conrad Nicholson Hilton, an American hotelier, founded the Hilton Hotel chain on his own, making it the first of its kind in the years following World War I. He had a hardworking father who ran a general store and a religious mother.
Although he had first intended to become a banker, he changed his career after observing numerous guests checking in and out of the hotel where he was seated. He then purchased the hotel, improved its use, and within a year, made back his investment by giving the visitors extra perks.
After that, he continued to buy hotels, eventually acquiring seven more before the Great Depression nearly bankrupted him. He did not waver, though; as the downturn ended, he started expanding his chain of hotels. The chain owned 188 hotels when he retired, located in 38 US cities and 54 hotels overseas. He was one of the most influential people in New Mexico.
#8. Geronimo
Arizpe Municipality, Mexico
One of the most famous Apache commanders and a medicine man in New Mexico, Geronimo, stood against the powers of the American and Mexican empires in the second part of the 19th century. He was an Apache who belonged to the Bedonkohe band and was born at Turkey Creek, New Mexico.
He joined the uprising against the Mexican and American militaries that sought to drive the indigenous people off their lands.
Geronimo made three surrenders between 1876 and 1886 and was sent to the Apache reserves in Arizona. He disliked it, though, and made three escapes. They finally put him in prison, but the American generals treated him with respect because he had, by that point, gained notoriety. He passed away in Oklahoma, the US, in 1909 at the “Fort Sill Hospital.”
#9. Adrian Grenier
Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
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American actor, director, and producer, Adrian Grenier became one of the most famous people in New Mexico for his role in the “Entourage.” He owns “Reckless Productions,” a firm that makes movies with socially conscious topics.
The first movie released under this label, “Shot in the Dark,” received positive reviews from reviewers and had its world premiere in 2002 at the Tribeca Film Festival and on the HBO channel.
Adrian, a talented musician, founded the Wreckroom music incubator and recording facility while playing in two bands. Adrian, also an environmentalist, participated in the COP 21 climate conference in Paris and pushed for immediate action to cut down on global carbon pollution.
To prevent 500 million plastic straws from entering the ocean in 2017, he has started a new effort to minimize the use of plastic straws across the country.
#10. Chip Gaines
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
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Chip Gaines is an American entrepreneur, reality TV star, and social media celebrity, famous for being the face of the TV series ‘Fixer Upper.”
He married Joanna, and the couple established the firm ‘Magnolia Homes. Since then, there has been no looking back for Chip Gaines. He has been responsible for the renovation of many homes in Texas.
They walk their clients through each stage of construction and create a sense of transparency throughout the revamping process. He and his wife were soon allowed to become a part of an exciting television series called ‘Fixer Upper,’ which made them one of the most influential people in New Mexico.
Read also: Top 12 Most Influential People in North Dakota | Social Media Handles 2022
#11. Adrienne Maloof
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
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Adrienne Maloof is an American businesswoman, shoe designer, reality television personality, and philanthropist. She is the owner of several companies under the Maloof Empire built by her wealthy father, George J. Maloof Sr. Adrienne was born in New Mexico, United States, and has Lebanese and Irish ancestry.
She eventually became a co-owner of her family’s many businesses, including Maloof Music, Maloof Productions, and the Palms Casino Resort.
She made her reality television debut in 2010 on the first season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and she returned for the next two seasons, making her one of the most famous people in New Mexico.
She owns an ice hockey team, an energy drink company, and a shoe collection. She has three sons and has been married and divorced twice.
#12. William Hanna
Melrose, New Mexico Territory, United States.
William Denby Hanna, the creator of Tom and Jerry and Hanna-Barbera, a renowned animation studio at the time, was an American animator and cartoonist.
Hanna met Joseph Barbera in 1937 while working at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). They jointly established Hanna-Barbera in 1957, becoming the most prosperous television animation studio in the industry and producing shows like Yogi Bear, The Smurfs, Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, and Scooby-Doo.
Hanna and Barbera were nominated for two additional awards and won eight Emmys, Tom and Jerry won seven Academy Awards, and William Hanna remains one of the most influential people in New Mexico.
#13. Lauren Sánchez
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
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American news journalist, TV host, actress, pilot, and businesswoman Lauren Sanchez is best known for hosting “So You Think You Can Dance,” which airs on the “Fox” network. Sanchez has contributed as an entertainment reporter to programs like “Showbiz Tonight” and “Larry King Live.”
For her work as a media personality, she received an “Emmy Award.” Sanchez has appeared in several cameo roles in well-known films, including “Fight Club,” “Batman Begins,” “Fantastic Four,” and “Saw.”
She was included in the “50 Most Beautiful” list of “People” magazine and the “Hot Bodies” list of “Us Weekly.” When Sanchez established “Black Ops Aviation” in 2016, she made history by becoming the first woman to run an aerial film and production company with a license to fly a helicopter. According to rumors, she is dating Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos, one of the most influential people in New Mexico.
#14. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Los Alamos, New Mexico
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Michelle Lynn Lujan Grisham is an American politician and attorney serving as the 32nd governor of New Mexico since 2019. As a Democratic Party member, Lujan Grisham previously represented New Mexico’s first congressional district as a US representative from 2013 to 2019.
From 2010 to 2012, Lujan Grisham was a Bernalillo County commissioner after serving as the state’s secretary of health from 2004 to 2007. In 2012, she defeated Janice Arnold-Jones to win a seat in the House of Representatives of the United States.
Lujan Grisham led the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in 2016. On November 6, 2018, she won the Democratic primary for governor of New Mexico, defeating Steve Pearce of the (Republican) opposition party.
#15. Dolores Huerta
Dawson, New Mexico
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Dolores Clara Fernández Huerta, American labor organizer, civil rights activist, and Cesar Chavez founded the National Farmworkers Association, which eventually combined with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to create the United Farm Workers (UFW).
Huerta was a key negotiator in the contract drafted for the workers after the Delano grape strike in California in 1965.
Huerta has won various honors for her work in the community and support of immigrants’, workers’, and women’s rights, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights, and the Eugene V. Debs Foundation Outstanding American Award. In 1993, she became the first Latina to be honored in the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
And now, April 10 is Dolores Huerta Day in California.
#16. Harrison Schmitt
Santa Rita, New Mexico
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Harrison Schmitt is the only person without a background in military aircraft to have walked on the moon. He is an American geologist, retired NASA astronaut, university professor, and former senator from New Mexico. He is also the most current person still alive to have done so.
Schmitt was a part of the crew of Apollo 17 in December 1972, making him the first scientist-astronaut group from NASA to fly in space. He also became the twelfth and second-youngest person to set foot on the moon.
Read also: Top 12 Most Influential People in North Dakota | Social Media Handles 2022
#17. Jace Lee Norman
Corrales, New Mexico
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One of the most famous young people in New Mexico is Jace Norman. Every kid knows and adores him because of his part as Henry Hart in the Nickelodeon series “Henry Danger,” which has garnered immense popularity and commendation.
When Norman was a young child, he and his brother frequently made home videos, and it was at that time, that he decided he wanted to be an actor and work in the acting business.
Jace Norman’s parents eventually gave him their unwavering support in all his professional acting endeavors and ensured he had the inspiration and resources he needed to advance.
FAQs on the most influential people in New Mexico
Here are the 17 most influential people in New Mexico:
#1. Jeff Bezos
#2. Demi Lovato
#3. Demi Moore
#4. John Denver
#5. Neil Patrick Harris
#6. Holly Holm
#7. Conrad Hilton
#8. Geronimo
#9. Adrian Grenier
#10. Chip Gaines
#11. Adrienne Maloof
#12. William Hanna
#13. Lauren Sánchez
#14. Michelle Lujan Grisham
#15. Dolores Huerta
#16. Harrison Schmitt
#17. Jace Lee Norman
By 2019, government and related services were the most significant industry, responsible for around 23% of the GDP. This was 1.7% lesser than the previous decade
New Mexico’s mineral production is mainly from coal, copper, and potash. You can also get a variety of industrial minerals like stone and aggregate, sulfuric acid, molybdenum, gold, uranium, and silver.
Conclusion
That’s it!
These are the most influential people in New Mexico from different industries like entertainment, sports, politics, and lots more.
References
Recommendations
