Deliris Montañez, Candidate for U.S. Congress, Texas District 16
Deliris Montañez Berrios (DMB) was born in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico and has lived in the El Paso area for 23 years. She attended school from Pre-K through grade 12 in Caguas, Puerto Rico, and graduated with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Puerto Rico. Deliris’ MA in Management is from Webster University, Fort Bliss. She also attended leadership programs at the US Army Command and General Staff College and the Defense Language Institute English Language Center.
Deliris spent a total of 29 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, retiring in 2019. Much of her Army career involved training and operations, logistics and administrative duties within the battalions to which she was assigned. Deliris has served in multinational joint logistics task forces around the world. She has represented the United States Army Reserve with British forces in a logistics exchange program and was handpicked for key assignments ahead of her peers. Deliris was the recipient of several awards and medals for her military service.
Deliris Montañez Berrios’ second and full-time career from 2000 to 2020 was as a Border Patrol Agent. She was assigned to the El Paso Sector, serving in a senior agent leadership position. She applied and enforced complex criminal provisions of the INS laws, apprehended illegal immigrants and smugglers and worked to stop drug smuggling operations.
Deliris is also the owner of the Equestrian Holistic Retreat Getaway for Those Who Serve US, LLC which provides interactions with horses in a nonthreatening soothing environment for military, first responders, and the El Paso Community. She started a nonprofit charitable organization Dance for Dreams that generates funds used to provide financial assistance to families of El Paso County youth ages 10 to 17 for their expenses when participating in athletic competitions.
While living in El Paso, over time, Deliris has been actively involved in local politics. She attends local town hall, city, and county representative meetings. Deliris is an advocate with the White House, Congress, Pentagon, and international organizations on issues that are important to her as a constituent. She stays up to date with issues in the State and Congressional Legislation.
Community Engagement and Associations
Deliris is an active member of the below non-profit local organizations:
- National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI)
- Dance for Dreams (Founder & President)
- El Paso Downtown Lions Club
- Zaragoza Rotary Club
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
- American Legion
- 82nd Airborne Benavidez Chapter
- El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- League of Women Voters of El Paso
Deliris is an active participant and advocate for:
- Veterans At Breakfast (VAB)
- Save our Service Members (SOS)
- End Workplace Abuse
- Never Alone Advocacy
- Protect our Service Members
- Military Justice
- The LIBRE Initiative (Selected Initiatives)
- The El Paso Neighborhood Coalition (EPNC)
- Community First Coalition El Paso (Selected Initiatives)
- BLUE Help
- COPLINE
- El Paso Downtown Lions Club – Former Member/Active Supporter of Lions International
- Mental Health Now Candidate
Deliris is a Peer Support Certified Member and advocates for
- Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN)
- First Responders Support Network (FRSN)
- LEMIT – Post Critical Incident Seminar for First Responders
- Onward Ops, ETS Sponsor
- National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Peer Support
Career Coaches & Mentors:
- Tony Robbins – Growth and Development
- Dean Graziosi – Business Development
- Brian Wee – Business Consulting
- Trent Shelton – Relationships
Youth Mentoring:
- Big Brother Big Sister
- Academic Year in America