About Us

Southwest Planning & Marketing has provided a wide scope of professional services to businesses, tribes, and government agencies since its establishment in Santa Fe in 1977. Through the creation of long-term relationships, we train and empower our clients to succeed in their endeavors.

We are New Mexico's only full-service planning, marketing, market research, and economic development company. SWPM combines nationally recognized expertise in marketing research with a background in tourism planning, economic impact analysis, and educational and tribal consulting. Our staff has worked with most major New Mexico organizations over the past 40+ years.

The SWPM Team

Rachelle Howell, Managing Partner

Rachelle has over 30 years of experience in marketing, research, communication, business planning/consulting, facilitation, economic development, project management, and strategic planning for the public and private sectors, tribal entities and higher education. She specializes in market research and analysis and the preparation of marketing plans, tourism plans, feasibility analyses and operational/business plans. Her extensive experience includes serving as the chief marketing, communications, research and resource (funding) development officer for one of the largest community college systems in the United States.

Sandra Riggs, Partner

Sandra has over 30 years of experience specializing in marketing, outreach, recruiting, strategic planning, fiscal analysis and oversight, and program and project management. Her extensive experience includes managing grants and programs in a higher education setting. She specializes in data analysis and providing the team with meaningful insights to propel a project forward. Sandra also serves as the company's business manager and Chief Financial Officer.

Chris Cordova, Partner Emeritus

Chris specializes in market research, economic development, project management facilitation and planning. Chris serves the firm as consultant, facilitator, analyst, and marketing researcher, and works with communities, marketing and planning organizations at both the local and national levels. His areas of expertise include a wide-ranging spectrum of all aspects of planning, market research and development including: research and strategic planning, statistical data analysis applications, fundraising, project development, and project management.

Charles Cordova, Senior Associate

Charles Cordova has over 20 years of experience in market research with an emphasis in economic and fiscal analyses, market analyses, economic development, and survey field work management. Charles graduated cum laude from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor's in Finance. He performs data and statistical analysis, writes/edits reports, and conducts secondary research.

Heather Tilson, Senior Associate

Heather Tilson, Ph.D., has over 30 years of experience in strategic planning, assessment, workforce and business development, research, academic instruction, student development, and enrollment management in higher education. She specializes in environmental scanning and analyses, market feasibility, organizational and project planning, assessing student learning, and economic development through education and training. Heather’s wide-ranging experience includes accreditation and institutional research.

Bruce Poster, President Emeritus

Bruce Poster specializes in transportation planning, public involvement, economic development, market research, marketing strategy, and strategic planning. He has over 40 years of experience as a consultant and 3 years of experience as a city planner. Bruce Poster brings a wide range of technical and organizational skills to his consulting assignments. He has expertise in transportation planning, demographics, survey research, tourism, land use planning, impact assessment, economics, sociology, strategic planning, marketing, management, customer service training, and business development.