Dorothy is native New Mexican, born in Carlsbad in 1945. She graduated from Carlsbad High in 1963 and from New Mexico State in 1968. She spent most of her teaching career in Gallup where she led the fight for collective bargaining. She moved to Albuquerque in 2000 where she retired from politics (she thought). But 2016 happened and she knew she could she could not retire from politics. She became involved in Bernalillo County Democrats as a member of the Westside Dems and a Precinct Chair. In 2021 Dorothy became Ward Chair, and she was re-elected in 2023. Recently her focus has been working to keep the Westside Blue.