Marcela de la Mar

Chairwoman | Mexican Cultural Center

Marcela de la Mar is a widely praised and recognized leader in the community.  Marcela spent 23 years of her professional career dedicated to serving her community through her various leadership positions with the Office of the Consulate General of Mexico in Denver.  Those roles included:  Community Affairs, Cultural Affairs, Political Affairs and Education.

Throughout her time with the Consulate General’s Office, Marcela doubled as the Executive Director of the Mexican Cultural Center (MCC). Marcela’s main focus was to advance Mexican art and culture in Colorado.  Under Marcela’s leadership, first as the Executive Director, then as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the MCC has been the number one entity primarily responsible for elevating Mexican culture in Colorado.  Marcela developed programming that has been instrumental in celebrating and maintaining the traditions and culture of Mexico.  She collaborated with many well-respected institutions to welcome the Mexican and Latino community of Colorado into their spaces such as:  The Denver Art Museum, History Colorado, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, History Colorado, Denver Center for the Performing Arts alongside the Colorado Symphony and many more. Under Marcela’s leadership at the MCC, the Mexican traditions of Dia del Nino, Dia de Muertos and Latin Beats have continued to thrive in Colorado.  As a result of her work in the arts, in 2017, the MCC was recognized by the City & County of Denver with the Mayor’s Award for Cultural Impact. 

Marcela’s impact in the community have garnered her recognition on both a local and international level, including:  2017 Telemundo Community Leader of the Year; 2011 Baseball Colorado Rockies Hispanic Leadership Award; 2018 National Football League (NFL) Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award, 2018 “Unsung Heroine” by Latinas First Foundation, 2018 Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce “25 Most Powerful Women in Colorado”, 2020 Bonfils-Stanton Foundation “Community Service in the Arts”, 2022 Mexican Cultural Center Legacy Award, 2022 Girl Scouts of Colorado Women of Distinction, 2023 Monarch Award from the Butterfly Pavillion.

Marcela currently serves as a Mayoral Appointee and Chairwoman of the Board of Governors of the Denver Zoo, Gubernatorial Appointee, and Vice President of the Board of SCFD (Scientific and Cultural Facilities District), she also serves as the Chairwoman of the Mexican Cultural Center (MCC) and as a Board Member of the Biennial of the Americas.  Marcela formerly served as the Chairwoman of Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Chairwoman of the Hispanic Chamber Foundation. Past Board work includes World Trade Center Denver, Children Diabetes Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art, Children’s Museum, the Emily Griffith Foundation, American Red Cross-Mile High Chapter. She was also a founding member of Latina Safe House, an organization that provides critical services to Latina survivors of domestic violence and their families.

Marcela is dedicated to making a difference for the causes she holds dearest to her heart.  Among them are: the elevation of her beloved Mexican culture, advancing arts and culture, fairness and equitable treatment for all, upholding and advocating for women’s rights, children’s rights and human rights, aiding with immigrant and refugee affairs, the protection of endangered species, animal and fauna conservation and many more causes.  

Marcela is active in her family’s businesses including: DelMar Resources LLC – an energy investment company; Diplomatic Solutions Inc. – a consulting business; and Fair Capital LLC – an international real estate investment and development company where she currently serves as  Vice President and Marketing Director at The Strand in Turks and Caicos Islands.

Marcela was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and International Relations from the Universidad del Valle de Atemahac in Mexico. She speaks both English and Spanish with native fluency.   In her private time Marcela enjoys the arts, culture, travel, and exploring the Sea of Cortez and the islands in Turks and Caicos with her husband and beloved dogs. 

Marcela is a trusted and admired leader in Colorado and beyond.  She continues to be a beacon of light and mentor to many through her deep desire to form collaborations and foster relationships in her community.