Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders of New Mexico for 2024. Known for its stunning landscapes and rich history, New Mexico is also home to a thriving and diverse economy. This growth is fueled by the state government’s effective tax credits and other incentives, which attract innovative companies and foster job creation.
A few key industries in The Land of Enchantment include agriculture, green energy, natural resources, science, engineering, information technology, intelligent manufacturing, cybersecurity, and defense.
First, we honor Dawn Garcia-Nuñez, Lead and Site Director at Raytheon Engineering for Systems Integration and Test in the Mission Capability Verification Center. With a team of over 175 engineers, her leadership focuses on the execution of complex, integrated field tests and provides expert operational support to a variety of US government missile and radar programs.
Next, we acknowledge Julia Bernal, Executive Director of Pueblo Action Alliance, a climate justice and community-driven organization. Bernal and her team work to promote cultural sustainability by addressing environmental and social impacts within indigenous communities.
We also congratulate Tobie Webb, Director of Strategic Talent Management of Sandia National Labs, the nation’s premier DOE science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation. Through multiple promotions, Webb has been a key part of growing the impressive team at Sandia National Labs for nearly 13 years.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders of New Mexico for 2024.
1. Delfinia Salazar
Chief Financial Officer, Sandia National Laboratories
Delfinia Salazar is the Chief Financial Officer of Sandia National Laboratories, a government-owned and contractor-operated facility that develops science-based technologies to support national security in areas that include nuclear weapons, nonproliferation and materials control, emerging threats, and energy and critical infrastructure.
Salazar started at Sandia National Laboratories in 2003 as an auditor and has been promoted through the ranks. Her first promotion was to program manager in 2009. From there, she was appointed the manager of supply chain risk management and then to small business program manager. In 2018, she landed her first senior management role in supply chain management and then as senior business manager in 2020 and senior manager and budget officer in 2021. In 2022, Salazar reached the director level at Sandia National Laboratories with a promotion to the director of integrated business management. She joined the C-suite in her current position in 2024.
Salazar is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Internal Auditor, a Certified Government Auditing professional through the Institute of Internal Auditors, and a Certified Fraud Examiner through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
2. Cinnamon Blair
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, University of New Mexico
Cinnamon Blair is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the University of New Mexico. She first joined the team in 2006 as director of university marketing. Founded in 1889 as New Mexico’s flagship institution, the University of New Mexico now occupies nearly 800 acres near old Route 66 in the heart of Albuquerque.
In her current role, Blair directs and manages the strategic marketing and communications functions of the university, including branding, strategic planning, social media strategies, media and public relations, and critical event strategies. She integrates the university's communications, media relations, and marketing programs into a cohesive effort that conveys a consistent message in support of its mission, strategic goals, and objectives. As a member of the president's senior leadership team, she serves as the university's senior strategic advisor for communications, media and public relations, and marketing initiatives.
Previously, Blair was a director of marketing for the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Before that, she was a director of marketing at the New Mexico Economic Development Department. Earlier in her career, she worked with the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department of New Mexico (NM State Parks) as a marketing and public relations coordinator. Blair earned a Master of Science in Health Education from The University of New Mexico and an undergraduate degree in English and political science from Emory University.
5. Melanie Morais
Vice President, Brown & Brown Insurance
Melanie Morais is the Vice President of Brown & Brown Insurance. She first joined the company in 2017. Brown & Brown Insurance delivers risk management solutions to help protect and preserve what their customers value most.
Previously, Morais was a director of sales and marketing at TrueCoverage, a one-stop insurance shop that negotiates the best rates from all the leading carriers. She held this position for over two years. Before that, she was the director of sales and marketing for the Northern New Mexico operations of Kokopelli Property Management for one-and-a-half years.
Earlier in her career, Morais served Daniels Insurance Inc. as a senior risk management consultant and insurance producer from 2008 to 2013. From 2004 to 2008, she was a sales director for Aon Risk Services.
8. Lynnita Ellis
Vice President, Dynamic Air Consulting
Lynnita Ellis is the Vice President of Dynamic Air Consulting. Dynamic Air Corporation is committed to becoming New England’s best manufacturer representative of HVAC-related products. It is their mission to provide their customers with high-quality, energy-efficient products at competitive pricing while achieving a reasonable profit.
Ellis has 23 years of experience in updating and maintaining websites, creating fresh news bytes, editing submitted stories, and selecting and formatting photos and PDFs. For 13 years, she served as a board member, directing communications. She also has 10 years of experience as an organization founder and event planner. Ellis is an award-winning professional, recognized by ASBPE for excellence in news writing and APEX for excellence in design. She possesses strong skills as a creative individual, a quick learner, a highly adaptable professional, and an effective problem solver.
Ellis started her career in 2000 as a staff writer at Trade Show Week, Inc. From there, she went on to The Church at Rocky Peak, before eventually rising to vice president and treasurer at So Cal Air Dynamics, her most recent position before joining Dynamic Air Consulting. Ellis graduated from The Film Actors Lab with a degree in film and television.
10. Kristi Gibbs
Vice President & New Mexico State Manager, Old Republic Title
Kristi Gibbs is the Vice President and New Mexico State Manager of Old Republic Title. Old Republic Title is one of the largest title insurance groups in the United States. They operate through a national network of company-owned offices, affiliates, authorized agents, and approved attorneys, which allows them to service their customers in both large and small markets across the country.
A long-time resident of Albuquerque, Gibbs has 38 years of experience in the title insurance industry. She began her career as an escrow assistant for a local title company. Over time, she advanced to her current role at Old Republic National Title Insurance Company, including responsibilities as division manager for the Albuquerque area, where she manages over 70 Old Republic Title employees in four branch locations.
Gibbs also sits on the executive board of directors for the New Mexico Chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and Albuquerque Economic Development.
12. Yu-Feng Lee
Head of Department, New Mexico State University
Serving as a Department Head at New Mexico State University (NMSU), Yu-Feng Lee is a professor of economics for the Department of Economics, Applied Statistics, and International Business (EASIB), the director of the Doctor of Economic Development (DED) Program, and a senior fellow of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative (DFEI; by the Bill Daniels Foundation), College of Business. She also holds the Stan Fulton Endowed Chair in Business and the Distinguished Professor of Bank of America (BoA) at NMSU.
Earning her PhD in Economics from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), Lee joined NMSU in August 2004. An award-winning instructor in undergraduate and graduate classes, she regularly teaches courses while maintaining her research interests in international business, East-Asian business management and ethics, international economics, regional growth and development, and Asia-Pacific economic integration. Her recent publications can be found in multiple prestigious journals, including the Global Journal of Entrepreneurship, the Journal of Management Theory and Practices Research, the Journal of Social Economics Research, the Asian Journal of Business Research, and the Journal of Economics and Development Studies.
Lee oversees four graduate programs at NMSU (Master of Economics; Master of Applied Statistics; Doctor of Economics Development (DED); and PhD in Applied Statistics). As the DFEI senior fellow, she promotes ethics education and awareness by visiting schools and classes at different levels in the academic, professional, and local/regional communities. In addition to her administrative, program-managing, and professorship duties, she also directed various Faculty-led International Programs (FLiP), leading NMSU student summer study abroad in Europe and Asia since 2011.
15. Erin Rackers
VP of Offer & Matriculation, Teach For America
Erin Rackers is the Vice President of Offer and Matriculation at Teach For America, the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates, graduate students, and professionals of all academic majors and career backgrounds who commit two years to teaching in urban and rural public schools.
Rackers is a senior leader in admissions responsible for the multi-year strategic implementation across three business units, including assigning corps members to regions, providing financial experience and support, and overseeing the participant experience from the offer stage to teaching. She integrates strategy across multiple teams and partners with the broader organization to ensure a clear and cohesive experience for participants. Rackers is an educator, designer, and coach who is passionate about providing equitable opportunities for every child in every school. She is skilled in coaching, curriculum design, adult learning and facilitation, grant writing, and data analysis.
Rackers started her career in 2009 as a co-president at UNC Campus Y, and she served in Baltimore City Public Schools. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Education with a Master of Science in Urban Education and Leadership and from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
View the complete list of awardees.
16. Tina Thatcher
VP of Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Idaho Milk Products
Tina Thatcher serves as the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Idaho Milk Products. She joined the team in 2019. Idaho Milk Products is a dedicated team of scientists, technicians, production specialists, and business professionals.
Thatcher is an Idaho-licensed Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of experience in the dairy industry. She manages banking relationships, board reporting, and risk management, as well as core financial responsibilities. She came to Idaho Milk Products from Glanbia Nutritionals, where she served as the VP of operations. During that time, she partnered with the COO to drive efficiency and effectiveness in manufacturing and logistical operations across Europe, Asia, and the US. She also held the position of chief financial officer of Southwest Cheese, a joint venture between Glanbia and DFA/Select Milk. Before her work at Southwest Cheese, she was financial controller for Glanbia Foods in Idaho and has also worked with Koch Feed Products as an accountant.
Thatcher holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Oregon State University and an MBA in Accounting from Kennedy-Western University. She continued her education by completing the Strategic Financial Leadership Program at Dartmouth College.
19. Amy Blasing
Chief Executive Officer, Lovelace Health System
Amy Blasing is the Chief Executive Officer of Lovelace Health System. She first joined the company in 2017. Lovelace Health System is a provider of health insurance and a medical care facility in the United States. The company consists of a network of acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the Lovelace Health Plan, medical laboratories, retail pharmacy locations, Lovelace Medical Group, and healthcare centers.
Blasing is a registered nurse who holds a Master's in Nursing and Health Care Administration from Excelsior College in Albany, New York. With more than 25 years in healthcare, she most recently served as CEO of Lovelace Westside Hospital. Under her leadership, Lovelace Westside received an “A” Leapfrog Patient Safety grade from 2017 to 2019, in addition to earning four stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. During that time, Lovelace Westside also received recognition from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for improving stroke care and prevention.
Before coming to Lovelace, Blasing held leadership positions with Summerlin Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas, NV, as the associate chief nursing officer and the administrative director of clinical operations. She was also the director of emergency services for the Rockford Health System in Rockford, IL. Most recently, she served as the hospital administrator for Presbyterian Hospital.
21. Amanda Kocon
Chief Strategy Officer, Edmentum
Today, Amanda Kocon is the Chief Strategy Officer of Edmentum. Edmentum, Inc. is committed to making it easier for educators to individualize learning for every student through simple technology, high-quality content, and actionable data. In this newly created executive leadership role, Kocon helps realize Edmentum’s vision by bridging the organization’s long-term objectives and strong market position with its history of positive growth and forward momentum.
Kocon brings over 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions at major educational nonprofit and financial services institutions. Her extensive knowledge of setting strategy, leading complex change management within diverse organizations, growing and diversifying revenue across markets, and developing teams are essential elements of this newly created executive leadership position at Edmentum. Kocon’s history of successful strategic planning and execution, servant-based leadership approaches, and passion for education and positively impacting student outcomes is an invaluable addition to the Edmentum team.
Kocon most recently served as chief strategy officer at The New Teachers Project (TNTP) and has also previously held senior leadership positions at JP Morgan Chase, including chief operations officer of global futures and options. Kocon graduated from Scripps College with an undergraduate degree in international relations.
23. Steph Sherrodd
President & CEO, Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union
Steph Sherrodd is the President and CEO of Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union, joining the organization in January 2022. With 25 years in the credit union industry, she joins SLFCU from Houston, TX, where she served as president and CEO for Texas Dow Employees Credit Union from 2012 to 2021, helping to grow the organization to assets of over $4 billion with 345,000 members. Her credit union journey began as a marketing intern with Warren Federal Credit Union (now Blue Federal Credit Union) in Cheyenne, WY, eventually becoming the chief operating officer.
Sherrodd was born and raised in Green River, Wyoming. She is a proud graduate of the University of Wyoming, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Marketing, as well as a Masters in Business Administration. She is currently serving as a board member for Origence.
Sherrodd was named to the Credit Union Executive Society (CUES) Hall of Fame in 2019 after serving as a CUES board member and former board chair. In addition, she served as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Community Depository Institution Advisory Council. She was recognized by Texas Diversity Magazine with the Houston Power 50 Award and was named a Greater Houston Women’s Chamber Breakthrough Woman.
26. Karina Sinclair
Chief Customer Officer, SambaSafety
Karina Sinclair, Chief Customer Officer at SambaSafety, is a diversely capable and talented executive with a passion for customer experience, process optimization, team building, cross-functional leadership, and fostering positive, engaged company cultures. SambaSafety is a recognized innovator and leading provider of cloud-based risk management solutions for over 15,000 organizations with automotive mobility exposure. In her time at SambaSafety, Sinclair has utilized her extensive knowledge of customer experience and C-suite partnership to drive revenue growth, execute strategic plans and functions, and catalyze employee development through professional coaching and mentorship. Known as a valuable and trusted partner, she is guided by the belief that equal investment in the customer and her team members leads to long-lasting, collective success.
Previously, Sinclair consecutively served as the chief operations officer, the VP of customer experience, and the VP of customer care at SambaSafety, where she demonstrated her commitment to the customer experience. For a seven-year tenure before SambaSafety, Sinclair worked as the COO at G2 Web Services, where she led company operations to drive success in new areas of business management through the mobilization of resources and organizational restructuring. Before her time at G2 Web Services, Sinclair was the director of corporate performance management and strategic projects at B-Line, LLC. The throughlines of her career are the central tenet that success is not defined as notoriety or advancement for herself, but rather the fulfillment and progress of her team, her customers, and the organization at large.
Sinclair holds a BBA in Business Administration from the University of Washington and an MBA in Business Administration and Management from Seattle University. She moved from the Seattle area to Albuquerque for her role at SambaSafety. She’s an avid reader, especially anything related to leadership development, and has a mild obsession with Walla Walla wine.
27. Erin Gentry
Chief Operating Officer, Invariant
Erin Gentry is the Chief Operating Officer of Invariant, a bipartisan government relations and communications firm providing strategic advice to companies, trade associations, nonprofits, and individuals on how to make Washington work for them. They provide clients with sophisticated advocacy, threat assessment, legislative and regulatory analysis, coalition building, crisis management, and communications counsel.
Gentry’s career journey has been driven by a passion for making connections, building trust, and solving problems. She has managed crisis communications in high-stakes situations, contributed to the original content marketing agency with a journalism-driven perspective, and overseen the growth and performance of the North American region and the global client portfolio at Group SJR. She has consistently embraced new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow. She believes that honesty, humility, and hard work are the foundations of all positive relationships at work and in life. Her goal is to empower and enable her team, clients, and partners to achieve their full potential and create lasting value.
Before joining Invariant, Gentry was a chief operating officer at Acronym. Before that, she was the president of North America and the chief client officer at Group SJR. Earlier in her career, she worked with Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm as an account manager. Gentry graduated from George Washington University with a Master's degree in Political Management and from James Madison University with an undergraduate degree.
28. Fran Maier
CEO & Founder, BabyQuip
Fran Maier is a highly successful serial entrepreneur, investor, and fundraiser with an impressive track record of launching and scaling five business ventures, such as Match.com and TRUSTe (now @TrustArc). Throughout her career, Maier has pioneered game-changing solutions that have disrupted industries, built trusted brands, and driven growth and valuation.
Currently, as the Founder and CEO of BabyQuip, the leading global baby gear rental marketplace, Maier has taken the company's reach to over 1500 markets worldwide. Her leadership has resulted in the recruitment of thousands of gig economy entrepreneurs to provide services, as well as valuable partnerships with brands, such as VRBO, Wyndham, Destination Hotels by Hyatt, and Guesty. Maier’s impressive set of skills include change management, business expansion, brand and product development, government relations, and international outreach. She has also demonstrated her dedication to giving back to the community as a commercial and nonprofit board member for organizations, such as GE Capital Bank, Children's Council of San Francisco, Stanford Women on Boards, and Girls in Tech. Moreover, Maier is an advisor to several startups, including Portfolio, Women's Start-up Lab, Sign-up.com, and Kango.
As a thought leader in entrepreneurship, women in business, and family travel, Maier is a sought-after keynote speaker and media personality. She has been featured in major media outlets, such as Forbes, CNBC, and ABC's Shark Tank, and has hosted a popular radio show. Maier also regularly appears as a guest on podcasts and contributes articles to publications, such as The Washington Post. Maier holds a BA and MBA from Stanford University and has been recognized with numerous honors and awards. She is passionate about supporting female founders and promoting Latinx leadership and Latina entrepreneurs, in honor of her Hispanic heritage.
View the complete list of awardees.
31. Maribel Armendariz
Chief Support Officer, Hidalgo Medical Services
Maribel Armendariz began her professional career 28 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Support Officer of Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS), a nonprofit healthcare organization providing comprehensive medical, dental, mental health, and family support services at multiple sites to more than 16,000 patients a year. HMS serves as the only Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in both Hidalgo and Grant counties.
At HMS, Armendariz manages the Family Support Services, Senior Services, and Credentialing departments. She oversees more than 40 employees and dedicates much of her time to establishing, managing, and executing projects aimed at growing services. Additionally, she manages budgets and works to achieve established goals. Armendariz started her career in 1996 as a mortgage loan officer at Fidelity State Bank. From there, she went on to Bank of America, before eventually rising to assistant vice president of lending services at Golden Plains Credit Union, her most recent position before joining Hidalgo Medical Services.
Armendariz graduated from the University of Phoenix with an MBA in Human Resources Management and Personnel Administration and from Fort Hays State University with an undergraduate degree in marketing.
34. Sandi Hazlett
Chief Development Officer, UnityBPO
Sandi Hazlett is the Chief Development Officer of UnityBPO. She currently leads the Human Resources, Contract Management, and Business Development functions for Unity. UnityBPO specializes in providing clinical, managed, professional, and telehealth services to hospitals, physician practices, private networks, Care Delivery Organizations (CDOs), clinics, as well as home health, hospice, and skilled nursing providers.
Hazlett has more than 25 years of successful, progressively responsible experience in management, communications, contracts, and business development within the IT systems and services arena. She is proficient in strategic planning and execution, analyzing problems, identifying solutions, integrating efforts, and generating desired outcomes. Her strong leadership and communication skills foster capable teams that share ideas and deliver significant value to the company.
Hazlett started her career in 1987 as a manager at TRW (Northrop Grumman). From there, she went on to Tier Technologies, before eventually rising to vice president at Kemtah, her most recent position before joining UnityBPO. Hazlett graduated from The University of New Mexico with an MA in English and from New Mexico State University with an undergraduate degree in English.
36. Julia Bernal
Executive Director, Pueblo Action Alliance
Julia Bernal is an Executive Director of a grassroots climate justice organization called Pueblo Action Alliance (PAA), which is a community-driven organization that promotes cultural sustainability by addressing environmental and social impacts in indigenous communities. The organization is Indigenous women, femme, and 2-spirit-led organizing engaged in grassroots organizing efforts and public education for Pueblo community members and beyond.
Bernal is an enrolled tribal member at Sandia Pueblo but also has lineage to Taos Pueblo and the Yuchi people in Oklahoma. She earned an undergraduate degree in English and literature from the University of Redlands. Currently, she is working towards her dual Master's in Water Resources and Community and Regional Planning at the University of New Mexico.
In 2014, Bernal obtained a Water Resources Technician Certification from the BIA through the Native American Water Corps. She was awarded an AmeriCorp Internship at the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge educating youth on watersheds and water quality.
37. Genevieve Tarnow
Executive Director, Oncology Services, CHRISTUS St. Vincent
Genevieve Tarnow is a seasoned healthcare administrator with over 12 years of distinguished experience with CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. She is currently the Executive Director for Oncology Services, which includes all aspects of medical and radiation oncology, clinical research, surgical breast oncology, integrative medicine, and palliative care.
Known for exceptional leadership and strategic vision, Tarnow has consistently driven organizational excellence. Throughout her career, she has successfully navigated complex healthcare landscapes, implementing innovative solutions to provide exceptional care. With a strong commitment to health equity, Tarnow continues to contribute as a board member for the Villa Therese Catholic Clinic, the only free clinic in New Mexico. Tarnow has a BS in Business administration and Management and an MS in Health Care Administration, both from Trinity University.
38. Susan Kirst-Millspaugh
Regional Vice President, Waterstone Mortgage
Susan Kirst-Millspaugh began her professional career 39 years ago. Today, she is the Regional Vice President of Waterstone Mortgage. Waterstone Mortgage Corporation has maintained a reputation as an elite mortgage lender since their inception in 2000. Since then, they’ve grown to one of the largest mortgage lenders in the country with over 600 employees, branch locations throughout the United States, and the ability to lend in 48 states.
Early in her career, Kirst-Millspaugh served as a VP of merchant sales at Discover Card, starting in 1985. After 12 years of service, she moved to Faneuil Inc. as the senior vice president of marketing and sales and then to APAC Customer Services in the same role. In 2005, she was made the SVP of marketing and mortgage production at Charter Bank. From there, she held leadership roles at the Bank of Albuquerque and First Mortgage Company before starting at Waterstone Mortgage in 2018.
Kirst-Millspaugh graduated from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management with an MBA in Marketing and from Northwestern University with an undergraduate degree in business.
40. Dawn Garcia-Nunez
Lead & Site Director, Raytheon
Dawn Garcia-Nuñez is the Raytheon, Engineering, Systems Integration & Test, Mission Capability Verification Center (MCVC) Lead and Site Director at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). Her leadership focuses on the execution of complex, integrated field tests and resulting expert operational support to a variety of US government missile and radar programs. She leads a team of over 175 engineers who support on-site, daily events, in close collaboration with customers. Her team has sustained a successful accomplishment record of over 100 critical test events year after year spanning multiple platforms. The influence and impact of her leadership are measured globally in humble appreciation of their customers.
Garcia-Nuñez is a senior engineering leader with nearly 40 years of knowledge and industry experience across the US in research and development, design and development, integration and test, and manufacturing and production for the aerospace and defense sector and commercial markets. She is recognized across the engineering industry as a proven leader of various, simultaneous, cross-functional teams as they navigate all program life cycles. Garcia-Nuñez maintains an emphasis on diversifying, growing, and motivating multi-disciplined groups through the execution of advanced programs and projects, continuous improvement activities, capital investments, organizational development, and industry partnerships. She drives innovative mindsets across her team as she demonstrates firsthand by possessing multiple invention disclosures, as well as a US Patent.
Garcia-Nuñez holds an AA in Laser Electro-Optics, a BS in Optical Engineering, and an MS in Business Organizational Management.
41. Susana Olivares
Director of Customer Experience, Aura
Susana Olivares is the Director of Customer Experience at Aura, a mission-driven technology company dedicated to creating a safer internet for everyone. They believe that people should be able to live with the peace of mind that their identity, online accounts, and devices will remain safe, private, and protected, no matter where they go.
Olivares has 32 years of experience. She started at Aura in October 2008, taking on the responsibilities of the head of her department, and she added the responsibilities of her current position in November 2022.
Before joining Aura, Olivares was a sales and marketing specialist at American General Media. Earlier in her career, she worked with Univision Communications Inc. as a journalist. Olivares graduated from SUNY New Paltz with an undergraduate degree in fine and studio arts.
View the complete list of awardees.
43. Jennifer Beck-Herrera
Sales Director - AZ, CA, NM, NV, EMC Insurance Companies
Jennifer Beck-Herrera, AAI, ACM, AIAM is a Sales Director at EMC Insurance, bringing nearly thirty years of industry experience to the table. Known for her dedication to fostering genuine and authentic relationships, Jennifer excels in building strong connections both internally within her team and externally with industry colleagues and agency partners. Her commitment to integrity and excellence has been a cornerstone of her successful career in the insurance industry.
44. Mandy Leatherwood Guss
Communications Director, City of Las Cruces
As Communications Director, Mandy Leatherwood Guss leads a team of talented, skilled, and creative individuals who make up the City of Las Cruces Communications Office. They are a multi-media department responsible for sharing information about all of the programs of the city through news releases, the website, social media, advertising, and the local government access TV channel. The team has been recognized for their stellar work with multiple regional and national awards. Guss has worked at the City of Las Cruces since March 2016, starting as marketing coordinator for Community and Cultural Services. She also worked as a business development administrator, where she oversaw business attraction and retention and downtown development when the Economic Development Department was created in January 2017. She was promoted to her current role in September 2020.
As a former Girl Scout, Guss has taken to heart the goal to make the world a better place, starting in her community. She is currently the chair of the Junior Leadership Las Cruces program through the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. She has served on the boards of the Las Cruces Rio Grande Rotary Club and Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico and volunteered as a Big Sister with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She has been recognized as Young Professional of the Month by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest, and as New Rotarian of the Year with the Las Cruces Rio Grande Rotary.
Guss has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and Communication Studies from NMSU. She also earned her Master of Business Administration at NMSU. Earlier in her career, she worked as a community liaison for Ambercare Home Health and as the marketing director for the Memorial Medical Center.
47. April Puckett
Human Resources Director, Eastern New Mexico Medical Center
April Puckett has been serving as the Director of Human Resources at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center (ENMMC) since 2021. ENMMC is the largest regional medical center in Southeastern New Mexico.
Bringing to the table 15 years of combined experience in employment law and as an HR Professional, April is a member of the executive team at ENMMC as the Director of Human Resources. Puckett has a full spectrum of HR professional experience, as well as specialized legal expertise in employment, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, personal injury, and wrongful death; all of which are invaluable assets for the organization. Throughout her career, she has worked in every aspect of HR. Puckett started her career in the legal sector and is a dual licensed paralegal on the state level with the State Bar of New Mexico and on the national level with the American Alliance of Paralegals Inc., her extensive legal background is a major asset when it comes to her role as an HR professional leader.
A native of Michigan and a graduate of Freed Hardeman University in Tennessee, Puckett has now called Roswell, NM, home for over 15 years. She is an advocate for community service, having participated in and headed groups to participate in events, fundraising, and awareness for multiple nonprofits and local needs for the Red Cross, Walk for Hope, and several food pantries. She has been married for 15 years and has two wonderful sons; being someone who has experienced and survived cancer twice, Puckett is aware of the importance of being present in professional and home environments.
50. Tobie Webb
Director of Strategic Talent Management, Sandia National Labs
Tobie Webb is the Director of Strategic Talent Management of Sandia National Labs, the nation’s premier DOE science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation. Their team of scientists, engineers, researchers, and business specialists apply their knowledge and skills toward delivering cutting-edge technology in an array of areas.
Webb has been a key member of growing the skilled team at Sandia National Labs for nearly 13 years. She started at the company in 2011 as the manager of the human resources business partners, where she managed five HR business partners and two associate-level HR professionals for two large business units. After a decade of service, she was promoted to senior manager in the department and then to senior HR manager. She was appointed to her present position in 2023.
Before joining Sandia National Labs, Webb was an associate vice president of human resources at UNM Foundation. Before that, she was a benefits specialist at the University of New Mexico. Earlier in her career, she worked with Robert Half as a branch manager. Webb graduated from The University of New Mexico with an undergraduate degree.
View the complete list of awardees.