Column by Pat Davis, New Mexico Political Report — Governor-elect Deb Haaland is wasting no time filling top positions in her new administration. She is expected to name key leaders of her transition later today and will make her first major staff announcement on Friday when she is expected to introduce her incoming chief of staff.
Haaland has spent months quietly interviewing potential candidates for top jobs and began making official offers to candidates on Wednesday. Sarita Nair, the current cabinet secretary for the state’s Department of Workforce Solutions and former City of Albuquerque chief administrative officer, has emerged as the leading candidate to serve as chief of staff according to two sources with knowledge of the decision. Reached by phone this week, Nair declined to confirm the appointment but did not deny that she had been interviewed.
Haaland is also bringing in a number of well-known campaign and former government officials to help with the transition, NM Political Report has learned. Campaign Manager Dylan McArthur and Campaign Communications Director Hannah Menchhoff are retaining similar roles in the transition. Former state Homeland Security Secretary Bianca Ortiz-Wertheim, Alvin Warren of the LANL Foundation and formerly of the Kellogg Foundation former US Dept. of Interior official Joan Mooney and former chief of staff to Gov. Bill Richardson James Jimenez have all been asked to assist.
Haaland officially opened her transition website, haalandtransition.com, on Wednesday to accept applications for hundreds of appointed staff and volunteer board and commission positions across the state.
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