By Matthew Reichbach, NM Political Report
Another member of the governor’s cabinet is leaving.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office on Friday afternoon said Robert Doucette will leave his post as cabinet secretary of the General Services Department at the end of the year.
The governor’s office said Deputy Cabinet Secretary Anna Silva will serve as acting cabinet secretary for GSD after Doucette leaves.
The position requires senate confirmation, though Silva can serve as acting secretary through the confirmation process.
“Robert Doucette has provided leadership and expertise at several agencies over his long-lasting career in state government, and I thank him for his service to New Mexico,” Lujan Grisham said in the announcement. “I am confident that Anna Silva’s experience and dedication will ensure a smooth transition and continued success for the department.”
The General Services Department is a wide-ranging agency that runs many of the day-to-day operations of state government, but also provides more public-facing things such as paying out settlements for lawsuits against the state.
In all, according to the governor’s office, GSD has a $400 million budget and manages nearly 7 million square feet of state assets.
Lujan Grisham’s office credited Silva with building the Governor’s Veterans’ home projects and introducing the state’s eProcurement system. Lujan Grisham appointed Doucette as cabinet secretary in February 2023. Doucette replaced John Garcia, who himself was on the job for a little more than a year.