SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday announced the appointment of Wayne Propst as secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). Propst will assume leadership of the department at the start of January following Secretary Deborah Romero’s retirement from state government at the end of the year.

“Wayne is an effective leader whose strong financial background and years of experience in government will be instrumental in continuing our work to deliver for New Mexicans,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “He understands the purpose and importance of managing resources to best execute policies that lift up all New Mexico families, and I am looking forward to working with him again.”

“It is an honor to join the Governor’s administration at a truly historic and optimistic time for New Mexico,” Propst said. “I look forward to working with the Legislature, agency colleagues and others to make smart, fiscally responsible investments in New Mexico’s future.”

Propst has two decades of experience in state and federal government and financial management, including nearly a decade as executive director of the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico, where he oversaw a $15.5 billion trust fund and worked with Gov. Lujan Grisham to enact comprehensive pension reform to improve the fund’s long-term solvency. In addition to having served as executive director of the New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority, Propst also previously worked as a principal analyst for the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee. He currently serves as chief of staff for the New Mexico Public Regulation Committee.

Propst previously worked under the governor when she led the New Mexico Department of Health, where he was director of the Office of Policy and Multicultural Health. He also served as a deputy legislative director for United States Senator Jeff Bingaman. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern New Mexico University and is a graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law.