Our Leadership

Debra Garcia y Griego is the Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. In this capacity, she brings more than 23 years of cultural public policy experience to the stewardship of eight museums, nine historic sites and properties, arts, historic preservation, archaeology and library programs. Prior to her appointment, she was the Executive Director of the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission where she was responsible for implementing the City’s support of arts and cultural affairs such as funding of local nonprofit arts organizations, operation of the Community Gallery, the Art in Public Places program and the City’s international affairs. Previous work experience includes Museum Campus Chicago (a multi-institutional cross-collaboration and –marketing initiative consisting of the John G. Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum of Natural History and the Chicago Park District), Chicago a cappella, the Southwest Theater and Dance Festival, and the University of New Mexico Department of Theater and Dance. Garcia y Griego serves as an at-large member of the Board of Directors for Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. She holds a Master of Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from the University of New Mexico.