PED deputy cabinet secretary resigns after eight days

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico Public Education Department Deputy Cabinet Secretary Jacquelyn Archuleta-Staehlin has resigned after just eight days.

Former PED Secretary Kurt Steinhaus retired last week. He served a little over a year, and was the third appointee since 2019.

Children’s Cabinet Director Mariana Padilla will serve as interim department leadership until a permanent appointment is named.

PED shared the following statement with KOB 4:

“Ms. Archuleta-Staehlin stated the following: ‘…after some consideration of my professional goals as well as my personal commitments, I do not believe that my continued employment as a deputy secretary is a good fit for either the department or myself.‘

While PED is in the midst of leadership changes, all the employees in the department are committed to delivering high quality work for the children of New Mexico regardless of who sits in leadership positions. An ongoing and national search for qualified leadership aligned with the goals of the Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham administration is underway. In the meantime, the department is being led by Mariana Padilla, who has many years of experience in the classroom as well as in education policy. She has worked closely with PED over the last four years.”