About Leadership New Mexico
Leadership New Mexico was founded in 1995 to identify current and emerging leaders throughout New Mexico, enhance their leadership skills, and deepen their knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing our state. Leadership New Mexico is dedicated to the development of informed leaders that understand issues, define problems, develop solutions, and achieve positions of higher responsibility in New Mexico.
Leadership New Mexico is nonpartisan, does not advocate for legislation of any kind, does not endorse political candidates, and does not take a stand on any political or social issues. Leadership New Mexico educates participants - leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors about statewide and regional issues.
Leadership New Mexico is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3), tax-exempt New Mexico organization. It is funded by the generous contributions of corporations, foundations, and individual donors.
Please visit the Printed Materials page to learn more about how Leadership New Mexico serves the State of New Mexico and how we are accomplishing the mission of educating the citizens of this great state.
The Core Program
Leadership New Mexico´s Core Program is ten months in duration and is currently hosting its twelfth class. Core Program sessions are designed to address current issues facing the state. Each program session features speakers that are acknowledged leaders in their specific fields, while program participants actively engage in discussion and debate. The process offers an opportunity for inquiry, analysis, and development of solutions to the most pressing issues facing our communities and state.
Core Program sessions are held in communities all over the state in order to expose participants to the different regions of New Mexico and the local issues important to each region. In addition, program participants experience the unique culture of each community, weaving for themselves a broad-based and comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing a state with many cultures and geographic diversity.
Each program year includes a two-day retreat and orientation, followed by educational sessions on topics such as:
- Health and Human Services
- Economic Development
- Education
- Environment and Natural Resources
- Government, Crime and Justice, and Leadership
The Core Program is open to all citizens of the state. Leadership New Mexico selects a class each year of 40-45 leaders who represent a cross-section of the various geographic regions of the state from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Special consideration is given to ensure diversity of race, gender, and occupational background. Participants are selected using the following criteria:
- Commitment, motivation, and interest in serving New Mexico.
- History and demonstrated voluntary leadership in community activities.
- Record of accomplishments within his or her own company or organization.
- Interest in seeking future key volunteer and/or appointed leadership roles.
- An occupational commitment to remain in the state.
- Commitment to play a personal role in helping to shape New Mexico´s future.
Tuition for the Core Program is $3000 and covers all program costs, transportation during sessions, and meals. Participants are responsibile for their own transportation to the session locations and hotel accommodations. A limited number of scholarships are available for those requiring financial assistance. A request for scholarship assistance does not affect selection into the program.
Please visit Applying to LNM to download an application.
The Local Government Leadership Program
The Local Government Leadership Program is an educational partnership between the New Mexico Association of Counties, the New Mexico Municipal League, and Leadership New Mexico. These three organizations have joined together to provide a unique educational experience to municipal and county officials. The goal of the program is to develop and enhance leadership capacities of officials while fostering a higher level of civic and community concern and participation.
The program consists of two 2-˝ day program sessions. The sessions begin Thursday morning and conclude Saturday at noon. The curriculum is patterned after the Leadership New Mexico Core Program and is designed to offer municipal and county officials the opportunity to explore the critical issues facing New Mexico and to participate in skill-building workshops. Topics for the program include:
- History and Demographics of New Mexico
- Economic Development
- Education
- Environment and Natural Resources
- Health and Human Services
- Crime and Justice
- Personal Leadership Skill Building Workshops (Leadership Styles, Definition and Approaches to Leadership, Ethics, Consensus Building, etc.)
Each session features speakers who are acknowledged leaders in their specific fields, and participants have the opportunity to engage in discussion with them. The program offers the opportunity for inquiry, analysis, and the development of solutions to the most pressing issues facing our communities and state.
The program sessions are held in different host locations around the state.
Participants must be willing to commit the necessary time needed to complete the Local Government Leadership Program. Attendance at both sessions is required to complete the Local Government Leadership Program and receive the elective credits for the New Mexico Municipal League Leadership Certificate of the Municipal Officials Leadership Institute (MOLI) or the New Mexico Association of Counties County College.
For more information about receiving County College units toward certification, visit the County College website or contact Terry Canup at 575-646-5424.
For more information about receiving MOLI credit toward certification, visit the MOLI Program website or contact Linda Gaume at 800-432-2036.
The Local Government Leadership Program is open to all elected municipal officials and all elected and appointed county officials. The program will be limited to 25 municipal and 25 county officials who represent the various geographic regions of the state. Special consideration will be given to ensure diversity of gender, race, geography, and sector.
Tuition for the Local Government Leadership Program is $500 ($250 for Session I and $250 for Session II) and covers all program costs, transportation during sessions, and meals. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to the program session locations and hotel accommodations. A limited number of scholarships are available for those requiring financial assistance. A request for scholarship assistance does not affect selection into the program.
Please visit Applying to LNM to download an application.
The Connect New Mexico Program"The Next Generation of Leadership"
Leadership New Mexico launched a new program in 2007, Connect New Mexico. The curriculum is designed to offer young professionals the opportunity to develop personal leadership skills, learn how New Mexico systems and structures work, and explore the critical issues facing our state. The curriculum will have some elements of the Core Program and Local Government Leadership Program and it will focus on leadership skill development. In addition, young professionals in Connect New Mexico will learn about the statewide operations of a variety of systems and structures in the state. This process will encourage participants to cultivate new ideas, techniques, and to develop solutions to some of New Mexico's most pressing issues. Participants will also be introduced to recognized leaders who will provide insight into a wide-range of issues and areas.
There will be three sessions of the Connect New Mexico Program conducted each year. Attendance at all sessions is required to complete Connect New Mexico. The program will involve 40-45 young professionals, ages 25-40, from throughout the state. Each applicant must be nominated by a Leadership New Mexico graduate and there will be a strong focus on the four areas of diversity when selecting the class: i.e. gender, ethnicity, business sector, and geographic location. Tuition for the program is $1500.
To nominate someone from your community or company for Connect New Mexico, contact Leadership New Mexico at (505) 241-4800.
Please visit Applying to LNM to download an application.
