NM STATE LAND - Key Persons
Aria Biernoff previously served as senior litigator with the New Mexico Attorney General's Office under Attorneys General Hector Balderas and Gary King, managing innovative litigation programs to preserve public access to state trust lands, protect natural resources and public health, and recover damages from industries that have harmed New Mexicans. Prior to that, Ari clerked for Justice Patricio Serna of the New Mexico Supreme Court and Judge Henry Kennedy of United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Before returning home to New Mexico, he also worked as Senior Counsel at the New York City Law Department and in private practice in New York.
Ari received his B.A. in history from Stanford University and his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Commissioner of Surface Resources at the New Mexico State Land Office
Dana Vackar Strang is the Assistant Commissioner of Surface Resources at the New Mexico State Land Office. Dana has a B.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in Environmental Issues from Colorado College and an M.A. from the University of New Mexico in Parks, Recreation and Environmental Education with an emphasis on Administration. She has extensive experience as a manager and educator.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Commissioner of Cultural Resources
Job Titles:
- Director of Constituent Services
Francesca Di Palma was born and raised in Santa Fe. After many years of grassroots work in New York she returned to New Mexico to continue that work in her home state.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Commissioner of Mineral Resources
As the Assistant Commissioner of Mineral Resources, Greg Bloom oversees the Oil, Gas, and Minerals Division, the Water Bureau, and the Royalty Management Division. He held this same position from 2012 through 2014. Additionally, Greg serves as Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard's designee to the Oil Conservation Commission.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Commissioner of Communications
Joey Keefe brings more than a decade of communications experience to the State Land Office. Most recently, Joey managed communications for New Mexico Wild. He has also previously served as the Communications Director for the New Mexico Secretary of State's Office.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Resources
- Certified Economic Developer
Michael Sage is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), who was named Developer of the Year in 2020 by the NM IDEA and in 2023, was named a Top 40 Economic Developer under 40.
Michael joined the NMSLO team in 2023.
Michael Sage is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), who was named Developer of the Year in 2020 by the NM IDEA and in 2023, was named a Top 40 Economic Developer under 40.
Prior to joining the NM State Land Office, Mr. Sage served as both Deputy Director for the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation (GGEDC) and Regional Economic Development Manager for the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments (NWNMCOG).
Mr. Sage has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of New Mexico, with undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Economics.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Commissioner of Administrative Services
Selena Romero has more than 15 years of experience in state government and a total of 19 years in training and organizational development. Previously she was the State Land Office Human Resources Director.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner
- Commissioner of Public Lands
- Land Commissioner
Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard is the first woman, the first Latina, and the first educator to serve in the position as New Mexico's Commissioner of Public Lands.
Born in Tucumcari and raised in Silver City, Stephanie learned at a young age the importance of serving others. Her father, a WWII veteran, was a teacher; her mother was active in their church and community. Stephanie grew up in a family that operated ranches on the eastern plans and northern mountains of New Mexico, sparking the strong connection to our land that she holds today. After graduating from Silver High School, Stephanie went on to receive her undergraduate degree from Barnard College at Columbia University in New York.
Stephanie was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2012. During her six years as a State Representative, she championed laws to increase access to a quality education, transparency, and investments in renewable energy, job training, and economic development. She served as Chair of the House Education Committee for two years before being elected Land Commissioner in 2018.
As Land Commissioner, Stephanie is focused on raising as much money as possible while always keeping an eye toward stewardship and preserving the land for generations to come. We can diversify the revenue that comes into the Land Office by tripling the number of renewable energy projects, promoting outdoor recreation, and encouraging new and innovative commercial development on state trust land. With the largest continuous oil and gas resources potential ever assessed in the world sitting in Southeast New Mexico, and land that is prime for wind and solar development, Commissioner Garcia Richard is committed to working to make more money for New Mexico while protecting the health of our land.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Commissioner of Public Affairs
Tarin Nix has owned and operated a successful consulting firm that oversaw political campaigns, issue-advocacy campaigns, and policy initiatives for over a decade.