Federal policymakers turned to those with relevant experience to address a recent national conference on Latino youth and education, and one of those asked to speak to the group was New Mexico Education Department Secretary Veronica Garcia.

Garcia was invited to be part of a panel that also included Juan Sepulveda, executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, and Carmen Nazario, assistant secretary for children and families at the U.S. Health and Human Services Department.

The conference was held in Washington, D.C., and hosted by the Pew Hispanic Center, the Education Writers Association and the National Panel of Education Researchers.

Two New Mexico state agencies will be presented with a national award when the Council for State Governments holds it annual conference later this month. The New Mexico Higher Education Department and Public Education Department were chosen to receive the Council's 2009 Innovation Award in recognition of the agencies' joint efforts in developing and running the Innovative Digital Education and Learning program.

The honor is one of only eight to be awarded to state agencies around the country. It recognizes IDEAL-NM for its success in offering on-line educational opportunities at all levels of public and higher education as well as continuing education, teacher professional development and workforce education.

New Mexico is the first state to create a statewide "eLearning" system of such scope, noted Higher Education Department Secretary Viola Florez. Garcia added that students enrolled in the program's online courses have a 95 percent pass rate.

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Francine Garcia, victim-services coordinator for the state Corrections Department, is the latest employee of the quarter in the agency's Central Office. Among other responsibilities, Garcia oversees the department's Restorative Justice Initiatives program, which provides services, notification and support to victims of crime and their families. Garcia's nominators commended her for a "work ethic and positive attitude (that) exemplifies teamwork and integrity."

New Mexico Human Services Department Secretary Pamela Hyde has been nominated to an administrative position in the federal government. President Barack Obama submitted Hyde's name for consideration as administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Hyde has more than 30 years of experience related to human services and health care management and consulting in the public and private sectors. In 2002 Gov. Bill Richardson appointed her to head the state Human Services Department. She will continue to serve in that capacity until confirmed by Congress.

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