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Early Childhood Education and Care Department names Lela Wendell as new division director
Lela Wendell
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The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department is welcoming Lela Wendell as the new director of the Policy, Research and Quality Initiatives Division.
Wendell’s role will consist of policy and research efforts, early childhood data collection and analysis, administering the quality improvement and rating system for child care providers and expanding support for early childhood professionals, according to the announcement made Tuesday.
Wendell brings in state government and economic experience. She most recently worked as the assistant director at the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Division of Child Care and helped implement a $1.3 billion child care infrastructure plan, according to the news release.
She also worked at the Arizona Department of Child Safety. She has more than 17 years of state government experience.
Elizabeth Groginsky, Early Childhood Education and Care Department secretary, said in a statement that Wendell brings a diverse set of skills and expertise to the agency’s leadership team.
“Lela will be instrumental in advancing the state’s initiatives to improve the quality of early childhood programs and services for families, young children and the people who care for and educate them,” Groginsky said.
Wendell has a bachelor’s degree in economics and a certificate in international business from Arizona State University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Italian.
