NM aging secretary Jen Schroer steps down, as governor's cabinet shuffle continues

SANTA FE — The recent turnover in Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Cabinet continued Friday, with the resignation of Aging and Long-Term Services Secretary Jen Paul Schroer.

Schroer, who previously worked as state tourism secretary, had led the department that oversees services for New Mexico’s elderly residents since August 2023.

She becomes the second Cabinet secretary to step down in the last two-plus weeks, following former Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero’s departure late last month.

The governor praised Schroer for her service, calling her a “strong, dedicated” leader. The Governor’s Office also confirmed Schroer’s departure would be immediate, with Friday marking her last day on the job.

“Her leadership was crucial during the COVID-19 crisis, and I deeply appreciate her service,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “I wish her success in her next chapter.”

As state tourism secretary for four-plus years, Schroer faced the tricky task of trying to keep New Mexico a tourist destination despite widespread business closures, limits on mass gatherings and a 14-day travel quarantine imposed by the governor.

The Tourism Department sought a $25 million special appropriation in 2021 to expand a marketing initiative in certain markets, with Schroer telling lawmakers at the time the pandemic had cost the state millions of dollars in lost state and local tax revenue.

“People are dreaming right now of their post-pandemic vacation — I know I am,” Schroer also said at the time.

Lawmakers ultimately approved $7 million that year in an attempt to jump-start the state’s tourism economy.

Meanwhile, Schroer was also appointed by President Joe Biden in December 2022 to serve on the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission.

The Governor’s Office did not immediately provide an explanation for Schroer’s departure on Friday, but included a statement from Schroer expressing her gratitude to the governor.

Lujan Grisham, a former Cabinet secretary herself, has seen multiple departures from her administration as she nears the halfway point of her second four-year term.

While Cabinet-level turnover is not unusual during a governor’s second term, Lujan Grisham has seen particularly high churn rates in several key agencies, including the Public Education Department and the Children, Youth and Families Department.

Schroer was the governor’s third appointee to lead the Aging and Long-Term Services Department. She replaced former secretary Katrina Hotrum-Lopez, who retired in July 2023.

While not a high-profile agency, the Aging and Long-Term Services Department oversees a range of senior services — including transportation, meals and caregiver support — for thousands of elderly New Mexicans.