Top New Mexico energy official to step down from Cabinet-level post

SANTA FE — The top energy official in Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration abruptly stepped down Friday, marking the latest Cabinet-level turnover as the governor approaches her final year in office.

The Governor’s Office said Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Melanie Kenderdine was resigning for personal reasons, but did not elaborate.

Kenderdine, who previously co-founded a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit energy group, was appointed to the state-level post by Lujan Grisham in April 2024.

She was the second individual to lead the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department on a permanent basis under the governor’s tenure, as Sarah Cottrell Propst previously held the position from 2019 until late 2023.

“Melanie brought national energy expertise to New Mexico, and I’m grateful for her contributions at EMNRD,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “I wish her well.”

The governor also announced that Erin Taylor, a deputy EMNRD Cabinet secretary, will serve as the agency’s acting secretary going forward.

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department oversees New Mexico’s state parks system and is also tasked with regulating the state’s oil and natural gas industry. In addition, the state Forestry Division and some renewable energy programs also fall under the department’s purview.

New Mexico is the third-largest energy producer in the country, and the second-largest crude oil-producing state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last year, New Mexico accounted for 15% of the total U.S. crude oil production. It was also the third-largest natural gas-producing state in 2024, providing 8% of total natural gas withdrawals.

“Throughout her tenure, Melanie brought a wealth of national experience and a balanced approach that valued both our environment and our economy,” Missi Currier, president and CEO of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, said in a statement. “Her leadership helped advance important conversations about clean energy and resource management in our state.”

The departure of Kenderdine, who also previously held high-level positions at the U.S. Department of Energy under presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, is the latest state Cabinet secretary to resign.

Most recently, former Children, Youth and Families Secretary Teresa Casados abruptly retired in September, paving the way for Valerie Sandoval to be named the governor’s fourth CYFD secretary since taking office in 2019.

However, it’s not unusual for some Cabinet secretaries to seek other job opportunities during the final year of a governor’s tenure in office.

Per the state Constitution, Lujan Grisham is barred from seeking a third consecutive term in office next year and will step down at the end of 2026.