OPINION: From listening to results: Making city government work for Albuquerque

City government should work. For residents. For neighborhoods. For our community. That expectation sounds simple. Delivering on it is not.

Every day, city government is responsible for public safety, infrastructure, housing, community spaces and the systems that support residents at every stage of life. Our responsibility is to ensure we are organized, staffed and led in a way that works for the people we serve.

Cities today are operating in more complexity shaped by rising costs, housing shortages and uncertain federal impacts. These circumstances make it challenging to deliver core services and make leadership decisions even more important than ever.

At its core, effective public leadership is straightforward: listen, understand and deliver. As chief administrative officer, my responsibility is to build a leadership team with the experience to manage complexity, a commitment to Albuquerque, and the perspective to improve our delivery.

Voters made a clear choice last December to trust us to continue our progress while expecting stronger delivery, new ideas and measurable results. In response, we have intentionally shaped a leadership team designed to meet that moment and carry out Mayor Tim Keller’s commitment in his historic third term to a city government that works for the residents.

When I stepped into this role, even with 25 years of leadership experience in Albuquerque, my respect for public servants deepened as a result of the commitment of our nearly 6,000 employees. They are city government, working every day to ensure government works, whether responding to emergencies, maintaining parks, operating transit or helping families navigate housing or permits.

That same standard guides how we build our leadership team.

This week, Cecily Barker was appointed as chief of police following a national search that included candidates from cities such as Dallas and Seattle. Her leadership in both the Investigative Bureau and Field Services Bureau, combined with her deep understanding of our community, positions her to continue strengthening public safety and leading the Albuquerque Police Department forward.

Matthew Whelan, our chief operations officer, reflects the strength of leadership developed within city government. Over his 14-year public career, including roles as deputy chief administrative officer, acting chief financial officer, and Solid Waste director, he has built a deep understanding of how our systems operate and how to deliver results across departments.

Carla Martinez, our chief financial officer, brings a strong foundation in fiscal accountability and public-sector leadership. She has served as CAO for the New Mexico Department of Justice and the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office and as deputy state auditor. As both a licensed certified public accountant and attorney, she brings the expertise needed to strengthen transparency and stewardship of public resources.

Raul Bujanda, executive director of public safety, brings more than 25 years of law enforcement experience, including serving as the FBI special agent in charge for New Mexico. His leadership in strengthening accountability and building partnerships across agencies positions him to align Albuquerque’s public safety system and improve outcomes across departments.

And Malaquias “JR” Rael, chief of staff, brings executive leadership experience across state government. Having served as deputy state treasurer and CAO for the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, he brings the experience to align priorities and translate policy direction into results.

This combination of experience and perspective is how we move from intention to delivery.

We have delivered in tangible ways: built a connected system of care through the Gateway System, moved APD out of the DOJ consent decree and removed unnecessary barriers in planning.

These are not abstract goals. These are tangible examples of listening, acting and delivering.

Our responsibility is clear: to build a city government that delivers results and meets the expectations of the people of Albuquerque every day.

Samantha Sengel is the chief administrative officer for the city of Albuquerque.