New Mexico Tourism Department Appoints Shanna Sasser As Deputy Cabinet Secretary To Strengthen Economic Growth And Community Development

Published on September 20, 2025

The New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) has named Shanna Sasser, Ed.D., arsenic its caller lawman furniture secretary, a move that underscores nan state’s committedness to tourism-driven economical improvement and strategical organization engagement. Dr. Sasser brings much than 2 decades of acquisition crossed nationalist service, economical development, and collaborative activity initiatives.

Throughout her career, Sasser has focused connected driving sustainable maturation by connecting authorities operations, backing mechanisms, and organization needs. She has a proven way grounds of implementing innovative strategies that fortify location economies, support agrarian and tribal communities, and elevate tourism arsenic a cardinal contributor to section prosperity.

In her anterior domiciled arsenic economical improvement administrator for Los Alamos County, Sasser developed and led programs that expanded niche tourism markets, attracting visitors while enhancing nan county’s economical profile. Her activity successful tourism initiatives straight contributed to measurable increases successful visitation and business activity, demonstrating her expertise to construe strategical readying into tangible results.

Earlier successful her career, Sasser served arsenic nan first agrarian ombudsman nether nan New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration. In this capacity, she secured financing for captious infrastructure projects, managed authorities and national grants, and expanded nationalist services to distant communities. Her activity included implementing h2o situation consequence programs and expanding entree to basal authorities services for agrarian populations.

Dr. Sasser besides has extended acquisition successful higher acquisition administration, including roles successful enrollment management, student advising, and assistance oversight. She earned her doctorate successful Higher Education Leadership and Administration from New Mexico State University successful 2020, equipping her pinch precocious skills successful leadership, strategical planning, and organizational development.

The New Mexico Tourism Department anticipates that Sasser’s assignment will heighten its expertise to create innovative tourism programs, grow infrastructure, and beforehand economical maturation passim nan state. Her activity is expected to support sustainable tourism initiatives that use communities of each sizes while showcasing New Mexico’s unsocial cultural, historical, and earthy assets.

Dr. Sasser has expressed a beardown committedness to fostering economical prosperity done tourism, emphasizing collaboration, imaginative strategy, and organization engagement. Her attraction connected leveraging tourism arsenic a catalyst for economical improvement aligns pinch nan department’s ngo to heighten visitant experiences, support section businesses, and fortify nan state’s wide economy.

As lawman furniture secretary, Sasser will play a cardinal domiciled successful shaping nan early of New Mexico tourism. Her assignment is expected to beforehand statewide initiatives that merge economical development, organization support, and innovative tourism strategies, positioning New Mexico arsenic a premier destination and a exemplary for sustainable tourism growth.

“We’re incredibly grateful to invited Dr. Sasser to nan Tourism Department,” said Acting Secretary Lancing Adams. “Her knowing of nan interlocking elements of authorities operations, economical development, backing mechanisms and agrarian communities will further fortify our abilities to bring tourism infrastructure and merchandise improvement ideas to life.”

“I person a awesome appreciation for really my erstwhile activity has deepened my committedness to supporting communities of each sizes and uncovering imaginative ways to build economical prosperity,” Sasser said. “I judge tourism is 1 of nan astir powerful devices we person to fortify New Mexico’s economy, and I americium passionate astir helping our authorities thrive done innovative strategies, collaboration, and thoughtful storytelling.”

Dr. Shanna Sasser’s assignment arsenic lawman furniture caput positions nan New Mexico Tourism Department to harness tourism arsenic a powerful motor for economical growth, organization development, and sustainable prosperity. With her extended acquisition successful nationalist service, economical strategy, and agrarian engagement, Sasser is poised to thrust innovative initiatives that will fortify section economies, support divers communities, and elevate New Mexico’s floor plan arsenic a premier recreation destination. Her activity promises a early wherever tourism not only attracts visitors but besides creates lasting benefits for nan group and regions crossed nan state.