City of Albuquerque Transition Update

– Following the confirmation of Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel, the City of Albuquerque is implementing an updated leadership structure to support Mayor Tim Keller’s historic third term.

As part of this transition, Mayor Keller is announcing the appointment of Carla Martinez to Chief Financial Officer and Matthew Whelan to the role of Chief Operations Officer. Their nominations will be submitted to City Council for confirmation in the coming weeks.

“Strong teams deliver real results,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “With Carla and Matthew stepping into these critical leadership roles, and Samantha confirmed as CAO, we’re positioning the City to keep moving forward with the urgency, innovation, and experience this moment calls for.”

Martinez has served as Associate CAO for the last two years.  Prior to that, she served as the Chief Administrative Officer for the New Mexico Department Justice and for the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Chief of Staff for Operations for the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and Deputy State Auditor for the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor. As a licensed CPA and attorney, she brings both financial expertise and legal training to her role, holding a JD from the University of New Mexico School of Law. Whelan most recently served as Deputy CAO and Acting CFO, and was Solid Waste Director in addition to multiple roles over his fourteen-year career at the city. Whelan succeeds longtime public servant Pat Montoya, who will transition into a Senior Advisor role after more than 30 years in City and State government.

In accordance with the City Charter, the positions of City Clerk and City Attorney must be filled through an open and competitive hiring process conducted by the Mayor. Both roles have been publicly posted, and applications are currently under review.

The City continues to recruit for several additional roles, including in the Health, Housing & Homelessness Department, Aviation, Environmental Health, and Youth and Family Services. To explore job opportunities, visit the Citie's Jobs site. 

Residents are also encouraged to serve on one of the City’s 58 boards and commissions. Learn more at on the Boards and Commissions webpage, or explore volunteer opportunities on the One Albuquerque Volunteers website.