Mayor Keller Announces New Chief Operations Officer, More Additions to City Leadership
As part of second term transitioning, the Mayor continues filling critical roles in the City to support important initiatives and operations. Katarina Sandoval will join the City as Chief Operations Officer (COO), working to ensure efficient and effective delivery of City services across several departments. Kata brings years of experience in public service, serving as the Deputy Secretary of Academic Engagement and Student Success for the New Mexico Public Education Department, as well as Chief Academic Officer and Associate Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools. She becomes the first woman to serve as COO in the City’s modern history.
“Throughout my career I have been dedicated to helping large New Mexico organizations be more effective and better able to meet public expectations and drive impact in the daily lives of people from all walks of life. Now, I’m ready to help our Administration make Albuquerque a more safe, innovative and inclusive city,” said Kata Sandoval, Chief Operations Officer. “Together with our department leaders, I’m confident we can move the needle on key priorities facing the Duke City.”
The Mayor’s office is also bringing on Annie Manriquez, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Bob White, Associate Chief Administrative Officer to round out the leadership team.
“Each of these hires fills a key role to help us keep things running smoothly, and enable us to push progress on top priorities from public safety to homelessness and housing to investing in growing our city,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These leaders bring a complementary mix of experience to our office.”
"I am grateful for the opportunity serve the Administration and the people of Albuquerque,” said Annie Manriquez, Deputy Chief of Staff. “I look forward to bringing a strategic lens to processes and initiatives in the Mayor’s office to systematically achieve positive outcomes for our city.”
“I’m very happy to rejoin the City and put my experience to work to help achieve big goals for Albuquerque,” said Bob White, Associate Chief Administrative Officer. “There’s important work to come, and I look forward to collaborating across the City to get it done.”
Katarina Sandoval, Chief Operations Officer
Kata Sandoval currently serves as the Deputy Secretary of Finance and Operations and Academic Engagement and Student Success at the New Mexico Public Education Department. She and her team collectively oversee the implementation of multiple federal and state programs that total over a billion dollars, including audit, accounting, budget, capital outlay, fiscal grants management, procurement and transportation. Additionally, she and her team oversee programs that support student health and wellness, extended learning, extracurricular and enrichment activities out of school, community schools, attendance, and systems of supports. Kata is a proud graduate of West Mesa High School, holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a master’s degree from Harvard University. She is also the proud mother of three children who attend public New Mexico schools.
Annie Manriquez, Deputy Chief of Staff
Prior to joining the City of Albuquerque, Manriquez served as Governor Lujan Grisham's senior advisor for cyber and critical infrastructure and before that, spent more than a decade in Washington D.C. where she earned a reputation for creating innovative solutions to complex organizational, financial, and national security challenges throughout multiple presidential administrations. At the MITRE Corporation, a Federally Funded Research and Development Corporation (FFRDC), Annie led the Intelligence Analysis and Strategy Department and worked with agencies across the Executive Branch to overhaul and modernize multi-billion-dollar government programs. Manriquez held previous appointments at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, and Congresswoman Ellen O. Tauscher. She is a graduate of the University of California in Santa Barbara.
Bob White, Associate Chief Administrative Officer
Bob White has over 40 years of experience as an attorney and public servant, formerly serving as assistant city attorney and city attorney. He is an expert in land use, administrative, and government law. He has shared his legal expertise vastly with private and public entities across the state. White was also elected as an Albuquerque City Councilor from 1979 to 1983, where he served as Council President in 1983. He has served on the boards of various community organizations working to advance equity and the arts.
White is a graduate of the University of New Mexico and received his J.D. from the University of Houston School of Law.