Chief Administrative Officer Lawrence Rael

Lawrence Rael currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Albuquerque under the leadership of Mayor Tim Keller.

Lawrence began his distinguished career in public service as the Deputy Secretary of Transportation for New Mexico. He later served on the staff of Senator Jeff Bingaman in Washington, D.C., and then joined the City of Albuquerque serving as the Chief Administrative Officer under three mayoral administrations. In 2012, Lawrence became the Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments, and later was appointed by President Obama as Director of the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Services Agency for New Mexico. Throughout his career, Lawrence was instrumental in key projects such as the expansion of the Albuquerque Sunport, Albuquerque Convention Center, Explora Science Center, Aquarium and Botanic Garden, Isotopes Baseball Park, development of the Balloon Fiesta Park, and managing the planning of the Rail Runner Express commuter rail line.

Lawrence is a community leader who has served on the boards of numerous charitable organizations, task forces, and committees. He is a native New Mexican who grew up in the small town of Sile, NM with his six siblings. Lawrence holds a B.A. in Sociology and a M.A. in Public Administration from the University of New Mexico. He currently lives with his family in Los Ranchos, NM.