SFPS Board of Education

The Board of Education is composed of five members elected at large. A president, vice president and secretary are selected from the board membership by a majority of the voting members. In addition, the board includes three student board members representing Capital High School, Desert Sage Academy, Early College Opportunities High School (ECO), Mandela International Magnet School and Santa Fe High School.

Dr. Carmen L. Gonzales, Secretary, District 1

Email: cagonzales@sfps.k12.nm.us
Phone: N/A
District 1 - map
Oath Taken: January 2024, Term Expires: December 31, 2027

Acequia Madre, Atalaya, Chaparral, E.J. Martinez and Wood Gormley Elementary Schools, Early College Opportunities High School, Mandela International Magnet School and Santa Fe High School

Carmen Gonzales has been a long-time educator working in leadership roles in both K-12 and higher education. She retired as the vice president for Student Success at both Santa Fe Community College and New Mexico State University, where she is vice president emerita. A native of Santa Fe, she left for 34 years and happily returned 10 years ago. She enjoys contributing her knowledge where needed and feels that education is important in order to have a strong democracy. She is also the president of the Santa Fe Community College’s Foundation Board of Directors and has served as Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber’s education advisor. Carmen's parents taught her the importance of giving back and helping others.

Sarah Boses, Member, District 2

Email: sboses@sfps.k12.nm.us
Phone: (505) 690-8254
District 2 -map
Oath Taken: January 2024, Term Expires: December 31, 2027

Amy Biehl Community School, El Dorado Elementary School, Desert Sage Academy and Capital High School

Sarah Boses was born and raised in Santa Fe, educated in the Santa Fe Public Schools and is a proud graduate of Santa Fe High School. She attended New Mexico State University and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Sarah moved to Florida after graduating from college, where she found her passion working as an oncology nurse. She also found a passion for advocacy and healthcare policy and has been to Capitol Hill on several occasions to speak with lawmakers. In 2016, she returned to Santa Fe with her husband to raise their children in her beautiful and diverse hometown. She is married to Simon Boses, a ceramic sculptor and educator. They have four kids - Quinn and McMillan, who attend El Dorado Community School, Parker, who started Kindergarten there in 2020, and Cecilia, who recently graduated from Columbia University and lives in New York City. In her spare time, she likes to garden and cook/bake. She sews all her own clothing.

Kate I. Noble, Vice President, District 3

Email: knoble@sfps.k12.nm.us
Phone: 505-470-5640
District 3 - map
Oath Taken: January 2022, Term Expires: December 31, 2025

Carlos Gilbert and Tesuque Elementary Schools, Aspen and Gonzales Community Schools and El Camino Real Academy

Kate Noble was born in Santa Fe and got a wonderful education in the Santa Fe Public Schools. She graduated from Santa Fe High School and attended Columbia University in New York City, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies. Kate spent 10 years at the BBC’s Business News Desk as a producer, reporter and anchor. She then returned to Santa Fe and began working for the City of Santa Fe in economic and community development, where she focused on growing local businesses and local talent. She is married to Bryce Tappan, a scientist with Los Alamos National Labs. They have a son, Zachary, who attends Mandela International Magnet School.

Roman "Tiger" Abeyta, President, District 4

Email: romabeyta@sfps.k12.nm.us
Phone: 505-690-9770
District 4 - map
Oath Taken: January 2024, Term Expires: December 31st, 2027

César Chávez, Ramirez Thomas and Sweeney Elementary Schools, Nina Otero Community School, Ortiz Middle School and Capital High School

Roman “Tiger” Abeyta was born in Santa Fe, raised on the southside of Santa Fe and graduated from Capital High School. His father, Chris Abeyta, and his mother, Jennie Salazar, are from Canyon Road and their families have been in Santa Fe since it was a Spanish Colony in 1610. Tiger served over 20 years in our city and county governments. Today he is the chief executive officer of the Santa Fe Community Housing Trust. He is a former member of the City Council, former chief professional officer of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Fe/ Del Norte that serves Children and families in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and San Miguel County and coaches both girl's and boy’s youth basketball. He and his wife, Geraldine, have five sons, a grandson and a granddaughter.

Lynn Gardner Heffron, Member, District 5

Email: lheffron@sfps.k12.nm.us
Phone: 505-819-1741
District 5 - map
Oath Taken: September 2024, Term Expires: December 31st, 2025

Nye Early Childhood Center, Kearny, Nava, Piñon and Salazar Elementary Schools, Milagro Middle School and Santa Fe High School

Lynn Gardner Heffron is an educator and business leader, with experience teaching secondary school English and holding multiple degrees, including an MBA from Pepperdine. She has served as co-president of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) New Mexico and president of AAUW Santa Fe. Lynn is also on the board of AAUW Tech Trek NM, which runs a STEM camp for girls. Additionally, she works as an adjunct professor and learning specialist at the Institute of American Indian Art and is a delegate to the UN Commission on the Status of Women. She co-founded and led Diversity Spectrum, advocating for women and minority rights in various sectors.

Erin Lucio, Student Board Member, Capital High School

Erin Lucio, an 12th grade student at Capital High School (CHS), joined the Board in order to represent CHS and be its voice on student education, community issues and overall success and achievements. Last year, Lucio was among students featured in the Santa Fe New Mexican who were serving as Near Peer Tutors, providing tutoring services at elementary schools, including Nava Elementary School, Nina Otero Community School and Ramirez Thomas.

Hanbi Park, Student Board Member, Santa Fe High School

Hanbi Park, an 12th grade student at Santa Fe High School (SFHS), said that as a journalist for the Santa Fe New Mexican, he's had the privilege of sharing stories that highlight the diverse voices and experiences within our community. This role has given him insight into the power of representing smaller communities and fostering an understanding at a local level. He wants to take this further by representing SFHS on the school board. Park founded an art association at SFHS that hosts monthly art workshops on campus and teaches various techniques.

Lucas Robbins, Student Board Member, Mandela International Magnet School, Desert Sage Academy, Early College Opportunities High School (ECO)

Lucas Robbins, an 12th grade student at Mandela International Magnet School, said that he has developed a deep connection to Mandela and its students. He wants to be an advocate for the school and bring attention to the issues that matter most to the student body. He has served as president and treasurer (twice) of the student council. As part of the Mandela focus on students being open-minded and compassionate thinkers, he will work to represent the voices of SFPS students as a whole. In his role as student board member he also represents Desert Sage Academy and Early College Opportunities High School (ECO).

Regular Meetings

Board of Education meetings are generally held on alternating Thursdays of each month, except July. The meetings are held at the Educational Services Center, 610 Alta Vista Street, Santa Fe, NM 87505, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all meetings will be broadcast on the district Youtube channel. The meetings usually consist of an Executive Session beginning at 4:30 p.m. and a regular business meeting at 5:30 p.m.; the latter is open to the public.

An annual schedule of meetings is approved by the board at its last meeting in June and is posted to the district website. All meeting agendas are posted 72 hours prior to each meeting. Regular board meetings are open to the public.

Executive Sessions

Executive Sessions are closed to the public as allowed under the Open Meetings Act, Section 10-15-1 (H & I). A link to the Open Meetings Act Compliance Guide, which states what topics are allowable under Executive Session, can be found on the New Mexico Attorney General’s website at Open Meetings Act Compliance Guide or https://go.sfps.info/3xmBen5. All Executive Sessions of the Board of Education will be noticed as indicated in the guide.

Study Sessions

Study Sessions are an official meeting of the Board of Education and are generally held dependent on need. Study Sessions are intended for the purpose of updating the Board of Education on specific topics, as related to district business. Generally, no action takes place at a study session, however, should there be a time-sensitive item, the Board may be asked to take action during the meeting. Agendas for all study sessions are posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting and will notice any action that may requested of the Board. The annual schedule of Study Session dates is approved by the Board of Education at the last meeting in June and is posted to the district website.

Anyone needing a language interpreter or other special assistance at a board meeting is asked to contact the board secretary at 505-467-2003 prior to the meeting to arrange that service.

Public Forum

Public Forum includes in-person comments and written submissions read orally at the board's in-person meetings. Those wishing to address the board through written submissions are asked to send an email to public_forum@sfps.k12.nm.us. Those wishing to make in-person comments do so by signing up for Public Forum at the beginning of each meeting.

Interpreters

Anyone needing a language interpreter or other special assistance at a board meeting is asked to contact the board secretary at 505-467-2003 prior to the meeting to arrange that service.