About ECECD
VISION: All New Mexico families and young children are thriving
MISSION: Optimize the health, development, education, and well-being of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers through a family-driven, equitable, community-based system of high-quality prenatal and early childhood programs and services.
In 2019, Gov. Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Legislature created the Early Childhood Education and Care Department. The Department officially launched on July 1, 2020.
The Department’s aim is to create a more cohesive, equitable, and effective early childhood system in New Mexico. That means coordinating a continuum of programs from prenatal to five—and ensuring that families in every corner of the state can access the services they need. This work is informed by New Mexico’s Birth-Five Needs Assessment (Spanish version here) and the related Native American Perspectives report, which include feedback from thousands of New Mexicans.
The Department also oversees child care programs—as well as food and nutrition programs—that serve older children and families.
ECECD's Executive Leadership
ECECD Leadership Contacts and Organizational Chart
Updated August 2025
Elizabeth Groginsky
Cabinet Secretary
Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky was appointed by Governor Lujan Grisham in Nov. 2019 to be the first cabinet secretary for the state’s new Early Childhood Education and Care Department. During her tenure, Secretary Groginsky has established New Mexico at the forefront of early childhood education and care, achieving universal free, full-day, PreK for four-year-olds, increasing compensation for early childhood professionals, and creating the most expansive child care assistance program in the nation.
The Secretary has nearly three decades of experience in early childhood at the local, state, and national levels. Before moving to New Mexico, Secretary Groginsky served as the Assistant Superintendent for Early Learning at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in the District of Columbia. She has a distinguished track record as a leader and innovator in early childhood.
Dr. Joannie M. Suina
Assistant Secretary for Native American Early Education and Care
Dr. Joannie M. Suina (Pueblo of Cochiti) was appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham as the Assistant Secretary for Native American Early Childhood Education and Care at ECECD, effective June 23, 2025.
Dr. Suina brings a deep commitment to Indigenous education, healing-centered leadership, and culturally grounded community engagement. A long-standing advocate for Tribal sovereignty and Native families, she most recently served as the Special Projects Coordinator at the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department.
In this role, Dr. Suina helps ensure that New Mexico’s Nations, Pueblos, and Tribes are represented at the highest levels of decision-making within ECECD. Dr. Suina leads efforts to strengthen Tribal consultation, expand access to culturally and linguistically relevant early childhood programs, and foster partnerships with Tribal governments rooted in respect, reciprocity, and sovereignty.
Kendal Chavez
Deputy Secretary
Kendal Chavez was appointed by Governor Lujan Grisham as Deputy Secretary at ECECD, effective August 18, 2025. She has deep expertise at the intersection of education, public health, food, and child and family well-being, with over 15 years of experience in the public sector.
Before joining the ECECD, Chavez served as a Policy Advisor to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, leading the administration’s priorities in food and agriculture, early childhood education, and child well-being. She collaborated across state agencies to design, implement, and evaluate policies and programs that created meaningful change for New Mexico communities. Her experience also includes roles in chronic disease prevention and nutrition at the Public Education Department and more than a decade in community-based settings.
Chavez holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University.
Ariana Quinones-Miranda
Deputy Secretary
Ariana Quinones-Miranda was appointed by Governor Lujan Grisham as Deputy Secretary at ECECD, effective February 24, 2025. She has dedicated her career to policy and advocacy, with a focus on children, families, and vulnerable residents.
Prior to her current role, she was a division manager at the DC Child & Family Services Agency. She also served as Vice President of Otero Strategy Group, LLC, a public policy consulting firm specializing in early care and education, K-12 education, health, and human services. Quinones-Miranda has been deeply involved in education reform efforts in the District of Columbia and nationally since the 1990s. Her extensive experience includes roles with the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services for the Government of the District of Columbia and leadership positions at various non-profits and advocacy organizations.
Quinones-Miranda holds a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and mass communication from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Juris Doctor from the University of the District of Columbia School of Law.