New Mexico Children Youth and Families leadership poses in Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s cabinet room on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. From left, Kathy Kunkel, an incoming deputy secretary and former health secretary; acting CYFD Secretary Valerie Sandoval; and CYFD Chief Operating Officer Brenda Donald. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM)
The search for a leader of a new independent oversight office for children in New Mexico’s custody officially opened Friday, amid turnover in leadership at the state’s troubled child welfare agency.
Lawmakers passed House Bill 5 earlier this year to establish the independent Office of the Child Advocate, along with a selection committee to establish a pool of candidates for the governor’s final appointment for a six-year term. The new office, which is attached administratively to the state Department of Justice, marks the latest attempt to address ongoing problems in the state’s child welfare system.
The law requires the child advocate to be an attorney, licensed social worker or psychologist with at least five years of experience in child welfare or juvenile justice.
Applicants for New Mexico’s Office of the Child Advocate have until the end of October to submit a resume.
The position opens as the state Children, Youth and Families Department also undergoes a transition at the top.
CYFD Secretary Teresa Casados announced her immediate retirement on Sept. 5, with her departure following criticism about the state’s reform progress, as well as high-profile suicides of children in care in recent months that sparked investigations by state authorities.
In a discussion with reporters last week, CYFD officials said they intend to prioritize systematic improvements in the division and make progress in the landmark 2020 Kevin S. settlement brought on behalf of the state’s foster children.
“My vision is to accelerate the movement of CYFD, to move our performance measures in the right direction, to get a stable workforce, well trained, educated, and ready to reduce caseloads,” Acting CYFD Secretary Valerie Sandoval told reporters on Sept. 11.
Sandoval also introduced the current CYFD leadership team, which includes Kathy Kunkel, a previous health secretary for the state who had been consulting for the CYFD since January 2024; and Brenda Donald, the former child welfare secretary for Maryland.
State lawmakers have continued to scrutinize lack of progress in the Kevin S. settlement terms, which include releasing more data; providing adequate mental health care; and eliminating group settings for children in state custody.
After lackluster progress and missed deadlines by state agencies, the parties went into arbitration earlier this year.
Kayla Jankowski, the lead attorney for all plaintiffs’ attorneys in the Kevin S. case, told Source NM the turnover in CYFD leadership, while not ideal, may be the catalyst for better outcomes and policy change.
“This is an opportunity for the current secretary and a future leadership to make sure that Kevin S. is their number one priority,” Jankowski said. “It’s also an opportunity for the governor to become more involved and assist by contributing her leadership to implementing Kevin S.”
Native American Disability Law Center Executive Director Therese Yanan, who also represents one of the children in the initial lawsuit, agreed that the settlement terms provide the strongest framework for addressing the state’s child welfare problems.
“It hits everything that needs to be addressed as far as providing community-based placements for children, providing community-based services and keeping children safe,” Yanan said. “The reality is kids need to be with families — not in offices, not in congregate care, not in shelters, not in residential treatment.”
Charles Peifer, an Albuquerque attorney appointed as arbiter in the Kevin S. case, has ordered the state to make “continual and continuous process,” through December and invited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to personally attend upcoming hearings in October and November.
In a statement to Source NM, Jodi McGinnis Porter, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said Lujan Grisham would not be able to attend upcoming hearings on Oct. 7 or Nov. 20 due to “scheduling conflicts,” but would continue to meet with the independent monitors.
“The governor will continue to do everything in her power to ensure the safety of our children, as demonstrated by our recent changes to how the CARA program is administered,” McGinnis Porter said. “Governor Lujan Grisham is wholly committed to improving the well-being of every child in New Mexico, as evidenced by her commitment to free early childcare, school meals, and other initiatives.”
Sandoval, who has worked at CYFD since 2016, most recently as a deputy secretary for CYFD’s protective services and juvenile justice department, says she understands the public and lawmakers’ frustration.
“These cases are tragic for us too, they hit me hard every single time,” she said.
As for addressing longstanding issues, she said the department is going to be guided by the experts.
“We’re going to make a better child welfare system, using the tools we have,” she said.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
