Balderas' new counsel at Northern quit AG's Office after arrest

May 3—Northern New Mexico College President Hector Balderas has assembled a new executive team that includes three of his former employees in the Attorney General's Office.

Among them is a high-profile staffer who resigned after a highly publicized drunken-driving arrest.

Matt Baca, who served as spokesman and chief counsel of the AG's Office during Balderas' tenure as attorney general, has been hired as Northern's general counsel — a new position at the Española-based college that pays $110,000 a year.

Baca, like other members of the executive team, has "exceptional professional skills," Balderas, who became president of Northern in January after serving two terms as AG, said in an interview Wednesday.

"Matt's high-level performance professionally is a strength, but also, he's overcome some past challenges and been held accountable," he said. "He's a story of redemption."

Balderas said his leadership team has "significant legal, policy and public administration experience."

"I took into account individuals' levels of experience, but for me, it was even more important that I hired individuals that could really take on historic corruption, waste and mismanagement and also an ability to connect with the community and Rio Arriba [County]," he said. "All of these individuals have both the professional skills to take on an enforcement role, but also they have a cultural connection to the region."

In a written statement, Balderas said he has a mandate from the Board of Regents and the community "to clean up the financial mess from 2017 to 2022, and I have assembled a team that will do this, while we also prioritize increasing funding for students and faculty."

At The New Mexican's request, Northern provided a list of Balderas' executive staff members and their salaries. They include employees he appointed or whose appointments he continued.

* Dr. Denise Montoya is the college's new vice president for finance and administration, as well as chief of staff. Montoya, who is earning $176,748 a year, previously served as associate vice president for finance, administration and government relations at New Mexico Highlands University.

* Dr. Ivan Lopez will continue to serve as provost and vice president for academic affairs. His annual salary is $176,748.

* Theresa Story, who served as Financial Control Division director and chief financial officer in the AG's Office since 2017, is now Northern's chief financial/compliance officer. She is being paid $132,000 a year.

* Scott Stokes, who worked as chief information officer in the AG's Office since 2015, has taken that position at Northern at a salary of $133,000 a year.

* Ken Lucero, Northern's new human resources director, last worked for Highlands as human resources generalist from February 2016 to June 2017, according to his résumé. His annual salary at Northern is $95,880.

Baca's résumé shows he managed a solo law practice and worked with New Mexico Legal Aid to provide general counsel services to New Mexico acequias and land grants after he stepped down from the Attorney General's Office.

In October 2021, Santa Fe police arrested Baca on suspicion of aggravated DWI after he crashed into a parked car on Garcia Street. At the time, police reported Baca smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech, dilated pupils and watery eyes, as well as "a very dry tongue with heat bumps and a green distinct film which are consistent with the use of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)," the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana.

Two months later, Baca pleaded no contest to driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs. As part of a plea deal, he was placed on supervised probation for 364 days and ordered to perform 24 hours of community service.

Balderas said Baca "accepted accountability and responsibility in the legal system" and now serves as a role model for others.

Baca's personal story is also one that many in Rio Arriba County, which has one of the highest rates of alcohol-related death is New Mexico, can relate to, Balderas said.

"Considering that this college is in Rio Arriba and we serve a community that has struggled with a lot of the same disorders and challenges, he's a good fit for our college," he said.

"He's someone who's contributing to the team, and I have full confidence in his new chapter of renewal," he added.

Before Balderas took the helm at Northern, the college contracted for legal services with three outside law firms.

"The [Board of Regents] and I thought it was very critical to have internal legal compliance," said Balderas, who pointed to a recent letter of concern from the Office of the State Auditor over the fiscal year 2022 audits of the college and its foundation.

"We felt that the campus needed daily legal counsel, and we thought it was better value to go internal," he said.

Balderas, whose base salary is $232,500 a year, said Montoya, Northern's new new vice president for finance and administration and chief of staff, also is "supporting the vacant comptroller position."

Montoya was among the applicants for the president's job at Northern, he said.

"With her credentials, she should have been the finalist," he said. "She should have been my competition."

He defended the hires, contending his administration hasn't increased payroll costs.

"Up to this point, we have spent less money than the previous administration with the same roster of positions, top to bottom," he said.

Follow Daniel J. Chacón on Twitter @danieljchacon.