30 Oct Our 2024 Endorsements for the New Mexico Public Education Commission
The New Mexico Public Education Commission serves as the sole statewide authorizer for New Mexico charter schools. As elected officials, commissioners play a vital role in supporting, monitoring, and authorizing New Mexico charter schools. We endorse Public Education Commission candidates who share our commitment to Excellence, Options, Transparency, and Innovation. New Mexico students and families deserve access to high-quality public school options, and our endorsed candidates will work to deliver these options.
District 1: Sam Obenshain
A longtime educator and former principal of Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School, one of New Mexico’s highest-performing charter schools. Sam brings extensive educational leadership experience and a proven commitment to academic excellence. His firsthand experience leading a successful charter school makes him uniquely qualified to evaluate and support charter school initiatives across the state.
District 4: Rebekka Kay Burt
Currently serving District 4 since 2021, Bekka brings a unique blend of education and business expertise. A New Mexico native, she began her career as a middle school Language Arts teacher in Rio Rancho Public Schools before transitioning to policy work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and an MBA from New Mexico Highlands University. As Director of Education & Business Outreach for an Albuquerque tech company, she combines her educational background with business acumen. Her experience includes policy analysis for Albuquerque City Council and serving as Director of Community Engagement for the New Mexico Public Education Department.
District 8: Michael Taylor
A practicing orthodontist with 13 years of charter school governance experience on the Sidney Gutierrez Middle School Governing Council, Dr. Taylor brings valuable perspective as both a business owner and longtime charter school advocate. His commitment to education extends beyond his board service through community involvement and support of youth programs. He holds degrees from The College of Idaho and Creighton University, and has practiced in Roswell, Ruidoso, and Artesia for nearly 30 years. Dr. Taylor is dedicated to improving education in New Mexico by supporting quality charter schools and ensuring strong accountability measures.
District 9: K.T. Manis, Ph.D.
A Hobbs native and successful entrepreneur, Dr. Manis combines business acumen with distinguished academic expertise. He serves on faculty at Texas Tech University’s Rawls College of Business and has published in leading journals including the Journal of Business Research and Harvard Business Review. His research focuses on technology-marketing interfaces and educational innovation, earning him multiple awards for his contributions to research. Dr. Manis operates businesses in both New Mexico and Texas, bringing valuable entrepreneurial perspective to charter school oversight and development.
District 10: Steve Carillo
A former Santa Fe Public Schools Board member with nine years of service, Steve brings extensive experience in education governance and policy. His diverse background includes business ownership, financial services, and community organizing, providing a well-rounded perspective on charter school authorization and accountability. Steve’s commitment to education is driven by his firsthand experience as a parent and his belief in the vital role of public charter schools in fostering economic development. His collaborative approach to problem-solving and dedication to educational equity make him a valuable advocate for New Mexico’s charter school system.