THE NEW MEXICO FOUNDATION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Board of Directors of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government announced this week that Melanie Majors, whose 25-year professional career in New Mexico has spanned the fields of journalism, communications and public relations, is the organization’s new executive director.

Founded in 1989, FOG is a non-profit organization with a singular mission to educate and advocate on behalf of transparency in government.

Majors served on the FOG board of directors until stepping down in April to fill in as interim director. She takes the reins as the permanent director on Aug. 1.

“Melanie has proven time and again her commitment to and understanding of FOG’s mission through her service on the board, and most recently when she stepped in as interim director,” said Karen Moses, NMFOG president. “She also brings her experience as a private businesswoman and communications expert to the table.”

Through seminars and its information Hotline, NM FOG helps the general public, students, educators, public officials, media and legal professionals understand, obtain and exercise their rights and responsibilities under New Mexico’s “sunshine laws.” Those laws include the Inspection of Public Records Act, the Open Meetings Act and the Arrest Record Information Act.

The nonpartisan organization also strives to educate the public about the importance of the First Amendment and lobbies for open government. As a last resort, it will also litigate on behalf of transparency.

Majors has more than 25 years of communications experience including stints in newspapers, magazines, television and public relations. She started her career as a reporter for the Grants Daily Beacon and went on to work at KOB-TV. Most recently, she owned and operated her own public relations firm, The Majors Company, as well as serving as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico, teaching broadcast and print journalism as well as public relations.

She is the recipient of numerous awards from the New Mexico Press Association, New Mexico Press Women, the Associated Press Managing Editors and the New Mexico Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, which honored her with the Vista Award in 2008.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding IPRA or the Open Meetings Act, you can contact the Hotline at 1-505- NMFOG-01 (663-6401) or call 505-764-3750.

“Transparency and the public’s right to know are coming under attack from numerous fronts,” Moses said. “We are pleased to welcome Melanie onboard at this critical time as FOG takes on these challenges.”