Maria Sanchez-Tucker Appointed Community Services Director
To Oversee Libraries, Senior Services, Youth Programs, and Recreation
January 25, 2022 -- City Manager John Blair has appointed Maria Sanchez-Tucker as the new Community Services Director for the City of Santa Fe. As part of the City’s ongoing reorganization to streamline city operations and create efficiencies and synergies to better serve residents, Community Services is now part of the Community Health and Safety Department, and this appointment coincides with the next level of reorganization in which Community Services will encompass Libraries, Senior Services, Youth Programs, and, newly, Recreation.
Sanchez-Tucker has served as the Library Division Director of the Santa Fe Public Library system since August of 2019. Prior to that, she spent 11 years as a library and museum manager at the Pueblo City-County Library District in Pueblo, Colorado, an award-winning library system. As Manager of the Special Collections and Museum Services Department, Sanchez-Tucker was responsible for several large projects, including capital improvement projects, which received national recognition. Throughout her career, her management skills have supported creative, customer-service-oriented teams.
Sanchez-Tucker is originally from Pueblo, Colorado. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico, a Master of Arts in Museum Science from Texas Tech University, and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Kyra Ochoa, Director of the Community Health and Safety Department, says: “In the three years that Maria has directed Santa Fe Public Libraries, she has forged important partnerships with the Santa Fe Public Schools, museums and arts organizations, and community non-profits, all of which has resulted in increased access for children and adults to innovative programs that truly enhance our community’s quality of life. Her experience in developing and maintaining first-rate public facilities has been a tremendous asset as she’s led the library system through the pandemic, instituting COVID-safe practices and ensuring staff and patron safety. We are lucky to have her take on a larger role supporting Santa Fe’s community centers and the rich programming we offer.”
Maria Sanchez-Tucker says: “I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to serve the City of Santa Fe in this role. Now more than ever, strong community services are needed to support the health, education, and well-being of our entire community. I look forward to working to ensure that our recreation centers, libraries, youth programs, and senior services are community-focused, innovative, and equitable, providing the best services possible to support a thriving community.”
A search will be conducted for Recreation Department and Library Directors.