Reception, Panel Discussion Celebrate Alice King

Alice King, the former first lady of New Mexico, was honored for her role in modern New Mexico public policy during a panel presentation and reception on May 21 at the UNM School of Law.

King died in early December 2008 after suffering a stroke. She was the wife of Gov. Bruce King and worked tirelessly throughout her adult life to improve the lives of New Mexico's children.

She is credited with creating the state's Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), was chair of the New Mexico Children's Trust Fund and was a major supporter of the Carrie Tingley Children's Hospital.

Laura Threet, co-chair of the Bruce King Reading Room and Archives Committee, chaired a panel comprised of people who worked closely with King on her initiatives.
The panelists were:

• Nancy Jo Archer, CEO of Hogares, Inc. and chair of Voices for Children. She also served on the task force that created CYFD.
• Caroline Gaston, a consultant with the Annie E. Casey Foundation. She was an assistant to Alice King in the last King Administration.
• Jolene Maes, an Early Childhood Program consultant for the City of Albuquerque. She was staff director for the task force that created CYFD.
• Wayne Powell, associate director of the Office of the Vice President for Community Health at the UNM Health Sciences Center. He was the first cabinet secretary of CYFD.
• David R. Schmidt, director of the New Mexico Council on Crime and Delinquency. He worked with Alice King on rewriting the Children's Code.