As we bid farewell to our Chief Information Officer Ellen Dornan, the words that come to mind are “impossible to replace.” Ellen, who joined the New Mexico Humanities Council as Program Officer in 2016, worked with the Council as a consultant since 2001 providing IT support and training, serving as a National History Day judge and developing the Centennial Online Atlas of Historic New Mexico Maps.

Her journey with us here has been marked by significant personal and professional growth, culminating in her role as Chief Information Officer. She has had tremendous impact not just on the Council’s work but also in communities across the state. Her dedication and innovative spirit propelled the NMHC to new heights, and she has worked tirelessly to make the humanities accessible to all.

Throughout her time with us, she has led innovative projects such as Augmented Humanity, a podcast series that brought together artists, storytellers and academics to explore the intersection of technology and the humanities in New Mexico, nationally and internationally. Her ability to identify and forge partnerships also played a pivotal role in facilitating the archival project Manitos Community Memory Project; and she secured significant funding from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the creation of Southern New Mexico Heritage, an online tour of ancient archaeological sites and modern cultures of southeast New Mexico. These projects and programs represent just a small part of the breadth of her contributions.

We are immensely grateful for her contributions and leadership. While we will miss her presence and vision, we are pleased to tell you that this is not a final goodbye. Ellen will continue to be part of the NMHC by serving as a consultant. We hope you will join us in thanking Ellen for her dedication and hard work over these past years. If you’d like to reach out to her personally, she can be reached at Ellen@QueenEllen.com.