Tracy Hartzler

On Nov. 12, 2019, the Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) Governing Board unanimously selected Tracy Hartzler to become the sixth president of CNM. She officially began her presidency on Jan. 1, 2020. Before becoming CNM President, Ms. Hartzler was CNM’s Vice President for Finance and Operations and has been at CNM since 2015.

She has served the public sector for more than 25 years in education, government, and policy roles. Since 2011, Ms. Hartzler has played a significant role in shaping postsecondary education in New Mexico, first with the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee (LFC), and later with CNM. At the LFC, Ms. Hartzler served as the New Mexico Legislature’s expert on higher education policy and funding.

From 2009-2011, Ms. Hartzler served as Special Assistant Attorney General for the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission in Santa Fe, and from 2006-2009, she served as Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. During her time in these roles, Ms. Hartzler helped local, tribal, state and federal government elected and appointed leaders, as well as community advocates, solve complex problems.

In 2019, President Hartzler served all New Mexico public higher education institutions as the Governor’s appointee to the New Mexico State Investment Council.

President Hartzler earned her Juris Doctorate from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. She earned her Master of Education Degree from the University of Virginia with highest honors; and she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, from Saint Mary’s College in Indiana. She is a member of the New Mexico, Indiana (inactive), and District of Columbia Bars.