Diane D. Denish is the first woman to be elected Lt. Governor in New Mexico. A lifelong New Mexican, Ms. Denish was raised in Hobbs and has lived, worked and come to know residents throughout the state. She is the former chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico and for twelve years owned a successful small business. Named one of the Top 100 New Mexicans in honor of her community leadership, the lieutenant governor has served as Chair of New Mexico First, New Mexico Community Foundation, the state's Commission on the Status of Women and the New Mexico Tech Board of Regents.
During her time in office she has fought to improve education by expanding pre-Kindergarten programs across the state and getting stage agencies to band together to prepare the "Educonomy" of our future workforce. She signed into law bills creating the Children's Cabinet and the Next Generation Fund to support positive after-school activities. She led the Health Coverage for All New Mexicans Committee and will push to extend insurance to all of New Mexico's 400,000 uninsured in the 2008 session.
The lieutenant governor has held 25 small business forums throughout the state to connect businesses with public and private programs. She has successfully pushed for programs that provide microloans and other forms of capital to businesses. She brokered an agreement on new payday lending regulations and reform of the Regional Housing Authority. And she led the effort to provide home loan protection that has helped New Mexico consumers avoid high-cost mortgages.
She has cracked down on criminals who endanger children and successfully lobbied for Katie's Law, requiring DNA samples from anyone arrested for a crime.
Her numerous honors include PNM's Entrepreneur Advocate of the Year (2006); WesstCorp's New Mexico Entrepreneurial Advocate of the year (2006); Leadership New Mexico's Distinguished Alumnus Award (2006); the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award (2005); Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce's Excellence in Education Award (2005); the Women Impacting Public Policy New Mexico Legislative Leadership Award (2004); and the American Academy of Pediatrics' Child Health Advocate (2004).
This year, she is to receive the University of New Mexico's James F. Zimmerman Award for outstanding alumni.
In addition to her official duties, Diane also serves on the Daniels Fund Board of Directors and, as a niece to the late Bill Daniels, is the only family member currently on the Board. She is married to Herb Denish and has three children and two grandchildren.
