Susana Martinez Keynote Speaker

New Mexico’s first female governor and the first minority (Hispanic) female governor in the history of the United States
Former Chairwoman (2016) and long-time executive committee member of the Republican Governors Association (RGA)
Named as Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (2013)

Susana Martinez's Biography

In 2010, Susana Martinez was elected governor of the State of New Mexico. She became New Mexico’s first female governor and the first minority (Hispanic) female governor in the history of the United States. Prior to being elected governor, Martinez was a prosecutor for almost 25 years along the nation’s southern border and served as Third Judicial District Attorney for over half that time. As governor, she prioritized keeping New Mexico’s communities safe, ensuring all students receive a high-quality education, and diversifying and growing the state’s economy.

Governor Martinez’s two terms were marked by many successes including eliminating a historic $450 million inherited deficit of a $5.6 billion budget and leaving the state in 2018 with a $2.2 billion surplus; job growth at a 12-year high; improving the state’s high school graduation rate to an all time high; and implementing a number of public safety initiatives.

Governor Martinez won re-election to her second term in 2014 by the largest margin of any Republican gubernatorial candidate in modern history, earning substantial support from Democratic and Independent voters in rural and urban areas alike. She served alongside a democratically controlled legislature throughout her time in office, with the exception of a two-year period of Republican control of one chamber. She was named as Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (2013) and served as a chairman and long-time executive committee member of the Republican Governors Association (RGA). Governor Martinez earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and later earned her law degree from the University of Oklahoma School of Law, where she was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2019.

Governor Martinez serves as a Board Member for the Daniels Fund, Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), American Edge Project, Vice Chair of the Hunt-Kean Institute Board, Executive Advisory Board of Reformers Academy, Institute for Health Policy Accountability, an Advisory Board Member for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, an Honorary Board Member for the David Westphal Veteran’s Foundation and the Heart Gallery of New Mexico and Honorary Chair of Right Direction Women.

At the Border: Building Bridges, Building Walls

As a 25-year criminal prosecutor along New Mexico’s southern border and a Hispanic governor who collaborated with the leaders of Mexican states to plan and build a crossborder binational community, Susana Martinez is uniquely suited to speak to the American possibilities in our relationship with Mexico.

She brings a sense of reason, nuance, and context when discussing the ever-polarizing subject of immigration, arguing with great conviction that properly securing the border does not conflict with, but in fact helps facilitate, an increasingly vital economic partnership with countries south of the border and a fair immigration system for all.

Whether working with Chihuahua’s governor to find and extradite two accused child killers from New Mexico who were hiding in Mexico, fighting a years-long battle to end the practice of issuing a standard New Mexico driver’s license to those in the country illegally, or driving New Mexico’s export growth through the southern border to record highs, Susana Martinez offers a grounded and important perspective on what the future holds on one of the most significant policy frontiers of our time.

Crime Fighter

As a tough prosecutor for over 25 years specializing in prosecuting child physical and sexual abuse, child and adult homicide, and gang and corruption cases, Governor Martinez made fighting crime a top priority.

From cracking down on DWIs to implementing strong reforms targeting child abuse and increasing pay for law enforcement officers and corrections officers, Governor Martinez passed a wide array of crime-fighting measures.

These initiatives include prosecuting Katie Sepich’s killer and fighting as District Attorney for the original Katie’s Law. As Governor, Martinez expanded Katie’s Law to require DNA samples from those arrested for all felonies to be compared to DNA detected in unsolved cases.

She signed Racheal’s Law, legislation that protects victims of sexual assault from their abusers by allowing courts to grant permanent restraining orders against convicted sexual predators. She also fought for and secured $1.2 million in the FY17 budget to begin clearing the backlog of over 5,000 evidence kits from sexual assaults and cracked down on repeat offenders.

Governor Martinez worked to close the revolving door for violent and repeat offenders and strengthen release criteria to protect communities and ensure accountability.

Issues of the Day: Finding Solutions and Common Ground in a Diverse, Polarized Nation

Drawing on her experience as a two-term, Hispanic governor of a majority-minority state, Susana Martinez shares her unique perspective on America’s future.

A former Democrat who once famously remarked to her husband, “I’ll be damned, we’re Republicans!”, Susana comfortably channels the aspirations and frustrations of the American people in calling for an elevated and results-oriented discourse on the topics that so easily divide our country.

Rejecting tribalism and political labels, she urges a renewed bipartisan focus on the issues emblematic of American excellence and leadership: a dynamic and innovative economy, a strong well-trained military, an unbending commitment to democratic values and human rights, and an opportunity for every child to receive a quality education and live the American Dream.

It’s a Different World Out There: Leadership in the States

States are often referred to as “laboratories of democracy.” Former New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez argues they are increasingly becoming the central battlefields for the nation’s most difficult policy fights, in part due to dysfunction in Washington.

If bipartisan problem-solving doesn’t happen in our statehouses, if polarization permeates state legislatures, and if reform and innovation are stifled by powerful special interests, what does the future hold?

States must balance budgets, oversee public education, make key healthcare decisions like Medicaid expansion, compete for jobs and business investment, and respond to natural disasters and crises.

A hard-charging education advocate from an energy-rich state, Susana discusses how to navigate these issues and describes the indispensable executive leadership required to make progress in today’s political climate.

“En America, Todo es Posible!”: A Defense of the American Dream

For Susana Martinez, the American Dream is the story of her life.

A little girl who grew up along the southern border, she worked as a security guard at age 18 for her parents’ small business while carrying a Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum. She followed her dreams to law school, became a respected prosecutor for 25 years advocating for abused children and sexual assault survivors, and was later elected New Mexico’s first female governor and the first minority (Hispanic) female governor in U.S. history.

She passionately defends the promise of America as the possibility of a better life and brighter tomorrow, while addressing the threats that must be confronted today.

Nicknamed “la abogadita” (“little lawyer”) by her grandmother, Susana’s courage and determination run deep—her father was a Marine and Golden Gloves boxing champion, and her great-grandfather served under Pancho Villa. Serving others has been her life’s calling, and she shares an inspiring perspective on ensuring every child has the opportunity to live their own American Dream.

Our Children Are Not Democrats or Republicans: Governor Martinez’s Commitment to Education

Governor Susana Martinez has dedicated her entire career to the success of our children. She believes that when children have the opportunity to learn, they secure better-paying jobs, rely less on government programs, and avoid ending up on the wrong side of the legal system.

From bold reforms to raising academic standards, she worked to close persistent achievement gaps. Under her leadership, New Mexico’s graduation rates increased by 11 percentage points to an all-time high of 74%, fewer graduates required remedial coursework, and the four-year college graduation rate doubled.

Governor Martinez invested in teachers by raising starting salaries, significantly expanding Pre-K and early childhood initiatives, strengthening literacy programs, funding tutoring for at-risk students, and launching mentoring programs for teachers and principals.

She emphasizes a simple truth: our children are not Democrats or Republicans—they simply deserve a good education.