Melanie Majors Melanie Majors has an extensive public relations and communication background with more than 25 years in the industry. She is an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico’s Communications and Journalism Department. Majors was a print reporter for seven years and later was an assistant assignment editor and a producer for KOB-TV 4. She has vast experience in strategic planning, crisis management, employee management, as well as the research, writing and distribution of news releases; writing and producing new promotions; public service announcements and advertising sales commercials.

Her past clients have included the U. S. Department of Energy, U. S. Trade and Development Agency and the U. S. Department of Commerce as well as Devon Energy Corporation, Forest city Covington NM LLC, Lovelace Health Systems, New Mexico State Engineer, Albuquerque Police Officers Association, and the New Mexico State Fair. For these and other clients, Majors had specialized in speech writing, planned media, writing and distributing news releases, advertising and other media relations. Melanie Majors is the recipient of numerous awards from the New Mexico Press Association, New Mexico Press Women, the Associated Press Managing Editors and the New Mexico Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, which honored her with the Vista Award in 2008.

Eric F. Garcia is the Director of the Department of Public Safety for the City of Espanola.

Garcia retired from the New Mexico State Police in December 2012. Beginning as a patrolman in Santa Rosa, he was stationed in Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Espanola. Garcia was a member of the Uniform Bureau; Governor’s Executive Protection Detail, Training and Recruiting and was the chief public information officer. He was an instructor for the State Police driving program and taught Critical Incident Management, Incident Command System, Instructor Developer and DWI recognition at the State Police Academy. He is a graduate of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Leadership in Police Organization Course. Garcia held the rank of lieutenant at his retirement.

Garcia has been a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice. In addition, he is a veteran, having served in the U. S. Air Force.

In his new position, Garcia manages operations for the Espanola police and fire department, emergency medical services, the detention center, animal control and the records bureau.