Children and Youth Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and City Council. They all possess a wide range of experience working with young people in our community.

Sue Anne Herrmann, Esq., Chair
Ms. Herrmann is a practicing attorney and the parent of two former Santa Fe public school children. She served as an officer and member of three public school parent-teacher organizations, and as an officer of and advisor to the Santa Fe Girls School Board of Directors. She is active in the New Mexico State Bar Association, has volunteered as a judge for the New Mexico Mock Trial Competition since 1991, and has been active in neighborhood associations. Sue wants physical education in every elementary school as part of the regular curriculum. 

Thomas Bustamante, CFP
Mr. Bustamante is a Managing Member and owner of Bustamante Financial Planning, LLC.  He provides financial planning and investment advisory services.  Thomas has over 30 years experience in the banking, trust, investment and financial planning industry.  Thomas obtained his Certified Financial Planner certification in 1986 and has held this certification long than anyone in Santa Fe.  A native of Belen, he moved to Santa Fe in 1979.  Thomas graduated in 1979 from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Business Finance.  He was manager of the Bank of Santa Fe Trust Department from 1988-2002.  In 2002-2011, he held the positions of Investment Manager and Wealth Advisor at Wells Fargo Private Bank.  He is past Chair of the Santa Fe Community Foundation and past president of the Santa Fe Civitan Club and the Estate Planning Council of Santa Fe.  His wife, Betty, is a native of Ranchos de Taos and is a registered nurse at Christus St. Vincent Hospital Women's Services.

Dolores Fidel, RN
Ms. Fidel’s work as a nurse with the Santa Fe Public Schools included serving as the Director of Health and Nursing Services.  In that position, Dolores was instrumental in convincing the School Board to establish Teen Health Clinics that included family planning. The health of young people continues to be a primary concern for Dolores, who works as a nurse part-time at La Familia Medical Center Southside with infants, children and youth and adults.  She has also worked with elderly patients.  She has experience volunteering at Villa Therese Eye Clinic and has served on a number of boards, including the SF Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army.  Dolores has a particular interest in reproductive health.  

Ernestine B. Gallegos de Hagman

Ms. Hagman has a particular interest in young people whose talents may not be recognized within a traditional classroom setting. She is a long time resident of Santa Fe, a retired public school teacher who taught for many years at Santa Fe Vo-Tech High School and at Santa Fe High School. She holds a secondary education degree with social studies and language arts as her primary teaching fields as well as a master's degree in guidance and counseling. As an active community volunteer, she serves as the Education Fund Chairman of the Santa Fe League of Women Voters and was a member of the Santa Fe Public Schools Strategic Planning Over-sight Committee. Proud of her cultural heritage, she also is a member of La Sociedad Folklorica.  Ernestine wants more engaging after school activities for middle school students and young high school students.

Suzanne Gebhart, M.D.
Dr. Gebhart is Professor Emerita in the School of Medicine, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a retired endocrinologist, the former director of the Emory Clinic Diabetes Unit and researcher in insulin resistance and diabetes. She moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in August 2007 where she worked at La Familia Medical Center and then establish a private practice. She chaired the City of Santa Fe Task Force on Healthy Lifestyles for Children and Adolescents in 2008. Recommendations from that task force were adopted by the City Council in August 2008. Suzanne has a passion for promoting health and preventing obesity in children. To this end, and as a member of the Santa Fe Master Gardener’s Association, she would like children to experience the benefits of growing and eating their own fresh vegetables and fruit.

Joanne Lefrak
Ms. Lefrak is the Education and Catalogue Manager at SITE Santa Fe.  She has a passion for arts education and visual literacy. Specializing in working with teenagers, Joanne has expanded SITE’s outreach to include all of the region’s high schools and high school programs.  Leading SITE’s Young Curators program, Lefrak facilitates the production and organization of exhibitions with teenagers. Lefrak also manages the internship program for undergraduate and graduate students and facilitates Visual Thinking Strategies for elementary and junior high school students.  Joanne wants young people to have more opportunities for creative expression, community involvement and meaningful work experience. 

Michael Multari
Mr. Multari is the founder and Executive Director of Breakthrough Santa Fe, a tuition-free program in which talented high school and college students teach middle school students with limited educational opportunities the academic, organizational and social skills they will need to succeed in competitive high schools on a college path. His work with this program has provided him with a unique insight into the daily troubles that students and families face. Mike wants to continue helping community programs to support our city's youth better.  He believes it is imperative that we work side-by-side with community leaders, communicate directly with public school officials, students and their families, and listen to what they need. He says, “Only together can we make Santa Fe a place where all kids have an opportunity to discover success.”