Our Team
About the Economic Development Cabinet
The cabinet’s purpose is to:
- Promote the importance and value of university-led economic development throughout the NMSU system.
- Collaboratively determine overarching economic development goals for the NMSU system.
- Cultivate external (i.e., off-campus) partnerships with stakeholders who can help to advance economic development goals.
- Assist in positioning the NMSU system for success in securing funding and support for economic development efforts.
- Set strategic priorities for the NMSU economic development mission.
- Provide direction to the NMSU Economic Development Team whose purpose is the implementation of economic development strategic priorities.
The cabinet membership is based on areas of university influence suggested by Harvard Business professor Michael Porter in his article, “Colleges and Universities and Regional Economic Development: A Strategic Perspective.” The areas of university economic contributions and members represented on the cabinet include:
Executive Leadership
Luis Cifuentes, Vice President for Research, Creativity and Economic Development
Advisor and Network Builder
Kathryn Hansen, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Arrowhead Center
Technology Transformer and Incubator
Patricia Marquez Knighten, Director of Innovation Commercialization in the Office of Intellectual Property at Arrowhead Center
Workforce Development
Monica Torres, President of Doña Ana Community College
Real Estate
Scott Eschenbrenner, Chief Executive Officer of Aggie Development
About the Economic Development Team
The team comprises campus leaders who recognize the value of economic development and how it is influenced by the university. The team used the fall semester of 2022 to define, analyze, and plan intentional economic development activities to be implemented moving forward. The result was a thoughtful list of activities that have the potential for short- and long-term improvements in our region.
Members of the team are:
Eric Sanchez, Physical Science Laboratory
Chris Erickson, College of Business
Kathryn Hansen, Arrowhead Center
Luis Cifuentes, Research, Creativity and Strategic Initiatives
Rolando Flores Galarza, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Enrico Pontelli, College of Arts and Sciences
Bryan Ashenbaum, College of Business
Yoshi Iwasaki, College of Health, Education and Social Transformation
Lakshmi Reddi, College of Engineering
Marcella Shelby, Physical Science Laboratory
Jay Lillywhite, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Patricia Marquez Knighten, Arrowhead Center
Patricia Sullivan, Office of Strategic Initiatives
Monica Torres, Doña Ana Community College
Scott Eschenbrenner, Aggie Development
Amanda Bradford, Marketing and Communications