SANTA FE — The Office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Nov. 12 announced her new chief of staff would be Matthew L. Garcia, as John Bingaman will step down to pursue other opportunities.
Bingaman served in the role since the outset of the administration,
Garcia previously served as the governor’s general counsel, leading the administration’s legal representation and strategy. Prior to that, he worked as one of the state’s top civil rights attorneys; earned his law degree from the University of New Mexico as well as a master’s degree from Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Mass. He also completed a Fulbright Fellowship at the Helsinki School of Economics.
Bingaman recently took a temporary leave of absence from the administration to advise the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden on the governor’s behalf in the final weeks of the campaign, during which time Garcia served as acting chief of staff.
Prior to his appointment as chief of staff, Bingaman was an investment professional and managed private investment partnerships in Santa Fe. He earned a degree in economics from Harvard College.
The governor named Holly Agajanian, an attorney most recently with the firm Hinkle Shanor LLP, as general counsel of her office.
Agajanian has extensive trial and courtroom experience representing public entities, corporations and individuals in a wide range of matters. Having earned an undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and her law degree from American University, Agajanian holds an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell, the highest peer rating for professional excellence in attorneys.
