Joanna Prukop, Secretary

Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources Department

Ms. Joanna Prukop was appointed Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department on January 1, 2003. 

As Cabinet Secretary, Ms. Prukop oversees the State Parks Division, the State Forestry Division, the Oil Conservation Division, the Mining and Minerals Division, and the Energy Conservation and Management Division. Additionally, she has administrative oversight of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Transportation Coordinator and the Youth Conservation Corps. In addition, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is administratively attached to the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.

Ms. Prukop chairs the Clean Energy Development Council, the Natural Lands Protection Committee, the Western Interstate Energy Board, and the Radioactive Waste Consultation Executive committee, is the co-chair of the Clean and Diversified Energy Advisory Council and is secretary on the New Mexico Finance Authority. She serves on the Drought Task Force, the Water Trust Board, the Governor’s Cabinet, the Governor’s Finance Council, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, WERC: A Consortium for Environmental Education and Technology Development board, the Youth Conservation Corps Commission board, the Forest and Watershed Health Planning executive committee, the executive committee of thew New Mexico Homeland Security Advisory Council, New Mexico Resource Leaders and was appointed by the Governor to the Litter Control Council. In addition, Prukop is the past chair of the Mule Deer Foundation.

Prior to joining the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Ms. Prukop worked as project leader with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Her responsibilities included a special project called the Management Assistance Team, where Ms. Prukop served as a consultant to the 50 state wildlife agencies on organizational management and agency effectiveness issues.

Ms. Prukop worked for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish for 26 years, retiring from that agency in September of 2002. While with the Game and Fish Department she served as a commissioned wildlife conservation officer, a public affairs specialist and served as the Division Chief for Northeast Field Operations in Raton for 16 years. 

During her career with the Game and Fish Department she also led the agency’s comprehensive management systems team, worked on special projects for the Game Commission, was active in policy development, and was involved in regional and national wildlife management initiatives.

Ms. Prukop has received numerous awards and honors including recognition by her peers in 2000 when she received the Wildlife Professional of the Year Award from the New Mexico Chapter of The Wildlife Society. 

She was the principle author of a White Paper on The Future of the North American Model of Fish & Wildlife Conservation that was unanimously adopted by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies at its 100th Anniversary Celebration in September 2002.

Ms. Prukop holds a bachelor of science degree in wildlife science, summa cum laude, from Texas A&M University, and a master of science in wildlife biology from Colorado State University.