Our Team
David Alire Garcia, Managing Editor
David Alire Garcia is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of New Mexico. His writing has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Austin American Statesman and Hispanic magazine, among other publications. Prior to joining NMI, Alire Garcia worked stints as staff writer for the Santa Fe Reporter as well as editorial writer and columnist for the Albuquerque Journal. He also co-hosts New Mexico In Focus, a weekly public affairs television program broadcast on PBS affiliate KNME. David can be reached at david@newmexicoindependent.com
Trip Jennings, News Editor
Trip Jennings has worked in newspapers for nearly 20 years, including the Albuquerque Journal, where he reported on Gov. Bill Richardson, the New Mexico Legislature and state government. In addition to New Mexico, Trip has worked in Georgia, California, Florida and Connecticut where he covered a governor who went to federal prison for corruption. Trip can be reached at tjennings@newmexicoindependent.com
Benito Aragon, Fellow
Benito Aragon is a native of Albuquerque’s North Valley. He has a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from The University of New Mexico and a Masters in Mass Communication with a Specialization in Documentary Video Production from the University of Florida. He currently works in the non-profit health care sector in Albuquerque. Benito’s areas of coverage for NMI are health care, military and veteran’s issues and culture. You can reach him at benito@newmexicoindependent.com
Barbara Armijo, Fellow
Barbara Armijo has spent 21 years as a journalist, most of those years with the Albuquerque Journal. She worked in almost every corner of the newsroom as a sports reporter, features writer, general assignments reporter and business reporter. She spent the last few years on the Journal’s editorial board before leaving the newspaper to pursue a teaching and freelance career. She plans to teach new media literacy, including newspaper, radio, TV, web blogging and other forms of electronic media, for the new Atrisco Heritage Academy. Barbara also is a freelance magazine writer and editor. Barb can be reached at barmijo@newmexicoindependent.com
John Arnold, Fellow
John Arnold is a Santa Fe-based freelance writer and video producer who covers New Mexico’s national labs, energy issues and politics for the New Mexico Independent. A West Virginia native, John has worked as television reporter and staff writer at news organizations in Maryland, the Carolinas and New Mexico, including KOAT-TV and the Albuquerque Journal. You can reach John at jarnold@newmexicoindependent.comMarjorie Childress, Fellow
Marjorie Childress lives and works in Albuquerque. She is one of the voices behind m-pyre, a local blog founded in 2004. She has a graduate degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico, and works for the SouthWest Organizing Project. She primarily writes about land development & growth and issues of ethics & accountability in government. You can reach Marjorie at mchildress@newmexicoindependent.com
Gwyneth Doland, Fellow
Gwyneth Doland was a columnist and editor at the Santa Fe Reporter and Weekly Alibi before joining the New Mexico Independent. A native of Washington, D.C., she has lived in Albuquerque since 1994. Over the past decade, Gwyneth has written widely on food, politics, and food politics, among other things. You can reach Gwyneth at gdoland@newmexicoindependent.com
Joel Gay, Fellow
Joel Gay is a longtime journalist who grew up in Albuquerque but spent nearly 30 years in Alaska. Most recently he was an editor with the Albuquerque Tribune. He now covers the environment, transportation and water issues for NMI. Joel can be reached at jgay@newmexicoindependent.com
Heath Haussamen, Fellow
After seven years as a newspaper reporter and editor, Heath Haussamen left behind a stable paycheck in May 2006 to join the Internet revolution. He started Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics, a news Web site covering politics and government in New Mexico that was recently named by the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza as one of the best state politics blogs in the nation. Haussamen also contributes weekly to the Diary of a Mad Voter blog published by the Denver Post’s Politics West and the independent Web site NewWest.net. You can find Heath’s blog at nmpolitics.net and learn more about him at haussamen.com. Heath can be reached at hhaussamen@newmexicoindependent.com
Matthew Reichbach, Fellow
Matthew is a local blogger who co-founded and writes for New Mexico FBIHOP. Matthew has been blogging about politics since September of 2005 and about New Mexico politics since February of 2006. Matthew can be reached at mreichbach@newmexicoindependent.com
Denise Tessier, Fellow
Denise Tessier is a native New Mexican who has covered the state as a journalist for more than 30 years — from daily journalism as Albuquerque Journal environmental/energy writer and farm editor to covering federal agencies, the courts, art, architecture and music. An editor and columnist, she has been a correspondent for a number of regional and national publications, including The New York Times. She is an officer/board member of several groups, including the East Mountain Historical Society and New Mexico Press Women. You can reach Denise at dtessier@newmexicoindependent.com