CNM Announces New Vice President of Workforce & Community Success

Joy Forehand will serve in this leadership role beginning July 1 and will focus on expanding community and employer partnerships and connecting students with work-based learning and quality career opportunities
June 20, 2024

CNM has announced the hiring of Joy Forehand as its new Vice President of the Workforce and Community Success Division. Ms. Forehand will begin serving in this important Vice President leadership role on July 1.

Since joining CNM as Executive Director of Student Workforce Success in 2022 and serving as Interim Chief of the Division since last fall, Ms. Forehand has been instrumental in advancing the goals of the Division and the College. Through her leadership, CNM has made impressive progress in building and expanding strong partnerships with employers in the region to support their workforce needs, while also connecting CNM learners to more work-based learning and quality career opportunities.

“It’s a true honor to have been selected to serve as CNM’s Vice President of Workforce and Community Success,” she says. “Since I joined CNM, I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the incredibly positive impacts this College has on our learners, our community, and our economy. As Vice President of Workforce and Community Success, I look forward to engaging with partners in the community to develop the skilled workforce and the thriving economy that leads to more successful outcomes for everyone we serve in our central New Mexico community.” 

Prior to CNM, Ms. Forehand served as Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (2013-17) and as Operations Manager for Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico (2018-22). 

“In addition to Joy’s outstanding leadership and service at CNM, her broad experience serving in government to connect community members and learners to career opportunities that serve New Mexico’s workforce needs is of great value to CNM and our strategic goals,” says CNM President Tracy Hartzler. “She will help us increase opportunities for our learners to thrive and achieve their career goals while providing employers with the skilled workforce they need to cultivate a more vibrant economy. And she’ll do so in a collaborative way with our employer and community partners so all central New Mexico residents can access CNM education and training opportunities that lead to quality careers and better quality of life.”

CNM’s Division of Workforce & Community Success connects CNM’s partners – employers, industry representatives, economic development organizations, community organizations, government agencies and more – with the resources and services of the College to meet skilled workforce needs. The Division continuously seeks to strengthen the connections between regional employers and students and graduates of CNM’s highly regarded education and workforce training programs.

The Division is also focused on advancing the College’s goal of providing every CNM learner with opportunities to participate in work-based learning opportunities, such as paid internships and apprenticeships, as they progress through their programs. CNM has funding available to provide support for employers in offering paid internships and apprenticeships. 

To contact CNM’s Division of Workforce and Community Success, please email [email protected] or call 505-224-3060.