Today we interviewed Susie Galea, State Coordinator for the Building Healthy Military Communities Program in New Mexico. We had the chance to talk to Susie about the current work & challenges in New Mexico.
Susie Galea is the project coordinator in New Mexico for the new pilot program, Building Healthy Military Communities.
Susie is the most former Mayor of Alamogordo, NM, where proudly Holloman AFB and a NM Guard Armory are hosted. She also volunteered as an ESGR Area Chairman for Guardsmen, Reservist, transitioning active duty, disabled Veterans, and their spouses.
Susie has firsthand knowledge of all Service Member/Veteran resources, programs, and benefits related to employment, family programs, service delivery, diversity, small-business development for entrepreneurs, and more. Recognizing the needed services for Guard members that are not yet classified as Veterans under federal legislation, she looks forward to especially coordinating resources for those NM Guard members who are underserved.
Her motivation to serve through Building Healthy Military Communities comes from being a former military spouse of fourteen years. Susie acutely aware of the sacrifices by those that are Service Members and their supporting family members.
Prior to serving as the mayor of Alamogordo, Susie owned and operated a small childcare development business from her home for 5 years, and also has 15 years experience in accounting management and bookkeeping. Her bachelors degree is in Organizational Management from Ashford University’s Forbes School of Business.
Over the last five years Susie has established rapport with statewide leaders, to include New Mexico’s Governor, and her state cabinet members that support the military community. Susie believes in building and maintaining key business relationships, and statewide networks, which will lend to her ability to quickly develop an overall BHMC state action plan addressing identified gaps of services.
Next week we will take a closer look at the community assessments taking place across New Mexico so that we can better understand how the program works.
