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Committee advances Heather Jordan to full Senate for Workers' Compensation director post
Summary
The Senate Rules Committee forwarded Heather Jordan’s nomination as director of the Workers’ Compensation Administration after supporters emphasized her agency experience and Jordan outlined plans for modernization and outreach.
The Senate Rules Committee voted to forward Heather Jordan, director‑designate of the Workers’ Compensation Administration (WCA), to the full Senate for confirmation after a hearing that highlighted Jordan’s long tenure in state government, agency modernization plans and an agency budget shortfall.
Senator Stefanik introduced Jordan, noting her progression through county and state service. Jordan told the committee she intends to complete a multi‑year modernization of the WCA’s case management and e‑filing systems, expand outreach so employers and workers understand agency resources, and improve internal efficiencies so staff can “work efficiently for the New Mexicans that we serve.”
Supporters at the hearing included agency general counsel Michael Holt and former deputy director Lee Martinez, who highlighted Jordan’s institutional knowledge across the agency’s bureaus — adjudication, clerk of the court, compliance, enforcement, finance, IT, ombudsman, and others — and described her as “battle tested” and experienced in both regulatory and dispute‑resolution functions.
Senators asked Jordan about staffing and resources in field offices and about agency funding. Jordan said the agency has a roughly 13 percent vacancy rate and stressed that field offices remain staffed and are prioritized when filling positions. She described the WCA as a self‑funded agency financed by a quarterly assessment fee that has not increased since 1990; she told senators the fee no longer supports the operating budget and that the agency proposed an assessment increase this session (the bill was tabled) and will return with a proposal in a future session if needed.
Senator Bergman moved to send Jordan’s nomination to the full Senate for confirmation. A roll call recorded six yes votes and no opposition in committee; the committee advanced Jordan’s nomination to the full Senate for final confirmation.
Jordan also said she will continue the agency’s modernization work to replace siloed databases with an agency‑wide case management system and expand ombudsman outreach to ensure calls and inquiries are answered even when individual staff are out.
If confirmed, Jordan will lead WCA bureaus that handle adjudication, medical cost containment, mediation, ombudsman services, enforcement and other functions that affect workers, employers and health‑care providers across New Mexico.
