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Luna Community College Advances Workforce Advocacy at National Policy Seminar
NEWS RELEASE
Las Vegas, NM — Luna Community College’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director, Karen Torres, recently represented the college at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) National Policy Seminar, where she advocated for strengthening CTE programs and workforce development initiatives that directly benefit Northern New Mexico.
During the seminar, Torres engaged with federal policymakers and congressional staff to highlight Luna’s role in preparing a skilled workforce aligned with regional economic needs. A primary focus of her participation was to support upcoming federal appropriations requests and to reinforce the connection between national CTE policy and local workforce priorities.
As part of these efforts, Torres provided congressional offices with comprehensive ACTE advocacy packets that included national policy briefings alongside localized New Mexico
workforce and CTE data. She met with members of the New Mexico congressional delegation, including the Office of Senator Martin Heinrich, the Office of Senator Ben Ray Luján, the Office of Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, and the Office of Representative Melanie Stansbury.
“Participating in this event was a highlight of my professional development,” said Torres. “The opportunity to advocate directly to congressional staff was incredibly productive and served as a vital first step in building lasting partnerships for the college. I am very grateful.”
In addition to her role at Luna, Torres serves as the Postsecondary Representative on the New Mexico ACTE Board, further strengthening her leadership and advocacy on behalf of CTE programs across the state.
Luna Community College remains committed to expanding access to high-quality career and technical education programs that meet workforce demands and support student success throughout the region.