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State Labor Department secretary Chino speaks April 23 at Lab

Former television news investigative reporter turned cabinet secretary Conroy Chino will talk about the Laboratory's role in local communities on April 23 in Los Alamos.

Chino will talk at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Lecture Hall at University of New Mexico, Los Alamos. The talk is free and open to all Laboratory workers.

The talk is sponsored by the Laboratory's American Indian Diversity Working Group as part of national American Indian Heritage Month.

"Building the Laboratory: The Native American Contribution," is the theme for this year's American Indian Heritage Month celebration at the Laboratory. The Diversity (DVO) Office, the Tribal Relations Office in Community Relations (CRO) and the Diversity Affirmative Action Board cosponsor American Indian Heritage Month at the Laboratory.

Chino in January was appointed cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Department of Labor by Gov. Bill Richardson. He is the highest-ranking Native American in Richardson's administration.

When he asked Chino to be his cabinet secretary for the Labor Department, Richardson said Chino's skills as an investigative reporter were in line with Richardson's plans for the department. "I wanted a strong leader who could make the Department of Labor more relevant to my plans for economic growth in New Mexico," said Richardson.

To which Chino replied, "The Labor Department is a true component of New Mexico prosperity and I want to contribute to that . . . I am proud to represent my people in state government."

Chino, of Acoma Pueblo, lives in Albuquerque with his wife and three sons. He has a bachelor's degree in English with a specialty in early 20th century American literature.

For more than two decades Chino was an investigative news reporter for two Albuquerque television stations.

One other American Indian Heritage Month event is scheduled for April 29. A group of tribal leaders, tribal outreach liaisons and educational ambassadors will explore the Laboratory-tribal relationship and how it has evolved over the Lab's 60-year history. This panel discussion is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Canyon School Complex on Central Avenue.

The panel scheduled to attend include former Santa Clara Pueblo Gov. Walter Dasheno; Julie Abeyta, director, Northern New Mexico Community College American Indian Affairs Program; Jacob Pecos, director, Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Cochiti Pueblo; Jolene Nelson, director, Education Department, Santa Clara Pueblo; and Kevin Shendo, director, Education Department, Jemez Pueblo.

For more information, contact Denise Thronas of 238 Pu Science and Engineering (NMT-9) at 7-2989.

-- Steve Sandoval

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