Monica Armenta

Monica Armenta, Executive Director of the Albuquerque Public Schools Communications Department, comes to the district after a career that spanned more than two decades in television news. Armenta is a product of APS who believes that public education is among the most important topics in America.

In July 2007 Armenta joined the APS Communication Department as Executive Director after spending the previous year and a half as the Executive Director of the APS Foundation. Armenta oversees all internal and external communications for Albuquerque Public Schools. “Our job is to ensure that the media, public, staff, and students get the most accurate and detailed account of all events that impact student achievement in this district,” Armenta said. “While there are big challenges in public education, there’s also plenty to celebrate and we don’t want to miss sharing anything meaningful with our community.”

Albuquerque is a unique media market in which two local newspapers and four commercial television stations strive. The APS Communications office responds daily to questions and concerns that relate to the district’s 142 schools, 14,000 employees and 90,000 students in the 30th largest school district in the nation. Being a member of the Superintendent’s Leadership Team provides Armenta with invaluable information about the strengths, challenges, and hopes of the district that she is then able to share with the media and the community at large.

Armenta joined APS in December 2005. Armenta had been with the NBC affiliate in Albuquerque, New Mexico since 1982, initially as a news intern while attending the University of New Mexico. Armenta graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. While at the University, she was the SPJ-SDX Student President, and she won the New Mexico Broadcaster Association Scholarship in 1984.

After graduating, Armenta was hired to be a reporter and fill-in anchor for the morning news. In less than two years, she became the co-anchor of the number one morning news show. In addition to anchoring what became state’s highest-rated morning newscast, Armenta co-anchored a noon show and “Eye On New Mexico,” a KOB-TV public affairs talk show.

Armenta was also a former journalism teacher at West Mesa High School. She still enjoys teaching and is a regular guest speaker for numerous organizations and schools including UNM, TVI, and various Albuquerque Public Schools.

Armenta has won several awards during her career. In 1985 she was the winner of the New Mexico Associated Press Broadcasting Award for the Best Spot News. In 1990 she was selected in the Albuquerque Tribune as the rising star of local media and, in 1991, she was selected the YWCA Woman on the Move. In 1998 Armenta won the coveted Rocky Mountain Regional Emmy Award for her outstanding coverage of the Hilton hot air balloon disaster and that same year received the Latina in Leadership award from Los Alamos National Laboratory. Armenta was honored with the University of New Mexico’s Professional Achievement award in 1999. 2001 put Armenta in the pages of the New Mexico Business Weekly as one 40 rising stars under the age of 40 in Albuquerque. Recently, she was named an Honorary Commander at Kirtland Air Force Base. In December 2006 Armenta was featured in Albuquerque the Magazine as one of the “Most Likely to Change Albuquerque in 2007.”

Armenta has many other not-so-hidden talents. She is currently a member of the National Dance Institute’s Community Advisory Board, is a KNME Board Member. She has held positions on several boards, including UNM Alumni Associate Board of Directors and the Wells Fargo Leadership Council and Governor’s Advisory Committee on Adolescent Pregnancy. Monica is a frequent speaker at schools, award dinners, and conferences.

Armenta is the mother of two, Alejandro and Diego, who are both proud Albuquerque Public School students. Her husband Edward Vigil shares her active public lifestyle.

Armenta’s hobbies include writing (published in local periodicals), traveling, spending time with family and reading every chance she gets.