Contact: Raquel Montoya-Lewis, 277-1002 Media Contact: Laurie Mellas-Ramirez, 277-5915

March 12, 2003 UNM LECTURER NAMED TO COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION Raquel Montoya-Lewis, lecturer at the UNM School of Law, has been appointed a member of the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (NMCHE). NMCHE's mission is to promote and coordinate high-quality, postsecondary education partnerships that are responsive to changing needs and serve all New Mexicans. Montoya-Lewis, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, practiced law specializing in federal Indian law prior to joining the law school in 2000 to teach legal writing. She was a law clerk for New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Pamela B. Minzner from 1996-1998. From 1998 to January 2003, she served as an associate judge for the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court where she presided over complex civil cases involving employment, probate and child custody and support. "As a commissioner, I look forward to making higher education in New Mexico accessible to more of our state's Native American populations," Montoya-Lewis said. "I'd like to see the Commission reach out to teachers who work with Native American students and help them learn how to make higher education seem like a viable option for their Native students. Once students get to college, I'd like to see the institutions become more responsive to this population's needs." Montoya-Lewis received her BA from UNM in 1992, JD from the University of Washington School of Law in 1995, and MSW in social work from the University of Washington Graduate School of Social Work in 1996. She is immediate past president on the board of People Living Through Cancer, a local organization providing peer support for cancer survivors and their families. She is also on the board of Pegasus Legal Services for Children. ###

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