Museum of New Mexico Media Center Press Release

Deputy Cabinet Secretary Named at Cultural Affairs

Museum of New Mexico

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2012

MEDIA CONTACT

Michael Scott Delello has been named Deputy Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. Delello is a former presidential appointee who held positions of Congressional Liaison, Special Assistant and Advisor under George H.W. Bush (Sr.). He will start his new position at Cultural Affairs on September 4. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Louisiana State University and has a diverse professional background in congressional and governmental affairs, constituent services, policy, international relations, and non-profit and business management. 

“Michael brings a very high level of expertise and skill to the day-to-day management and operations of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs.” DCA Secretary Veronica Gonzales said. “He has a keen interest in New Mexico and deep appreciation for our diverse cultural resources.”

Under President Bush Sr., Delello served at the Department of Energy as Congressional Liaison on Clean Air Act Amendments, Global Climate Legislation, Advanced Research and Development, and the National Laboratories.  He was then promoted to the position of Special Assistant to the Secretary of Energy for international conferences and was Energy Advisor for U.S. delegations to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the International Panel on Climate Change. In that capacity, he successfully represented the Administration’s position in both domestic and international arenas.  Delello was then selected, and served six years, as Director of the Washington, DC, Office of the Electric Power Research Institute, a large nonprofit with international membership.  More recently, he lived in California to pursue an interest in screenwriting, while developing his own real estate company.

“I consider it a great privilege and responsibility to assist in promoting and protecting the diverse and unique heritage of New Mexico,” Delello said. “The State is truly distinguished on a national scale for its private and state-supported arts and cultural programs, museums, historical monuments, libraries, and other historic and archaeological sites. I look forward to being a member of a team that will assure the effective and efficient operation of such an important Department. "

The Department of Cultural Affairs is New Mexico’s cultural steward and is charged with preserving and showcasing the state’s cultural riches.  With its eight museums, eight historic monuments, arts, archaeology, historic preservation and library programs, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is the largest state cultural agency in the nation. Together, the facilities, programs and services of the Department support a $3.3 billion cultural industry in New Mexico.                                                                    

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