We’re pleased to introduce the facilitators of the 2025 Albuquerque Workforce Leadership Academy! The Academy — launched in partnership by City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department, Central New Mexico Community College, and the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — brings leaders from across the Albuquerque workforce ecosystem together for a year-long series of retreats, workshops, and action learning projects. The Academy provides a forum for local leaders to work collaboratively to identify local and regional systems-based challenges and create shared solutions for economic opportunity for all. Fellows work with leading practitioners throughout the country as they deepen networks; strengthen systems leadership skills; apply race, equity, and systems change frameworks to their work; and increase understanding of effective strategies and programs.

The Albuquerque Workforce Leadership Academy is one of three local academies launched in 2024. Alumni of the Academy become part of the Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunity Fellows Network, joining more than 370 alumni from 22 previous Academies in 17 cities in the US and Canada.

Facilitators

City of Albuquerque Facilitator Bios:

Justin Hilliard
Workforce Development Liaison, City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department 

Justin Hilliard is the workforce development liaison for the City of Albuquerque’s Economic Development Department. With a deep passion for community outreach and job training initiatives, he aims to strengthen the local workforce and
enhance Albuquerque’s economy for all residents. Justin oversees the city’s Job Training Albuquerque
program, which has expanded under his leadership to serve over 2,000 workers at more than 300 small
businesses. This initiative has successfully created over 1,100 new jobs in the local economy, increased
wages for workers by more than 25%, and focused on ensuring equitable access to opportunities for
historically underserved communities.
Before his role in Albuquerque, Hilliard worked with the film commission in the City of Dallas Office of
Economic Development. He has over 20 years of experience in marketing, filmmaking, and economic
development across both the public and private sectors. Hilliard earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film
and Media from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Outside of work, Hilliard is an avid movie enthusiast and basketball fan who enjoys writing, painting, and
spending quality time with his wife, Arianne, their son, Julian, and their two dogs.

Rachel Snyder
City Hall Fellow, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative

Rachel Snyder is a Harvard Bloomberg City Hall Fellow with the city of Albuquerque, where she works
with the Economic Development Department on policies and programs that reimagine the relationship
between education and work. She is a recent graduate of the Master in Public Policy program at the
Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). Prior to HKS, she worked for the District of Columbia Public Schools,
where she brought together business, public, and nonprofit partners in the region to expand work-based learning opportunities for Washington DC youth and went on to support the passage of the first
apprenticeship policy for K-12 students.
During her time at HKS, she worked on workforce and education policy initiatives in the governor’s
offices of Arizona and Wyoming. She published longitudinal research on student outcomes for one of
the first US youth apprenticeship programs. Previously, Rachel taught eighth grade science; her
students’ stories are her motivation to create new pathways to good jobs. Rachel is a native Arizonan
and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability and Political Science from Arizona State University. She is
an avid hiker and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast.

Mary Silentwalker
Senior Director of Work Based Learning, Central New Mexico Community College

Mary Silentwalker, of San Felipe Pueblo and Navajo tribes, joined Central New Mexico Community
College (CNM) in August 2023 as the senior director for work-based learning within the workforce and
community success division. In this role, she spearheads programs that connect students with real-world
career experiences, including internships, apprenticeships, and service learning initiatives, collaborating
closely with local community partners. Mary has dedicated 20 years to higher education, focusing on
serving underserved populations and Native American communities in recruitment, student support,
and career development. She is an Arizona State University alum, holding degrees in speech and hearing
sciences and higher education. Outside of her professional life, Mary is an avid thrifter and a devoted
mother of four.