Reyes Promoted at San Juan College

Dr. Reyes has wide-ranging involvement in economic development, including participation in Four Corners Economic Development (4CED). He works closely with city, county and tribal agencies. He has formed partnerships with the Navajo Nation Department of Self Reliance and the Ute Tribe, both of which have brought new students to the Center for Workforce Development (CWD). He carefully tracks the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding, ensuring program eligibility. Dr. Reyes has developed a business model for the Quality Center for Business (QCB), overseeing it and the Small Busi

From San Juan College

Friday, December 16, 2022 

San Juan College President Dr. Toni Hopper Pendergrass announced earlier this week, the promotion of Associate Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development, Dr. Lorenzo Reyes to vice president of Workforce and Economic Development, effective January 2, 2023.

“Dr. Reyes is a powerhouse in the College’s initiatives to provide workforce development programs for our region’s employers, craft economic development efforts for the Four Corners region and generate millions of dollars in grant funding,” states Pendergrass.

In a change related to Dr. Reyes’ promotion, he and the areas that report to him – the Workforce Development Center, the Small Business Development Center, the Continuing Education department, the Enterprise Center, the Big Idea Makerspace, the Harvest Food Hub and Grants Development – will be organizationally realigned and report to Executive Vice President Ed DesPlas.  Effective date of this change is also January 2, 2023.

Prior to joining San Juan College in 2016, Dr. Reyes was the Chief Executive Officer for Workforce Solutions Upper Rio Grande and was an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Mexico and El Paso Community College.

Dr. Reyes has wide-ranging involvement in economic development, including participation in Four Corners Economic Development (4CED). He works closely with city, county and tribal agencies. He has formed partnerships with the Navajo Nation Department of Self Reliance and the Ute Tribe, both of which have brought new students to the Center for Workforce Development (CWD). He carefully tracks the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding, ensuring program eligibility. Dr. Reyes has developed a business model for the Quality Center for Business (QCB), overseeing it and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Both the Enterprise Center and the QCB were instrumental in helping businesses receive federal funding through the COVID pandemic, saving jobs.

Dr. Reyes received his Associate of Arts degree from El Paso Community College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and Business Administration from the University of Texas El Paso. He received his Master of Arts in Education from Sul Ross State University and Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration from New Mexico State University. Dr. Reyes is a 2021 National Community College Hispanic Leadership Fellow graduate. This program aims to prepare educational leaders who meet rigorous standards of essential competencies identified by the American Association of Community Colleges.

More from Local News

  • New Farmington Temple Prepares for Public Open House

    The public is invited to tour the Farmington Temple from Thursday, July 17, through Saturday, August 2, 2025, excluding Sundays.

  • SJRMC & San Juan College agree to expand Nursing Program

    Full-time nursing faculty members will receive a $10,000 annual stipend on top of their base salary to enhance the program’s capacity. In addition, students will have an opportunity to enter into an agreement with SJRMC to receive a substantial $4,800 living stipend per semester,

  • Downtown Farmington gets National Main Street Accreditation

     Historic Downtown Farmington’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and New Mexico MainStreet, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards.

  • Man Arrested for Fruitland Murder

     Following verbal arguments at the house of Adrian Begay (age 45), De Andre Julian (age 23) left with his girlfriend, Adrian Begay’s daughter, Adriana Begay (age 21) to a nearby residence. Adrian Begay followed them to the exterior of the residence when De Andre Julian produced a handgun and shot Adrian Begay multiple times in the chest at close range.

  • Arrest Made in Farmington Killing

    After a lengthy investigation, Ms. Greenfield’s death was determined to be a homicide and detectives identified 27-year-old Serrono Rippingale as the suspect. On June 26th, 2025, an arrest warrant for Murder (2nd degree felony) and Tampering with Evidence (3rd degree felony) was obtained and served on Serrono Rippingale.

  • Farmington Hires New Museum Director

     “Nathan’s expertise in the museum industry, combined with his global perspective and passion for community engagement, make him a tremendous asset to Farmington,” said Christa Chapman, Director of Cultural Affairs. “We’re excited to see how his leadership will shape the future of the Farmington Museum System.”

On KSJE Now:

Today's Weather

  • Farmington, NM

    Thundery shower

    High: 91°F | Low: 64°F

  • Durango, CO

    Thundery shower

    High: 86°F | Low: 54°F

  • Shiprock, NM

    Thundery shower

    High: 93°F | Low: 66°F

  • Cortez, CO

    Thundery shower

    High: 90°F | Low: 57°F

  • Santa Fe, NM

    Thundery shower

    High: 84°F | Low: 61°F