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Blog: An Insider's View of Jeff's Work in the Senate Print Share

May 21, 2012 - Iris Chavez

After a decade as Sen. Bingaman's constituent services representative (CSR) in Roswell, Iris Chavez knows how to resolve sticky situations.

Technically, Iris explains, "being a CSR means you assist people with problems with a federal agency, but in reality, I help people who are having any kind of problem.  When people walk in the door with a problem that falls outside the jurisdiction of a federal agency, or they have no claim to federal assistance, I try to find a way to have local agencies, authorities, or charities help."  So it's a good thing Iris has been a member of the Roswell community for nearly her entire life.  Growing up in small, nearby Hondo instilled in her a strong sense of neighborliness and humility, which Iris finds herself exercising again and again as CSR.

Iris is the sort of person you want on your side when things get tough, too.  She helps New Mexicans navigate their way through complicated Social Security or Veterans Affairs applications processes just as often as she helps people who come into the office desperate for help heating their homes or buying baby formula.  "Most people who walk in the door are here as a last resort and are in dire straits.  They walk in with big problems.  And look, everyone has struggled, so I can sympathize with how they're feeling—they're worried, maybe scared.  It's so rewarding to be a voice for people who don't think they have one, but it's more important that they leave feeling like they've been heard and have gotten the help they need."

When asked how her work helps New Mexicans, Iris points out that people feel she's a trustworthy source because there's no money involved, and there's not any exchange for services.  "We do all of this for free, we are public servants in the true sense of the word.  When people call, or write letters, or come to us for help, we focus on them and their issues, not on the clock or on fees.  Most of the people who need our help are in need, either medically or financially or a combination of both, so I think knowing there's this friendly resource is a great relief to them," Iris said.

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And that's one of the best parts about working for Sen. Bingaman, too, according to Iris.  "Honestly, he's one of the most decent individuals I've ever worked for," she said.  "It's a pleasure working for him and working with his staff.  I think we do a lot, behind the scenes."

Iris does a lot, herself, behind the scenes.  When she talks about what makes who she is, she mentions being a parent, which has taught her to put others before herself and to have patience she might not otherwise have.  "I have learned not to judge and to always remember that there are two sides to a story.  I value people as the person they are, even though I do not agree with some of their choices.  When I leave the office at 5pm I become Mom."  


May 7, 2012 - Gabe Long

One of the first things you notice when talking with Gabe Long is his enthusiasm. Gabe started in Sen. Bingaman's office as a constituent services representative in Santa Fe, where he worked one-on-one with New Mexicans, helping them receive their Medicare benefits or assisting them in securing their passports. Now Gabe works as a field representative in Albuquerque on education.

"I love being on the move and meeting with New Mexicans around the state, but the real challenge of my job is substance: How do we effectively turn around the education system here in New Mexico while at the same time being sensitive to the cultural diversity of the state?" Gabe said. "I feel like anything I can do—however small—to turn around those scores and make our state more competitive will be helpful and useful." Gabe is acutely aware of the link between better education and economic development, and he wants to be sure the groundwork is laid for whoever comes after him, ensuring New Mexico's continued upward trajectory.

Gabe is perpetually on-the-go and calls himself a "connector," explaining that in addition to helping localities find funding opportunities, he meets with education officials, teachers, and parents, to focus on and solve problems they're facing in New Mexico's school system. He works closely with Sen. Bingaman's education legislative assistant in Washington, D.C. to develop legislation that would strengthen our state's schools, reduce the dropout rate and ensure New Mexicans are well-prepared for the workplace.

As far as Gabe is concerned, one of the benefits of the job is the travel. "It's amazing to get the opportunity to travel around New Mexico as part of my job," Gabe said. "I love getting to know local officials and constituents in rural parts of the state, sitting down with the mayor of a small town and eating barbeque while we discuss the needs of the community. It's incredible. And I love that, no matter where you go, people have so much respect for Sen. Bingaman, and so much appreciation for what he's done over the years." Gabe is still working on the long-term projects his predecessor put in place, and he knows someone else will finish what he's started. Working for Sen. Bingaman means he's already contributed to a positive legacy that will outlast his work on the ground.

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Gabe Long, above. Gabe is the one getting into the truck.

Gabe was born in Santa Fe and is glad to have come full-circle back to his roots in New Mexico, where when he's not outdoors for work, he's outside kayaking or snowboarding. Gabe's parents' jobs took the family across the world and Gabe grew up in Central America and Africa; he's fluent in English, Spanish, French, and partially fluent in Korean—ensuring that, regardless of where he lands next, Gabe will probably see it as another adventure.  


April 16 - Diane Ventura

Chances are if you live in the southeast corner of New Mexico and have been to a community meeting in the last several years, you've met Diane Ventura.  Diane is a field representative for Sen. Bingaman in Roswell, and calls herself the "eyes and ears for the Southeast part of the state."

Diane has a broad portfolio: health care, economic development, Cannon Air Force Base, senior citizens, and housing.  She has been with Sen. Bingaman for 10 years, and takes special pride in seeing long-term projects through to completion – including the completion of NM 467 overpass (which took three years) and the authorization of a construction of the Ute pipeline to serve southeast New Mexico (an issue that dates back several decades).  "The length of time it takes to get a project off the ground varies, but they benefit the whole community, which is really rewarding.  It feels good to be one of the hidden folks on the ground when things pay off, like the overpass," Diane said.

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Diane finds her work very rewarding. "Oftentimes, if they didn't come to us, people would otherwise do without.  For instance, several years ago, local folks were worried about Cannon declining or even closing.  But the turnaround has been remarkable—now there are more units moving in, which means more economic development for the region and long-term stability.  I'm glad to have been a part of that, but as a member of the community I'm especially glad because this is my home, too.  That kind of stability benefits all of us."

Another major project of Diane's was incorporating Clovis and Portales into one multiplex, a metropolitan area consisting of more than one community.  A few years ago, the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed combining the two communities, a move that was met with skepticism locally.  "I did a bit of research and learned that if the two communities combined, they would be eligible for more state and local funds, which would benefit both Portales and Clovis," Diane explains.  "They used to compete with each other for business and growth, but now their combined resources are attractive and help bring in new business and retail."  Diane works in eight counties in southeast New Mexico but spends most of her time in Curry, Roosevelt, and DeBaca counties, and is usually on the road at least three days a week.  She looks forward to traveling around nearby areas, where she says every place has a small town feel.

If Diane happens to stop by in your town, you might want to invite her in—and not just out of the goodness of your heart.  Diane is an interior decorator and does all her own wall designs, sheet rock and texture, tiling, and even reupholsters furniture.  "I find it relaxing!" she says, though her friends and friends-of-friends, and now total strangers approach her for design tips.  "I guess that's one of the benefits of working in a small town," Diane chuckles.  "People get to know you and that's all it takes."


March 20, 2012 - Jeffery Bustamante

Jeffery Bustamante is pretty organized. And it's a good thing, too, because Jeffery wears two hats in Sen. Bingaman's office. He is both Sen. Bingaman's instate scheduler, as well as a constituent services representative (CSR). The former requires him to help manage Sen. Bingaman's time in New Mexico, while the latter requires him to help people with any problems they are having with the federal government.

Jeffery finds his work as a CSR enjoyable because he can make a difference in their daily lives, like helping them receive their Social Security checks in more timely fashion, or making sure Medicare applicants understand the paperwork and anticipate deadlines in that process.

"I find that assisting people with their differences or struggles with the federal government can be very hard—I work with a lot of Social Security and Medicare cases, and the processes for both of those can be very confusing for people who aren't familiar with the system, like most first-time applicants," Jeffery said.

As New Mexico scheduler, Jeffery helps coordinate Sen. Bingaman's time in the state. He keeps track of all the invitations Sen. Bingaman receives – for everything from health clinic ribbon-cuttings to classroom visits.

"Working as a scheduler for Sen. Bingaman means I have to connect the dots between the projects and issues he's working on to the New Mexicans who really need his help or attention—and schedule Sen. Bingaman for events that best serve the public." 

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Jeffrey likes to travel around New Mexico himself. In fact, when Jeffrey is not in at home in Albuquerque, he enjoys visiting every corner of state on bicycle, motorcycle, and even horseback, all the while appreciating the different colors and scenes as he goes.


March 5, 2012 - Maria Nájera

When folks in Washington talk about Sen. Bingaman's office and staff, they often remark on his staffers' loyalty. Just like Sen. Bingaman himself, several of his staffers can measure their Senate service in decades, not just years.

Maria Nájera, Sen. Bingaman's press secretary, is exemplary of this loyalty. She's just months shy of marking her first decade with Sen. Bingaman – working her way up from intern, to press secretary.

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Maria grew up in Los Ranchos, and says that working for Sen. Bingaman keeps her connected to New Mexico. According to Maria, the most important part of her job is to get the word out to New Mexicans about what Sen. Bingaman is doing for them in Washington. She speaks to print, television, and radio journalists and must also keep track of what is being said about Sen. Bingaman's initiatives back in New Mexico in order to keep his perspective fresh. Maria has to know minute details about legislation or Congressional procedure, and because she is a native and fluent Spanish-speaker, Maria is able to transition from English to Spanish—which has proven useful in communicating with all of Sen. Bingaman's constituents. Sen. Bingaman also speaks Spanish, so when he gives interviews with Univision or another Spanish-language media outlet, Maria typically accompanies him.

There are only two people in the whole Bingaman office (which has a staff of about 50 people) who can speak "on the record" for Sen. Bingaman, meaning they can be quoted in print as expressing his points of view. "Sen. Bingaman is unusual on the Hill from a communications perspective because he speaks for himself. I will speak for him on the record to print journalists every now and then, but usually only to clarify something, and I never appear on TV on his behalf. Any time I clarify Sen. Bingaman's position on something, I try to make sure it sounds like something he would actually say himself; it's important to him—and important to me—that when New Mexicans hear or read something from Sen. Bingaman, they have a consistent and accurate image of him," Maria said.

And Maria holds Sen. Bingaman in high esteem, so that task is not something she takes lightly. "Honestly, the best part about working for Sen. Bingaman is working for someone who is knowledgeable and intelligent, yes, but anyone who has met Sen. Bingaman knows he is more than a good politician—he's a good person. I'm glad to have a connection to New Mexico, but Sen. Bingaman is such a good boss and such a thoughtful man, that I just feel lucky to work for him," Maria said.

Not that Maria is planning on breaking her connections with New Mexico anytime soon. She has family back in Albuquerque and still sometimes thinks of what it would be like to leave D.C. and head back home, buy some land, and raise animals. "I grew up on a ranch in the North Valley, riding horses, following my Dad around outside," Maria reminisced. "I didn't have a hard time adjusting when I moved to D.C. but I sometimes find myself thinking it would be nice to have the mountains in my backyard again. New Mexico will always be home to me."