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City of Santa Fe Communications Director Amy Akmal “separated from the City” Monday afternoon, according to an email from City Manager John Blair.
While Blair tells SFR the city will “never talk about the details” of an employee no longer working there, he says city officials are on the hunt for a new person while existing staff handle the brunt of the city’s communications work.
“What we’re likely looking for here now is a press secretary who could help field the incoming requests from media and from reporters and help sort of navigate some of the communication needs around the city manager’s office and the mayor’s office,” Blair says. “I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to really quickly find some candidates.”
Akmal’s departure comes just three months after the city hired her for the job. Before that, former City Clerk Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic covered the responsibilities as spokeswoman “and did an extraordinary job,” Blair says.
Blair says there’s no solid measure of when he plans to find a replacement.
“With regard to the timeline, we’re a government. We move as fast as we can, and we’re hoping we’ll have somebody very quickly,” Blair says. “I don’t think it will be next week, but we’re going to work as quickly as we can to identify candidates, get some interviews done, and get somebody in here who can help talk to the community about the great things that the City of Santa Fe is doing.”
Dave Herndon, the city communications director before Akmal, held down the fort for roughly two years, ending his stint in November 2022. Akmal, who declined to comment, was paid a salary of just over $115,000 in her role.
“We wish [Akmal] all the best in what she’ll be doing next,” Blair says.
