[Lwvcnmtopics] Reminder - LWVCNM Monthly Meeting Tomorrow - Shannon Kunkel, New Mexico Foundation for Open Government - Thursday March 10th at Noon

[LWV CentralNewMexico]

League members,


This is a reminder to please join us tomorrow, Thursday March 10th, at noon
on Zoom for our monthly meeting. The Zoom invitation follows the meeting
description.



In recognition of Sunshine Week (or month!), LWVCNM welcomes as its March
10 luncheon speaker, Shannon Kunkel, Executive Director of the New Mexico
Foundation for Open Government.

The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (FOG) is the state’s leading
transparency watchdog. Founded in 1989, FOG is a statewide nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization with a single mission to help New Mexicans
understand and exercise their rights and responsibilities under New
Mexico’s “sunshine laws” – the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) and
the Open Meetings Act (OMA).

As part of this mission, FOG informs, trains and assists state and local
public bodies about their obligations to the public by ensuring access to
public records and public meetings. On the flip side, FOG educates,
advocates and when necessary, litigates to defend the public’s right to
know.

FOG’s founder and long-time executive director, the late Bob Johnson, used
to tell a story about the organization’s name. When questioned about why an
open government group would name itself FOG, Bob responded that NMFOG stood
for “no more fog.” True that.

In recognition of Sunshine Week, Shannon Kunkel will provide information
about the work FOG does in New Mexico and how it is growing its capacity
and expanding the services it provides. She will describe FOG’s hotline
program and the help it provides to anyone encountering problems obtaining
records or gaining access to meetings, giving some examples of hotline
calls and resolutions.

Shannon will centrally focus her talk on issues at the legislature, both
procedural improvements to allow better public access, and legislation with
transparency implications. Specifically, she will talk about the ways in
which a hybrid session (virtually and in-person) both benefits and hinders
the ability of New Mexicans to participate in the legislative process. She
will discuss legislative rules, such as committee webcasting, the use of
“dummy” bills, the publication of amendments to legislation and more.
Shannon hopes to touch upon the Independent Redistricting Commission
constitutional amendment and discuss bills on the horizon in 2023 relating
to financial disclosures of candidates, elected officials and lobbyists.

Shannon has a passion for transparency and civic participation. From 2014
through 2016, she served as the part-time membership director for FOG, then
connected with Common Cause New Mexico and began working as a consultant,
managing digital and social media, as well as outreach and development for
the organization. In January of this year, Shannon rejoined FOG as the
executive director and is eager to grow and expand FOG’s presence in New
Mexico.

Shannon is an Albuquerque native and graduated with honors from the
University of New Mexico, where she studied journalism, advertising and
marketing. Shannon has worked in the marketing departments of the
Roadrunner Food Bank and the Albuquerque Publishing Company. She has been
married since the age of 18 to her wonderful husband, Max, and is mother to
two spunky young children, Harlow (5) and Pierce (4).

Zoom Invitation

LWVCNM Zoom is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Sunshine Week - Shannon Kunkel
Time: Mar 10, 2022 12:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88905273675?pwd=MkJjWURDK0RhRTYwNWFWUyt3YlZZZz09

Meeting ID: 889 0527 3675
Passcode: 240886
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Linda Miler

League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico
6739 Academy Rd. NE,  Suite 124
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
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