FEMA taps former NM disaster agency head to run Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Claims Office

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has selected the former head of New Mexico’s disaster response agency to lead the federal office providing $4 billion in compensation to survivors of the state’s biggest-ever wildfire. 

M. Jay Mitchell was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez in 2014 to run the state Department of Homeland Security. He is a fifth-generation New Mexican, a former Air Force colonel and was a senior adviser to IEM, a global security consulting firm, according to biographies on the state and company’s websites. 

Mitchell’s hiring comes about three months after the departure of Angela Gladwell, a longtime FEMA employee who led the creation of the newly established Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Claims Office. Congress tasked FEMA with overseeing the compensation fund for victims of the wildfire caused by two botched prescribed burns in mid-2022. 

Fire survivors and their attorneys have repeatedly criticized the office for the slow release of funds, bureaucratic delays and missed legal deadlines to provide payment offers. They also called on FEMA not to replace Gladwell with another federal bureaucrat and instead hire someone from New Mexico who understands its law and culture. 

In a news release about Mitchell’s hiring, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), a sponsor of the compensation bill, said he was glad that FEMA announced new leadership to steer the office and quicken compensation. 

“The new Claims Office Director must prioritize working with local communities to build trust, communicate effectively to address misinformation, and get money out the door as soon as possible,” Lujan said. 

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, in a statement, said she was “relieved FEMA heeded our calls to choose a new director… with strong New Mexico ties.”

Mitchell is expected to begin in May, FEMA spokesperson John Mills said in a news release. Mitchell did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening. 

He will lead the joint recovery office in New Mexico, overseeing both the claims office and local implementation of existing FEMA disaster programs, particularly the Public Assistance program that reimburses state and local public entities for disaster-related costs.

“Jay Mitchell is joining a team of dedicated public servants working to help New Mexicans recover from the wildfire through both our claims office and disaster recovery operations,” said Tony Robinson, administrator for the FEMA region that includes New Mexico, in the news release. 

Mitchell’s selection comes after additional criticism about the hiring process. 

The job opening was listed for seven days, which some survivors said was too short a window to draw qualified New Mexico applicants. Colt Hagmaier, a senior FEMA official, said at a forum on April 8 that the office received a significant number of applicants and that the agency was committed to “hiring someone who understands the mission in New Mexico.”

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According to an archived biography on the IEM website, Mitchell served more than 26 years in the United States Air Force and went on to serve as the state’s homeland security and emergency management secretary. 

After retiring from the military, he returned to Afghanistan and served in what his state biography described as a senior advisor to the deputy Minister of Defense for intelligence. He then returned to New Mexico and recently served as the village manager for Angel Fire. He is also the president of the David Westphall Veterans Foundation, based in Colfax County, according to the group’s website. 

In the news release, FEMA officials said Mitchell would be joining the office at a time of “operational improvements” that have hastened compensation payments. 

As of April 17, FEMA has paid more than $500 million, $247 million of which was paid since Jan. 1 of this year. That’s about 13% of the total awarded by Congress. 

“Jay Mitchell will continue to build upon these improvements to meet the needs of those impacted and ensure all eligible claims are paid,” said Ben Krakauer, a senior adviser to the FEMA administrator, in the news release.