Ray Bennett Powell is an American politician and

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

from the state of

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

. He served as

New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands The New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch in charge of managing all state lands and mineral rights, as well as overseeing leases and royalties on state land, in the U.S. state of New M ...

from 1993 until 2003, and again from 2011 until 2015.

Early life and education

Powell was born in

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in anthropology and biology from

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...

, a Master of Science in botany and plant ecology from UNM, and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

, with an emphasis in wildlife medicine.

Career

Powell entered politics in 1993 after he was appointed

New Mexico commissioner of public lands The New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch in charge of managing all state lands and mineral rights, as well as overseeing leases and royalties on state land, in the U.S. state of New M ...

by Governor Bruce King. He was elected to a full term in 1994 and reelected in 1998. Due to term limits, Powell could not run again in 2002. He ran again in 2006 and narrowly lost to

Jim Baca James R. Baca (born September 6, 1945) is an American politician from New Mexico. A member of the Democratic Party, Baca served twice as New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands from 1983 to 1987 and from 1991 to 1993 and as 27th mayor of Alb ...

, whom he had succeeded in 1993, in the Democratic primary. Powell ran once again in 2010 and this time was successful. He lost in 2014 to Republican

Aubrey Dunn Jr. Aubrey Lyle Dunn Jr. (born 1955 or 1956) is an American politician and banker from the state of New Mexico. He served as New Mexico commissioner of public lands from 2015 to 2019, and was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in the 2018 election. El ...

by a margin of 704 votes out of nearly 500,000 cast. Prior to his election as Commissioner in 2010, Powell worked with scientist and humanitarian

Jane Goodall Dame Jane Morris Goodall (; born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall on 3 April 1934), formerly Baroness Jane van Lawick-Goodall, is an English primatologist and anthropologist. Seen as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best know ...

and for the Jane Goodall Institute. Powell served as the elected state land commissioner from 1993 to 2002 and from 2011 to 2014. He was the president and vice-president of the 22-member Western States Land Commissioners Association from 1996 to 1998. He served as a special assistant to Governor Bruce King with responsibility for environment, natural resources, health, and recreation. Powell served two terms as a member of the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...

Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases. In this capacity he gained significant expertise in understanding the impacts of disease and other pathogens on our human and domestic and wild animal populations. Powell served as a member of the New Mexico Board of Veterinary Regulation and Licensing from 2002 to 2010. He was the chairman of the board for much of his tenure. He worked tirelessly to enhance the humane treatment of animals.

Personal life

Powell is married to Jean Civikly-Powell, a professor emerita of Communication at the University of New Mexico. She has served as Ombudsperson for the UNM faculty since 1999.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Ray Living people Date of birth missing (living people) New Mexico Commissioners of Public Lands New Mexico Democrats Politicians from Albuquerque, New Mexico University of New Mexico alumni Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine alumni Year of birth missing (living people)