Common Cause New Mexico (CCNM) Executive Director Viki Harrison was named this week to a national position at Common Cause, based in Washington, DC. Harrison has been the executive director of Common Cause New Mexico since January 2012. Heather Ferguson, currently the legislative director, will become executive director of Common Cause New Mexico.

In her new post, Harrison will provide direct state support on campaigns, fundraising, policy, and program development.

Heather Ferguson will become Executive Director of Common Cause New Mexico. Ferguson has led legislative efforts in New Mexico, including the drive for an independent ethics commission, transparency of contributions made to state candidates by PACs and increased voter access. At the local level, she has led efforts to provide public financing for city candidates in several municipalities. She is currently the co-director of the Albuquerque Democracy Dollars campaign, a grassroots effort to modernize public financing in Albuquerque.

Ferguson is a veteran of Animal Protection of New Mexico. She has also worked as a paralegal and specializes in the legal aspects of various bills and ordinances. She is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles.

Harrison shepherded Common Cause New Mexico from a single-staffed office to a full time, two-person organization with contract organizers and researchers on various campaigns. Under Harrison’s leadership, CCNM passed resolutions against Citizens United, advanced voter registration, campaign finance reforms, and overhauled state ethics. She has built successful lobbying campaigns, election protection programs, local ballot measures, published research and reports, and created coalitions for democracy at the state and local levels.

Harrison is no stranger to non-profit management, advocacy and government relations. Before joining Common Cause New Mexico she was the director of the successful Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty and program manager at Animal Protection of New Mexico, which successfully worked to ban cockfighting in New Mexico. She is a graduate of the University of New Mexico.

Harrison will be missed but says she will remain in the Land of Enchantment and complete her work remotely and continue to advise Common Cause New Mexico.

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Common Cause is a nonpartisan grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; to promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard as equals in the political process.