CTE TEAM

carrie

CARRIE HERNANDEZ - chernandez@lcps.net

  • Began career in 1998/99 School Year

  • BS/MA Agriculture Extension Education with Minors in Range Science and Counseling Education Psychology from NMSU (1994/1996)

  • K-12 Administrative Degree (2005)

  • Favorite part of the job: Working with innovative students, staff, and administrators to encourage life long learning

  • Passion is Agricultural Literacy/Hands-on Education/Plant and Animal Therapy

  • One Son, Russell

jeff

JEFF WAUGH - jwaugh@lcps.net

  • Began career student teaching at Zia Middle School in 1997

  • Coached Girls Basketball and Taught Business, Technoloyg, Graphics, and Computer Science at Oñate High School (now Organ Mountain High School)

  • Moved to EXCEL (now ACE) in 2017

  • Oñate Principals Award

  • NMACTE Educator of the Year

  • NMACTE President and Policy Representation (current)

  • B.A. in Secondary Education from NMSU

  • M.A. in CTE from ENMU

  • Has two children, both attendees/graduates of NMSU; one in Computer Science and one currently studying nursing

  • Loves watching and participating in sports

  • Favorite part of the job - Enjoys seeing students succeed by believing in themselves.; Every student can be as successful as they want to be

knight

RACHEL KNIGHT - raknight@lcps.net

  • Began career teaching science & agriculture at Picacho Middle School in 2006

  • B.S. in Animal Science, 2003; M.S in Animal Science -Reproductive Physiology, 2005

  • Level III-A Instructional Leader 7-12 Secondary Teaching License

  • Level III-A Instructional Leader 7-12 Secondary Vocational Technical License

  • Opened Centennial High School in 2012 and taught biology, agriculture, and animal science classes and founded the Centennial High School FFA Chapter

  • Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) National Professional Leadership Fellow- 2022

  • National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) National Teacher Mentor of the Year for Region II- 2021

  • New Mexico Association for Career & Technical Education (NMACTE) Educator of the Year – 2020

  • Las Cruces Public Schools Teacher of the Year - 2018

  • New Mexico Teacher of the Year Finalist – 2018

  • National Association of Agricultural Educators National Agriscience Teacher of the Year for Region II- 2016

  • Loves riding horses and has multiple AQHA All-Around horse show titles and Southwest Quarter Horse Futurity Championships, National Championships in Reining & Western Horsemanship for Intercollegiate Horse Show Association on the NMSU Equestrian Team

  • Married to Seth Knight for 18 years with two daughters, Lacey & Paisley

  • Favorite part of the job is teaching students to believe in themselves and seeing students have more success than they ever thought possible!

Mike

MICHAEL OGAS - mogas@lcps.net

  • Began career at Onate High School in 2016

  • BA in Biology, BS in Spanish, Currently working on Masters of Education in Educational Administration

  • Married to Leandra Ogas and has 3 children.

  • HOSA-Future Healthcare Professionals Board Chair state of New Mexico

  • NMACTE President Elect

  • Focuses on Health science pathways and curriculum

  • Favorite part of the jobs: Enjoy pushing students to being better and stronger versions of themselves.

amie

AMIE KRAENZEL - akraenze@lcps.net

  • Began career at Picacho MS in 2000

  • Opened Centennial HS (2012) in the 9th grade Academy, eventually moving to AES and Print Media/Podcast

  • B.A. English - Texas Tech University

  • 7-12 Secondary License in English, 800 Vocational License, and Gifted Certification

  • NMSPA President

  • Favorite part of the job: Progress and success, no matter how big or small

  • Married 21 years to Myles Kraenzel and has two boys, Michael and Evan

fox

BILL FOX - bfox@lcps.net

  • Began career in 1997

  • B.A. Journalism,; minors in Geography and History

  • Favorite part of the job: Seeing "the light" go on in students' eyes the first time they grasp a new or complex concept