RELEASE: Patrick Allen steps down as Secretary of Health

[Skip to content](#main-content)

# PRESS RELEASES

1. [Home](https://www.governor.state.nm.us) 2. [Press Releases](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/press-releases/) 3. Patrick Allen steps down as Secretary of Health – Gina DeBlassie will serve as interim cabinet secretary

# Patrick Allen steps down as Secretary of Health – Gina DeBlassie will serve as interim cabinet secretary

Nov 20, 2024 | [Press Releases](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/press-releases/)


SANTA FE **– Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham** announced today that Patrick M. Allen, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health will step down from his position at the end of the day. Allen has served in the administration for approximately two years.

“Pat has been a dedicated public servant, and I’m grateful for his contributions as secretary for the Department of Health. I wish him well in his next endeavor,” said **Lujan Grisham**.

Gina DeBlassie, the governor’s health policy advisor, will serve as interim cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health.

DeBlassie brings more than 30 years of healthcare expertise. Throughout her career, she has been a driving force behind legislation to improve healthcare access across New Mexico. Her leadership efforts have been instrumental in establishing the Health Care Authority and the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund.

Prior to joining Gov. Lujan Grisham’s administration, DeBlassie served as chief operating officer for a national All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly provider program. There, she managed multi-state operations spearheading the expansion of programs aimed at bettering the lives of seniors.

DeBlassie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and has contributed her expertise to multiple non-profit boards.

#### Recent Posts

*  [Governor appoints Rebecca Roose as Natural Resources Trustee](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/06/05/governor-appoints-rebecca-roose-as-natural-resources-trustee/)  * [U.S. Supreme Court approves Rio Grande compact settlement – Agreement ends 13-year interstate dispute](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/05/28/u-s-supreme-court-approves-rio-grande-compact-settlement-agreement-ends-13-year-interstate-dispute/)  * [Health care loan repayment expands to address doctor shortage – Record expansion part of strategy to add health providers in NM](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/05/26/health-care-loan-repayment-expands-to-address-doctor-shortage-record-expansion-part-of-strategy-to-add-health-providers-in-nm/) * [Governor declares statewide drought and severe fire conditions – Agencies will coordinate community and water protection efforts](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/05/20/governor-declares-statewide-drought-and-severe-fire-conditions-agencies-will-coordinate-community-and-water-protection-efforts/)    * [Governor Lujan Grisham leads trade mission to Japan](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/05/11/governor-lujan-grisham-leads-trade-mission-to-japan/)

## Press Release Archive

* [June 2026](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/06/) (1) * [May 2026](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/05/) (6) * [April 2026](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/04/) (5) * [March 2026](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/03/) (10) * [February 2026](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/02/) (21) * [January 2026](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2026/01/) (10) * [December 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/12/) (7) * [November 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/11/) (6) * [October 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/10/) (11) * [September 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/09/) (11) * [August 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/08/) (7) * [July 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/07/) (9) * [June 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/06/) (10) * [May 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/05/) (4) * [April 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/04/) (12) * [March 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/03/) (13) * [February 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/02/) (11) * [January 2025](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2025/01/) (11) * [December 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/12/) (5) * [November 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/11/) (9) * [October 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/10/) (10) * [September 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/09/) (16) * [August 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/08/) (9) * [July 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/07/) (13) * [June 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/06/) (17) * [May 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/05/) (5) * [April 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/04/) (9) * [March 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/03/) (13) * [February 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/02/) (19) * [January 2024](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2024/01/) (13) * [December 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/12/) (10) * [November 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/11/) (8) * [October 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/10/) (13) * [September 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/09/) (6) * [August 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/08/) (9) * [July 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/07/) (16) * [June 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/06/) (19) * [May 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/05/) (17) * [April 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/04/) (11) * [March 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/03/) (24) * [February 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/02/) (23) * [January 2023](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2023/01/) (23) * [December 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/12/) (14) * [November 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/11/) (17) * [October 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/10/) (19) * [September 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/09/) (22) * [August 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/08/) (26) * [July 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/07/) (27) * [June 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/06/) (23) * [May 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/05/) (15) * [April 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/04/) (17) * [March 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/03/) (21) * [February 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/02/) (25) * [January 2022](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/01/) (18) * [December 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/12/) (10) * [November 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/11/) (7) * [October 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/10/) (8) * [September 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/09/) (23) * [August 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/08/) (14) * [July 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/07/) (12) * [June 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/06/) (18) * [May 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/05/) (14) * [April 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/04/) (24) * [March 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/03/) (15) * [February 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/02/) (17) * [January 2021](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/01/) (33) * [December 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/12/) (33) * [November 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/11/) (38) * [October 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/10/) (42) * [September 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/09/) (43) * [August 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/08/) (39) * [July 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/07/) (42) * [June 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/06/) (47) * [May 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/05/) (47) * [April 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/04/) (39) * [March 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/03/) (62) * [February 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/02/) (40) * [January 2020](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/01/) (15) * [December 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/12/) (16) * [November 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/11/) (6) * [October 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/10/) (6) * [September 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/09/) (11) * [August 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/08/) (9) * [July 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/07/) (14) * [June 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/06/) (7) * [May 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/05/) (12) * [April 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/04/) (12) * [March 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/03/) (19) * [February 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/02/) (29) * [January 2019](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2019/01/) (14) * [December 2018](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2018/12/) (1)

### Categories

* [2022 Wildfires](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022-wildfires/) * [COVID-19](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/covid-19/) * [Early Childhood Education](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/early-childhood-education/) * [Legislative Updates](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/legislative-updates/) * [Press Releases](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/press-releases/) * [Public Safety](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/public-safety/) * [Uncategorized](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/uncategorized/)

## Contact

The Office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is located on the fourth floor of the New Mexico State Capitol in Room 400.

Address: 490 Old Santa Fe Trail Room 400 Santa Fe, NM 87501

Phone: (505) 476-2200 Toll free: (833) 520-0020

## Quick Links

* [Open Positions](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/apply/open-positions/) * [Boards and Commissions](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/apply/boards-and-commissions/) * [Judicial and District Attorney Posts](https://www.governor.state.nm.us/judicial-and-district-attorney-posts/)

## Flag Status