Mrs.  Oliver started her career 28 years ago working in the highest crime area schools in Albuquerque.  Through this experience, her career has been directed toward working with at risk youth and adults.  Gail has worked as a teacher, principal, superintendent and also a hospital administrator at Heights Psychiatric Hospital focusing on the mental health and addiction concerns of adults and children. 

In August of 2008, Governor Bill Richardson appointed Mrs. Oliver to the position of Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Prisoner Reentry and Prison Reform.  Mrs. Oliver supervises and coordinates all Department reentry and transition services for offenders who will release back to their community.  Through her leadership a T.A.P. or Transition Accountability Plan was developed that sets the course for the entire duration of an offender’s incarceration and supervision with the goal of reducing the likelihood of the offender returning to NMCD custody.  The T.A.P. will involve all programming and provide wrap around services for the offender in the areas of health care, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, services for family members, services for victims of the incarcerated,  as well as behaviors and attitude programming, education and vocational training, work assignments that promote positive work behaviors and ethics. 

Prior to the Deputy Cabinet Secretary appointment, Gail Oliver was the Education Bureau Chief for twelve years.  During her tenure, she led the country in developing new and innovative ways to deliver academic, career technical and post secondary courses to incarcerated individuals.  Some of the highlights include the creation of SOAR-Success for Offenders After Release, the nationally renowned reentry program and Project POWER-Providing Opportunities to Women for Effective Reentry.  The latest innovation involves the Career Pathways Initiative for all offenders.
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