Sam Burnett

About Sam Burnett

Municipal facilities leader with a designer’s eye, an engineer’s rigor, and a public‑service heart. As Director of the Facilities Management Division for the City of Santa Fe, I oversee strategic planning, capital delivery, and day‑to‑day stewardship for 125+ civic assets—including the signature Railyard and Midtown districts—while guiding a $25‑85 M annual CIP and a 60‑person, multi‑trade workforce.I excel at turning policy goals into buildable projects: aligning diverse stakeholders, navigating complex funding, and driving data‑driven asset strategies that reduce risk, boost efficiency, and advance sustainability. My background spans architecture, environmental science, and project management, giving me a rare ability to integrate design quality, operational resilience, and community value—on time and within appropriation.Above all, I am committed to creating safe, high‑performing public spaces that empower the people and programs they serve.

Experience

1. Interim Director Public Works Department

   City of Santa Fe

   Nov 2025 — Present

   Overseeing the City’s Public Works Department, including Complete Streets, Parks & Open Space, Parking, Transit, Facilities Management, ADA & Accessibility, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Capital Projects. Responsible for strategic direction, operational performance, and delivery of major capital initiatives to ensure safe, reliable, and equitable infrastructure and services for the community.

Education

• Santa Fe University of Art and Design

  Bachelor of Arts, Conservation Policy and Planning

  2001 — 2005

• The University of New Mexico

  Community and Regional Planning, Physical Planning & Natural Resources

  2006 — 2006

• The University of New Mexico

  MLA, Landscape Architecture

  2006 — 2009

• Landmark College

  Associate of Arts - AA

  1999 — 2001

Skills

• Indesign
• Horticulture
• Land Use Planning
• Illustrator
• Garden
• Landscape Assessment
• Landscaping
• Urban Design
• Green Infrastructure
• Placemaking
• Garden Design
• Ecology
• Trees
• Sustainable Design
• Community Design
• Land Restoration
• Sustainability
• Site Planning
• Storm Water Management
• Water Features
• Landscape Design
• Irrigation
• Site Plans
• Hardscape
• Active Water Harvesting
• Photoshop
• Sketchup
• Passive Water Harvesteing
• Autocad
• Landscape Architecture
• Plant Identification
• Submittals
• Site Assessment and Analysis
• Landscape Maintenance
• Parks
• Native Plants
• Design Development
• Green Roofs
• Gardening
• Permaculture