Fernando Martinez has held a number of senior natural resource positions in New Mexico state government with the Environment Department and the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, including Chief of the Drinking Water Bureau, Manager of the Mining Act Reclamation Program, and Director of the Energy Conservation and Management Division.

A native of northern New Mexico and a graduate of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, his educational background is in Biology and Environmental Science and Management. He has over 18 years of diverse technical and managerial experience in the natural resources field that includes work in mined land reclamation, water, and energy programs.