2026 Conference Speakers
Lea Wise-Surguy
Lea Wise-Surguy is the founder and Executive Director of Cruces Creatives, responsible for leading the organization from an idea to a realized space and community. Lea is dedicated to expanding the concept of makerspaces into multifaceted community resources for helping people make things and make things better–a mission that Cruces Creatives pursues by 1) offering a physical space in which people can use tools, receive training, and connect with others in the pursuit of creativity and 2) using the tools, skill sets, and community gathered around makerspaces to launch interdisciplinary charitable projects, responding to needs in the surrounding community and beyond. Lea holds an MFA in sculpture from New Mexico State University and has been honored with the university’s Young Alumni Service Award (2023) and induction into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame at the Arrowhead Center (2022).
Margaret Neill
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Margaret Neill spent a good portion of her childhood at the Main Library in downtown El Paso, where she was thrilled to learn that library staff wouldn't stop her from checking out Stephen King books at age 8. She later went to college and graduate school in New York and was Director of the Earlville Free Library in Earlville, New York while working on her Master's Degree. After graduating from Syracuse University with her MSLIS in 2005, she returned to the southwest to be near her family. She worked at Branigan Library and El Paso Public Library in various roles, primarily in technology, collections and cataloging until moving permanently into library administration. She was the Regional Library Branch Manager of Main Library in El Paso (her old stomping grounds) from 2013-2017, Director of Branigan Library in Las Cruces from 2017-2022 before accepting her current position as Director of the Santa Fe Public Library. Margaret established library maker spaces in both El Paso and Las Cruces and helped to launch Cruces Creatives community makerspace in 2018/2019. She still serves on the Board of Directors and acts as Treasurer. Her hobbies include reading, genealogy, endlessly talking about Great Lakes shipping disasters and rating cemeteries based on vibes.
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