By KRWG News
Silver City – Former Western New Mexico University faculty member Judge Celia Foy Castillo will deliver the commencement address at the WNMU fall commencement ceremony on Friday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Judge Castillo serves on the New Mexico Court of Appeals where she was elected in 2000.
Born in Deming and raised in Bayard, Judge Castillo graduated from Cobre High School. She attended Saint Mary's College, the sister school of Notre Dame in Indiana, and received a B.A. in Spanish and education.
After studying Spanish for a year at the University of Madrid, Judge Castillo began her professional career as an English teacher in Madrid and later as a Spanish teacher in Gallup, New Mexico. Judge Castillo later worked as a research analyst for the interim education committee of the New Mexico Legislature.
After receiving her J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1981, Judge Castillo clerked for New Mexico Court of Appeals Judge Mary Walters.
Judge Castillo began her law career practicing in Santa Fe and subsequently relocated to Silver City to join the family firm Foy, Foy, and Castillo. From 1996 to 2000, she taught classes as an adjunct professor in business law and education law at WNMU.
In 2008, the New Mexico State Bar recognized Judge Castillo for Outstanding Judicial Service. She currently serves as chairman of the Judicial Budget Committee.
Judge Castillo's two daughters, Celita Castillo and Felicia Boatwright, are WNMU graduates.