WCA Judges

It is improper for a party to contact a judge directly regarding a pending matter. Please feel free to contact the secretary listed.


Judge Doug Christopherson

Doug Christopherson

Secretary: Norman Benavidez - 505-841-6068

Judge Christopherson moved to New Mexico in 2012 after completing law school at the University of Utah and lives in the North Valley with his partner and daughter. Before attending law school, he spent several years managing psychiatric research studies for an outpatient research clinic. Following law school, Christopherson initially worked as a prosecutor for the State of New Mexico where he handled DWI and domestic violence cases. He spent the next decade as a defense attorney specializing in workers' compensation cases before joining the Workers' Compensation Administration as a mediator in September 2023.


Judge Couture

 

Anthony Couture

Secretary: Norman Benavidez - 505-841-6068 / Secretary: Sabrina Bludworth - 505-841-6055

Judge Tony Couture graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2007. He was in private practice in the areas of workers' compensation, general liability and complex civil litigation. Before entering the legal field, he was a registered nurse and computer scientist. His nursing experience has helped him have a deep understanding of the complicated medical issues that often accompany workers' compensation matters. Couture is passionate about working to advance the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration's mission to assure the timely delivery of benefits to injured workers at a reasonable cost to employers. Couture is a member of the State Bar of New Mexico and the American Bar Association.

 


Judge Skinner

David Skinner

Secretary: Christina Correa - 575-524-6288

Judge David Skinner has practiced in the area of New Mexico workers’ compensation law for more than 35 years. He was recognized as a specialist in workers’ compensation law by the State Bar of New Mexico prior to his initial WCA judge appointment in 2011. Skinner has taught New Mexico workers’ compensation law at numerous accredited Continuing Legal Education seminars. He graduated from Mesa State College, Grand Junction, Colo., in 1981 with a bachelor of science degree in agronomy and received his juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1987. Skinner previously worked as a WCA judge from 2011 to 2017. Since July 2022, he has served as a judge pro tempore for the WCA, handling lump-sum settlement and Director’s Enforcement hearings.

 


Judge Carrasco-Trujillo

 

Sonya Carrasco-Trujillo

Secretary: Jaime Gutierrez - 505-841-6027

Judge Sonya Carrasco-Trujillo has had a long career in public service, having most recently served as general counsel for the New Mexico Department of Military Affairs. She is a major in the New Mexico Army National Guard, serving as the Brigade Judge Advocate for the 111th Sustainment Brigade in Rio Rancho. She was a public policy advisor and deputy chief of staff for former Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and deputy director of legislative affairs for former Gov. Bill Richardson. She was assistant general counsel at the New Mexico Department of Public Safety and was the first attorney to be appointed as an interim court judge for the City of Santa Fe. Carrasco-Trujillo earned a bachelor's degree in government and sociology at Georgetown University and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

 


Judge Fuller

 

Ned Fuller

Secretary: Stefany Bencomo - 505-841-6049

Judge Fuller previously served as an assistant director from March 2000 to March 2001, and WCA judge from March 2001 to December 2003, then returned to the WCA as Director in January 2011. Fuller left the WCA Director’s Office in December 2013 to work at New Mexico General Services Department (GSD), first as litigation bureau chief of GSD’s Risk Management Division, then as acting cabinet secretary until December 2018. More recently, Fuller has served as a deputy district attorney for New Mexico’s 11th Judicial District in Farmington, N.M.