Keynote Speakers: 

Breakout Session Speakers

Kenneth Adams, DO, specializes in pediatric ophthalmology and eye muscle disorders in children and adults. His received his medical degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and pediatric ophthalmology fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburg. He is certified with the American Osteopathic Boards of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.

Steven Adelsheim, MD, a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, is the director of the Center for Rural and Community Behavioral Health and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. He also consults to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative through the New Mexico Department of Health and is the former school mental health officer of the New Mexico Department of Health. Named one of the Best Doctors in America, Dr. Adelsheim is a nationally recognized consultant in the field of school-based mental health. In 2006 he was awarded the Agnes Purcell McGavin Award for Prevention from the American Psychiatric Association and in 2005 he received the Academy’s Irving Phillips Award for significant contributions to the field of prevention of mental illnesses in children and adolescents.

Vanessa Apodaca is in her senior year at UNM, in the community health education degree program. She has worked with the UNM Service Corps (UNMSC), which partners with communities to provide opportunities for University students to serve in communities and connect their experiences with academic content. Through a required course, Ms. Apodaca was able to act as a student and community liaison for the Everyone’s At the Table (EAT) project during the fall 2009 school semester. Ms. Apodaca will continue to work with schools and communities associated with the EAT project, and other projects aimed at creating social change.

Jessica Aufrichtig, LMSW, currently works with the New Mexico Public Education Department as the behavioral health coordinator where she plans and coordinates with multiple agencies, schools and the New Mexico Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative to address issues related to school behavioral health. Her work includes supporting collaborative relationships between schools and Local Collaboratives. She has over 13 years of experience as a social worker serving children and families in New Mexico in the areas of child welfare, early childhood home visitation, Medicaid and school behavioral health. She received her BSW at the University of Texas and MSW, with a focus on community organizing, at the University of Michigan.  

Jane Batson, RN, MA, is the dean of the Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Division of Health and former district director for Public Health District IV in the State of New Mexico. In her current position, she is responsible for the guidance of 15 programs in the Division of Health including nursing, dental assisting, emergency medical services, and occupational therapy assisting. During the past twenty years, Mrs. Batson has been instrumental in guiding the development of services and systems addressing health disparities in Chaves County emphasizing issues of women and children. Included in the system development is a framework that ensures prenatal care access regardless of ability to pay and the Community Dental Program, operated by ENMU-Roswell that provides services for low-income children.

Twila Becenti-Fundark, MSW, LISW, BCD, currently works as the school mental health advocate for Region 1 and is based out of Farmington. Prior to joining the Department of Health Office of School and Adolescent Health three years ago, she provided direct clinical care in schools, juvenile justice system, and
community mental health settings.

Debbie Birkhauser, EdS, is the deputy director of the New Mexico Alliance for School-Based Health Care and has been involved with school-based health care for over ten years.  As an advocate for school health care, she has written media advisories and press releases relating to the “Coordinated School Health Day” at the New Mexico Roundhouse. She is a retired educator with administrative experience at the school and district levels and is a vocal supporter of educational issues writing op-eds and letters to the editor.

William Blair, PhD, is the assistant director of the Albuquerque office in the School and Family Support Bureau of the New Mexico Public Education Department. Dr. Blair received his PhD in education from UNM in 1980. After 20 years of employment at the post-secondary level, Dr. Blair joined the NM Public Education Department and has completed 29 years in the agency. He has served in a variety of capacities in Instruction, Accreditation, Assessment and Accountability, and Coordinated School Health. Dr. Blair has held leadership positions at the state and national levels and has presented at numerous events.

Rudy Blea, BA, is the program director for the New Mexico Office of Oral Health. He is responsible for coordinating the day to day activities of the Office of Oral Health’s preventive and restorative care programs which includes supervising nine state employees throughout the State; program budget and provides technical assistance to state and local government entities and the general public .The Office of Oral Health serves as the clearing house for oral health issues. As the director he serves as staff to the Governor’s Oral Health Advisory Council and is a member of the New Mexico Oral Health Advisory Council. Mr. Blea represents New Mexico at the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and American Association of Public Health Dentistry and is a member of the ASTDD School and Adolescent Work Group.

Jeanne Block, RN, MS, has 25+ years of prevention experience including over five years of university teaching and development of several peer education programs for teens. She has written a broad range of health education and training materials, including curricula and fotonovelas on HIV/AIDS, dating violence, and substance abuse. She is currently the youth project coordinator for Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico.

Michelle Bloodworth, PhD, has over 12 years experience in program development, project management, research, and evaluation. She received her master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Colorado and her doctorate in community and prevention research from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she was a pre-doctoral fellow with NIMH’s Prevention and Research Training Program. Dr. Bloodworth is a senior evaluator with Apex Education and in that capacity evaluates the system of school-based health centers in New Mexico. She has extensive experience with both quantitative and qualitative methodologies and regularly combines both approaches when designing evaluations. In her work, Dr. Bloodworth seeks participation of multiple stakeholder groups to design and conduct program evaluations that lead to the use of data for program improvement and organizational capacity building. She is the author of numerous published articles and chapters.

Celeste Bonds BS, MA, is the director of school based health services at Region IX Education Cooperative in Ruidoso, New Mexico. She received her BS in chemistry and biology from New Mexico State University and a MA in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. Currently in her 11th year at Region IX, she coordinates a school based health center funded by OSAH, and a multitude of programs that deliver prevention, interventions, professional development, physical and behavioral health care, and substance abuse services in the 7 member school districts. She is also the project director for a US Department of Education Integrating Mental Health in Schools grant for 17 high schools in southern New Mexico.

Jonathan Borrego is the worksite wellness coordinator for the Española Public School District.

Molly Brack began volunteering at the Agora Crisis Center while a graduate student in 1991 as a way to learn about crisis intervention and communication while also contributing to her community. In 2000, she took over as the clinical director of the Crisis Center and has since been responsible for supervising staff and help-line volunteers, as well as for outreach and public education throughout New Mexico. Agora has been serving the greater Albuquerque community since 1970, and as of 2006, is the host of the NM Statewide Crisis Line.

John Brandt, MD, MPH, is the chief of pediatric nephrology at the University Of New Mexico School Of Medicine. He received his pediatric training at the University of New Mexico and University of Washington Schools of Medicine. In addition, he serves as the medical director of the Pediatric Subspecialty Clinic and the Pediatric Dialysis and Infusion unit at the Children's Hospital of New Mexico. Dr. Brandt participates as a hypertension content expert in the Envision New Mexico Telehealth program.

Pam Burnham, Pam Burnham, PhD, LISW, SEP, is program director of Trauma First Aide (TFA) for Youth & Families and has been in clinical practice for 30 years with a focus on developmental and shock trauma in infants and children. She is certified in EMDR and Somatic Experiencing. Dr. Burnham conducted research in parent-infant attachment, and teaches a somatic-based psychotherapy. Dr. Burnham is a senior TFA instructor teaching in Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, California, Maine, Virginia and Texas. In 2008, Dr. Burnham developed a new TFA program with special focus on youth and family and is the director of that program. She is currently leading the TFA side of the Santa Fe Public Schools Project, training social workers, school counselors, school nurses, and teachers in TFA.

Traci Cadigan                                    

Emma Campbell

Dominic Cappello, MA, works for the New Mexico Department of Health as the youth injury prevention coordinator and oversees the Resiliency Corps demonstration site in Valencia County. He is a specialist in health promotion, instructional design, and learning management systems. Mr. Cappello is the author of Ten Talks About Violence, and co-author (with Pepper Schwartz, PhD) of the New York Times bestselling Ten Talks About Sex and Character, and (with Xenia Becher, MSW) Ten Talks About Drugs and Choices. He has discussed health and safety issues on Oprah, The Today Show, Fox and Friends, and ABC News.

Kris Carrillo, MSW, LISW, is the program operations director for Envision NM, University of New Mexico Pediatrics Department. She received her MSW from the University of California/Berkeley in 1982 and has spent the past 27 years working in New Mexico in the field of children’s mental health as a clinician, program manager, and trainer. She has a particular interest in quality improvement of SBHCs in the area of behavioral health best practices, and in addition to spending eight years working within the New Mexico Department of Health, Office of School and Adolescent Health, she spent three years as faculty for the National Assembly of School-based Health Care (NASBHC) in their Mental Health Education and Training Initiative. That was before she took two years off to live/work in Italy, and is now back in New Mexico with a whole new skill set (Italian language, Italian hand gestures, and Italian cooking)!

Lance Chilton, MD, is a long-time pediatrician in Albuquerque, and has always enjoyed his contact with school nurses and other school personnel, to the benefit of his patients, his own children, and NewMexico's school children.  He is very much involved in the promotion of vaccines as the best public health measure ever, and especially flu vaccines. He is a member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on immunization practices.

Nancye Cole, RN, BSN, MS, is a resource nurse for special education for Albuquerque Public Schools. She has worked as a school nurse and with health services for Los Lunas School District. In both roles, she worked closely with special education and nursing services to meet the needs of students, families and teaching staff to provide education acquisition while promoting a healthy and safe environment.

Yolanda Cordova

Tim Crofton, MA, BFA and BEd, is the head of theatre at The United World College of The American West. Mr. Crofton is originally from England and has 20 years of theatre experience which includes working with prison theatre groups, workshops on sexual assault, theatre of the oppressed, guerilla theatre and HIV/AIDS awareness. Mr. Crofton specializes in theatre for social change and education and has a BFA and BEd from the University of Victoria, Canada and a MA in Educational Leadership from NMHU.

Paula Duncan, MD, is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont, College of Medicine where she serves as the medical director for the Area Health Education Center program. In addition she works for the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) as youth health director and co-directs the Generations course for the 2nd year medical students. She is president elect of the Vermont Medical Society. Nationally, Dr. Duncan is the chair of the AAP Bright Futures Steering Committee and the chair of the 2010 AAP Annual Leadership Forum. She chairs the AAP Management Committee on Councils and is a member of the AAP Oral Health Workgroup and the AAP Mental Health Task Force. Her research focuses on primary care preventive services quality improvement strategies and strength based approaches to encourage health behavior change in youth and families.

Alisa Estrada is the administrator of the PMS/Catron County Medical Center/Dental clinic since July 2000 and has worked for Presbyterian Medical Services for the past 15 years.  She is also the coordinator for the Quemado School Based health Center and the Chairman of the Catron County Health Council.   Mrs. Estrada works with youth through Teen School Health Advisory Councils (SHAC), SBHC, and 4-H.  She also teaches the Botvin Life Skills to Jr. High students and Alternative to Suspension classes for school tobacco policy violators.  Mrs. Estrada has helped plan various teen and family health fairs in Catron County.

Melody Fill, MSW, LISW, loves being a social worker for the Albuquerque Public Schools. She remains committed to helping children, families, communities and systems succeed in promoting positive connections to each other as we welcome world wellness and creative curiosity about cultures while celebrating diversity. Ms. Fill endeavors to share her love with intention in each small step forward.

Art Fine has been involved in the human services field for nearly 40 years, working with diverse populations such as college students, runaway youth and migrant farm workers. He most recently has been the executive director for a community-based social service agency that initiated its own food pantry program. For the last three years, Mr. Fine has been the director of program services at Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque where he is responsible for maintaining relationships with over 300 members, and agencies and oversees the TEFAP commodity program, a senior nutrition program, an Emergency Food box program, an elementary school backpack program and Roadrunner’s newest program, the Mobile Food Pantry.

Carlos Flores LMSW, LADAC, has worked with the South Valley Male Involvement Project since 2007, working with youth to build a culture of change among men in the South Valley. Mr. Flores has many years experience in mental health, substance abuse counseling, social work, community outreach and organizing with youth and families to address issues in health, poverty, education and social change. The current focus of his work is to support youth development while encouraging youth who are engaged in self-development, critical thinking towards service to the community and with the goals of impacting improved health, social and economic justice.

Tara Ford, JD, is the co-director of Pegasus Legal Services for Children, a non-profit organization in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has been involved in children’s issues for over 15 years and has worked with many courageous and dedicated parents and caregivers who strive to ensure that children have what they need at home, in their schools and communities. In 2005 the State Bar of New Mexico recognized Ms. Ford for her “Outstanding Contribution to People with Disabilities.” She was also awarded the 2004 Children’s Champion in Legal Advocacy from Parents for Behaviorally Different Children. Pegasus Legal Services for Children was awarded the 2006 Justice Mary Walters Award from the UNM Women’s Law Caucus and the Henrietta Pettijohn award from the NM Women’s Bar Foundation. Ms. Ford is a graduate of Stanford Law School.

Julie Garcia, MA Ed, is the relationship manager for New Mexico with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation where she works at the local level with schools and districts helping them create an environment where physical activity and nutrition are the norm. Ms. Garcia spent some time working in various arenas of state government in New Mexico both in the Department of Health and the Public Education Department. In state government, Julie worked on community improvement as well as school improvement initiatives with a primary focus on obesity prevention. Ms. Garcia has an eclectic career around physical activity where in previous jobs she served as a college softball coach, a physical education teacher, an assistant director of a fitness center, an intramural director, an outdoor recreation director, a university instructor, and a personal trainer. She has been very active in school health and obesity prevention coalitions, currently serving on the executive council of the NM Healthier Weight Council, is on the steering committee for NM Action for Healthy Kids and is on the board of directors of the NM Alliance for School Based Health Care. Julie was also formerly a vice-president of health for both the Southwest District and the New Mexico Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Ms. Garcia received her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of New Mexico and her master’s degree from Central Michigan University.

Beth Goens, MD, is the interim chief of pediatric cardiology at the University of New Mexico. She received her training at the University of Colorado. She came to the University of New Mexico from Johns Hopkins in 1999.

Linda Gorgos, MD, MSc, serves as medical director for the Infectious Disease Bureau at the New Mexico Department of Health. She specializes in infectious disease with a focus on sexually transmitted infections and HIV. Dr. Gorgos graduated from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1995 and completed an internal medicine residency with The Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She served as a physician with the Indian Health Service in Arizona prior to pursuing a fellowship in infectious disease with the University of Washington and a post-doctoral fellowship in STD prevention with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cynthia Grajeda, BS, graduated from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. Ms. Granjeda taught four years in Texas as a fourth grade Bilingual teacher. She has been a third grade Dual Language teacher, math team leader and a physical education teacher in Albuquerque. She became the Game On, and the Ultimate Wellness Challenge leader and this year, at East San Jose Elementary which has signed on to work with the Alliance’s Healthy Schools Program.

Dan Green, MPH, received his masters of public health degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, El Paso Campus, with an emphasis in epidemiology, survey methodology, and the use of geographic information systems (GIS) in public health. From 1999 until 2002 he was the director of the Center for Border Health Research (CBHR) in El Paso, Texas. While with the CBHR, he was responsible for implementing a Youth Risk Behavior Survey in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. His current position is with the Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, where his duties include implementation and analysis of the New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey, a survey of risk behaviors and protective factors among New Mexico high school and middle school students.

Cindy Greenberg, RN, BSN, MSN, NCSN, a former school nurse and pediatric/newborn nursery nurse, Ms. Greenberg is manager of APS Nursing Services. She has maintained school nursing services during tough budgetary times by showing its worth, and has been a collaborator in many efforts to better the care for school children, including three CDC grants and the influenza vaccine in the schools program.  Ms. Greenberg is the 2009 winner of the New Mexico School Health Administrator Award, and is a nominee for the national award.

Kate Greenway, LPCC, MS, is the counseling coordinator for Santa Fe Public Schools. She has been a Pre-K through University educator, a licensed school counselor and psychotherapist in private practice since 1982. Ms. Greenway has been pivotal in bringing Trauma First Aide to the Santa Fe Public Schools as a resource to both staff and students.

Denine Gronseth

Beth Hamilton-Ignacio, BS, is the director of the Cuba Schools Wellness Center in Cuba, NM. She taught for 15 years, mostly on the eastern Navajo Nation. In her capacity as a SBHC director, Ms. Hamilton-Ignacio has utilized data to improve the programs and services and to advocate for her SBHC with her local school board. She has had extensive sales and marketing experience within the recreation and health/human services fields as well as a stint promoting a national park as an interpretive ranger.

Carol Hanson, RDH, BS,has been in the dental profession since 1977 when she started out as a dental assistant.  Ms. Hanson went on to become a dental receptionist and office manager, and in 1992 she received her dental hygiene degree from UNM.  She worked in private practice until coming to the New Mexico Department of Health/Public Health Division/Health Systems Bureau/Office of Oral Health in July 2005. Ms. Hanson is currently working in the dental sealant program, as well as coordinating the New Mexico Dental Support Center.  She is a member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and has served in many capacities in her local and state organizations, including president of the New Mexico Dental Hygienists’ Association 2004-2005.  Ms. Hanson is a member of the New Mexico Oral Health Advisory Council, National Network for Oral Health Access, and associate member of the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors.  She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health Degree through New Mexico State University.

Cyndi Harris, MS, is a group and organizational development consultant, trainer and coach. Her work includes individual, group, and organizational change and transition, organizational resilience, leadership development, organizational design and culture, navigating organizational dynamics for individual success and well-being, and managing individual and group dynamics in support of organizational effectiveness. She conducts highly experiential workshops including Dealing with Covert Processes and Human Interaction Laboratory. Cyndi is a member of the Trauma First Aide™ teaching staff in New Mexico, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. She is also a member of the TFA training team for the US State Department and heads up TFA research.

Jasmin Hendrickson, BA, works with the South Valley Peers In Action Project (SVPA) which began at the South Valley Academy in 2005 and is composed of young women and men at South Valley Academy interested in community service and in addressing issues around sexuality, sexual health and individual empowerment. SVPA also addresses issues affecting young women and men at the school and in the community. The group currently is developing a peer educator program in conjunction with Planned Parenthood of New Mexico.

Therese Hidalgo

Penny Holland, LPCC, has developed and presented trainings for educators and health professionals, statewide, on the impact of trauma. She is a clinical counselor at a school-based health center and in private practice.  She also assists in training psychotherapists in a somatic therapy for healing trauma.  Ms. Holland’s approach encourages us to slow down, quiet ourselves and attend to relationships.
 

Linda Juszczak, DNSc, MPH, CPNP, is the executive director for the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC). She was deputy director of the School Health Policy Initiative at Montefiore Medical Center and director of the school–based health centers at North Shore University Hospital in New York. She was the founding president of the New York Coalition for School Based Primary Care and is a past president of NASBHC. Dr. Juszczak has held faculty appointments at Yale University School of Nursing, New York University School of Nursing, Cornell University School of Medicine and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She has authored several articles and book chapters on adolescent health and on school based health centers.

Wendy Kalberg, MA, CED, is an educational diagnostician who has worked in the field of early childhood assessment and educational programming for the past 20 years. She has a strong interest in helping children who were alcohol-exposed and their families find more effective and sustaining ways to live their lives in school and the community. She has spoken nationally and internationally about fetal alcohol syndrome and the potential learning challenges that exist with children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol.

Sharon Kayne, BA, joined New Mexico Voices for Children as communications director in March 2006. In crafting and framing NM Voices’ messages and issues – whether in op-eds, press releases, newsletters or reports – she relies extensively on her writing/editing background. She worked previously as managing editor and featured columnist for the Albuquerque-based alternative paper Crosswinds Weekly and was a television news producer at KOAT, the ABC affiliate in New Mexico. She has contributed as a freelancer, to many of Albuquerque’s newspapers and periodicals. She received her BA from Arizona State University.

Leslie G. Kelly, MA, LPCC, has worked for over 20 years with youth, adults and families as an educator, counselor/therapist, trainer, and program administrator. Her areas of work have included; special education, substance abuse prevention and intervention, group work, domestic violence, systems navigation, skill building, legislative advocacy and networking. Currently, Ms. Kelly is the state behavioral telehealth coordinator in UNM's Center for Rural and Community Behavioral Health, charged with organizing a system that provides greater access to behavioral health services to New Mexicans, especially rural and frontier communities, with unmet behavioral health needs.

Sandra Ki, MA has been a school counselor for seven years. She has served as her school’s comprehensive school health coordinator for the last four years. She has experience in substance abuse, eating disorder and HIV-AIDs counseling, and extensive experience with SandTrayTherapy and Mediation. Ms. Ki has served as an employment coordinator, fitness instructor and classroom teacher and is a certified Yoga Instructor. Incorporating a comprehensive school wellness program into Tohatchi’s curriculum is a personal goal. Her enthusiasm for making the world a better place is contagious.

Nancy Kirkpatrick, BS is a certified health education specialist. She has worked with New Mexico Department of Health for nine years, where she is currently the youth suicide prevention program coordinator. She had five years with the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program, and four years with the Office of School and Adolescent Health as the health services administrator.

Sally Kosnick,MS, executive director of New Mexico GRADS, has taught GRADS for 12 years; nine of those years were spent acting as the regional mentor for Southern New Mexico GRADS programs. She brings a wealth of experience with pregnant and parenting teens from the classroom to the state level.

Diana Koster, MD, is the medical director for Planned Parenthood of New Mexico. During her career in women’s reproductive healthcare, Dr. Koster has worked with teens, in college student health services, at maternity and infant care clinics and at Planned Parenthood of New Mexico. In addition, while raising her three children, she guest taught in elementary, middle and high school health classes in Albuquerque. She enjoys participating in Head to Toe to help update teachers, healthcare professionals, counselors and school administrators on how to help prevent negative outcomes from teen sexual activity.

Avi Kriechman, MD, is board certified in adult, child and adolescent psychiatry as well as marital and family therapy. He is on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico and the New Mexico Highlands University School of Social Work. Currently, Dr. Kriechman conducts videoconferencing consultations, trainings, and interviews throughout the state via the Center for Rural and Community Behavioral Health at UNM. He has been involved with school-based mental health for over 25 years.

John Linney, MA, is executive director of Impact Coaching and Speaking, Inc. He has provided services and training on communication, positive youth development and organizational climate and development issues to over 375 educational institutions, community partnerships, and not for profit organizations throughout the United States and Mexico. He currently provides communication, facilitation and planning support to the New Mexico Community Foundation. Mr. Linney has developed several publications on the subjects of youth and community development and is co-author of a book addressing bullying and violence in schools, Safe School Ambassadors: Harnessing Student Power to Stop Bullying and Violence.

Amanda J. Lopez, MS, a native New Mexican, currently works as the school mental health advocate (SMHA) for Region 5 based out of Las Cruces. Ms. Lopez has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, and prior to joining the Office of School and Adolescent Health five years ago, provided support and clinical services for youth and families in the private and non-profit sector. As the SMHA for the Department of Health, Ms. Lopez has worked to promote suicide prevention in school communities and offer technical assistance and support to school based health centers and schools in the ten counties of southwestern New Mexico.

Elaine Luna, LISW, is currently the director of the Luna Community College Montanas del Norte Area Health Education Center (AHEC). She utilizes her leadership skills to enhance and expand education and training opportunities in the areas of health and mental health care. She participates in many statewide partnerships to support programs that lead to the increase in the number of health care professionals in the state of New Mexico. She is also a member of the Las Vegas City Schools Board of Education.

Inas Mahdi, MPH, is a fellow with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assigned to the New Mexico Department of Health. She has worked in the field of HIV prevention, adolescent sexuality and youth outreach in communities of color for seven years and is developing a positive youth development toolkit for New Mexico youth. She created an adolescent rites of passage program, “Daughters of Sankofa” to encourage at-risk African-American adolescent girls to expand their health and educational horizons using African cultural principles. Ms. Mahdi has worked in the rural South, the Caribbean and West Africa, and is passionate about girls’ empowerment across the world.

Shelley Mann-Lev, MPH, CPS, is the prevention coordinator for the Santa Fe Public Schools and the chair of the Santa Fe Underage Drinking Prevention Alliance. She is responsible for implementing substance use prevention and early intervention programs in the Santa Fe schools and serves as an advocate for policies to reduce underage drinking at the state and local level.

David Markwardt, MSOD, MFA, is a published poet, consultant, facilitator, and leadership professional who believes that we are born in and for community, that leadership is infinite and universally available, and that those who serve must stay in touch with their heart’s desires to serve best. He brings these beliefs to all his work, including the three leadership programs he oversees. He facilitates the Coalition and Community Leadership Institute, supported by the New Mexico Department of Health. He is the leadership skills trainer for Leadership Santa Fe and for the New Mexico Municipal League’s Governance Program. Mr. Markwardt received a master of science in organization development degree from Pepperdine University in 2007 and master of fine arts in poetry degree from Vermont College in 1998. He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in 1984.

Martin Martinez utilizes music and the arts to encourage youth development and to create positive messages for change in the community. His goal is to reach young men with information and education to reduce high risk behaviors which lead to unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and to work in the community to support an environment of peace, and peer to peer education. He provides education and training to other youth in Project M, a program of which he is a founder, and uses music to teach and to encourage positive growth in the Mexican culture and in the community at large.

Carmen Martinez-Tittmann, LPCC, LMSW, is a clinical counselor/social worker with over 20 years of experience with children, adolescents, and families. Ms. Martinez-Tittmann has conducted trainings for a wide range of providers through the years, and taught psycho-therapeutic modalities in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. She currently works with Envision New Mexico doing quality improvement, training, consultation and outreach. Trained in Motivational Interviewing, Ms. Martinez-Tittmann uses Motivational Interviewing in her work both as a community behavioral health provider, and conducts webinars and trainings at Envision NM, and in the community.

James Masica, MA, LPCC, is a licensed therapist and organizational development consultant with a master’s degree in clinical psychology. He has been active in the human potential field for over 26 years, with an extensive background in many diverse behavioral health and business settings. He is a Certified Laughter Leader and a Laughter Yoga instructor and presents Laughter Workshops to a wide variety of businesses and organizations. He believes in the transformative power of the belly laugh and the magic of the giggle. His mission is to spread the word that “We create the world we live in.”

Philip A. May, PhD, has been a professor at the University of New Mexico for 31 years. Dr. May is a demographer and epidemiologist who has worked with a number of behavioral health issues such as suicide, motor vehicle crashes, and alcohol use epidemiology studies. He has directed nine epidemiology and prevention research projects on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders over the past 30 years, first among American Indians of various tribes and more recently in South Africa, Italy, and mainstream American populations.

Patricia McCarty,BSN, RN, NCSN, CDE, is the coordinator for Albuquerque Public Schools of Managing and Preventing Diabetes and Weight Gain (MAP) grant since 2006. She is a diabetes resource nurse for the Albuquerque Public Schools. Ms. McCarty has many ongoing programming and implementations of projects at school sites related to increasing student’s knowledge related to nutrition and physical activity.

Jennie McCary, MS, RD, LD, is a registered dietitian and the wellness manager for Albuquerque Public Schools. She leads and manages the implementation of the district’s coordinated school health program and wellness policy, and coordinates nutrition, physical activity and staff wellness initiatives. She is president of the NM Dietetic Association and in 2009 was recognized as the Outstanding Dietitian of the Year.

Christopher A. McGrew, MD, area of special interest is Primary Care Sports Medicine. He trained at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine, and completed his residency there. After his residency Dr. McGrew completed a fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at Michigan State University. He holds the rank of professor with dual appointments in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. He is board certified in Family Medicine and holds the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Sports Medicine. He is the director of sports medicine activities for the Department of Family and Community Medicine including the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship. His memberships include the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine.

Tessa Medina-Lucero, MPH, is the adolescent health coordinator with the New Mexico Department of Health, Office of School & Adolescent Health.

Angela Medrano is the bureau chief of the Medicaid School Health Office for the New Mexico Human Services Department. She has 16 years experience working in human services programs and has managed three school-based clinics in Santa Fe.

Delia Mendoza, MSW, LISW, is a licensed independent clinical social worker. She is the Region 4 school mental health advocate with the New Mexico Department of Health-Office of School and Adolescent Health. In this role, she provided behavioral health technical assistance and consultation to school based health centers and schools in an eight county region in the southeast part of the state. A New Mexico native, she has worked in a variety of community-based programs as well as intensive inpatient settings.

Ann Menges has taught for the Catron County schools for over six years and is currently the Catron County health council coordinator. She helps plan and sponsor the Teen Health Fairs and the Family Health Fairs.

Margaret Migliorati, MA, LPCC, received her master of arts in dance/movement therapy with a minor in counseling psychology from Antioch New England Graduate School in 2000. Since that time she has worked clinically with children, adolescents, adults and families in a variety of settings. At the EARLY Program, Margaret provides individual and family counseling and runs multi-family groups. She also works with other EARLY team members to implement effective community outreach targeted toward early identification of symptoms and reducing the stigma that can be associated with mental illnesses. Prior to coming to the EARLY Program, Ms. Migliorati served as the primary therapist in several school-based health centers in rural New Mexico.

Nancy Miquelon, MA, LPCC, is a clinical mental health counselor. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver, specializing in marriage and family therapy. She has been in practice for 16 years, with a strong focus on trauma and cult recovery. Ms. Miquelon has been with Sangre de Cristo Community Health Partnership for over four years, serving as a Regional Supervisor in Northern NM, working with the Jicarilla Apache Nation.

Frank Mirabal, MA, is the founder and president of Contigo Research, Policy & Strategy, a national consulting firm that provides rigorous research, public policy and strategic thinking services. Over the past three years, Mr. Mirabal has been part of an Integration and Implementation team at the New Mexico Community Foundation. At the national level, he works closely with public and private organizations to research promising practices in education, health care, workforce development and leadership for our nation’s growing Latino population. As a consultant, Mr. Mirabal has worked on initiatives funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, National Council of La Raza, New Mexico Community Foundation and the New Mexico Children’s Cabinet. Mr. Mirabal has a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism from the University of New Mexico.

Lucy Montes-Sandoval, PhD, CNS, is a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist and a counseling psychologist at the Gadsden Middle School, School Based Health Center (SBHC). In addition to providing therapeutic services to students, Dr. Sandoval functions in the role of program director for the SBHC in implementing the comprehensive school-based health component of the Elev8 New Mexico Initiative. Since 2000, she has had experience working in SBHC settings providing ongoing psychotherapy and medication management to both middle and high school students.

Emily Moore, PhD, has maintained a private clinical practice in Albuquerque since 1981, specializing in adolescent, family, and relationship issues. She has over 30 years experience in working with youth in a variety of settings, including juvenile justice and diversion programs, psychological and forensic evaluations, and psychotherapy. She is also a licensed school psychologist who consults with the APS Behavioral Intervention Program. Since 2003, Dr. Moore has developed and presented programs on relational aggression, cyberbullying, self-image and media literacy, and social competency to students, parents, educators and community leaders in New Mexico.

Ana L. Moseley, LISW, ACSW is the clinical director of Sangre de Cristo Community Health Partnership (SDCCHP) a non-profit agency that has implemented and maintained the largest federal SAMHSA grant in New Mexico. The Screening, Brief Intervention, Brief Treatment and Referral (SBIRT) grant was implemented in 34 medical settings and high schools and employed 26 Behavioral Health Consultants. Even though the grant period is over, SBIRT is sustained in most of those clinical sites across the state. Ms. Moseley has over 25 years of experience providing mental health services. During the past three years the focus of her practice has been primarily developing policies and procedures for mental health services, providing and supervising integrative Mental Health Care for Primary Care facilities, School Based Clinics, Public Health Clinics and Hospitals. Ana is a member of NASW and of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). She provides introductory, advanced and specialty focused MI trainings.

Kathleen Moseley, RN, MS, AE-C, is a nurse educator with Project ECHO. Ms. Moseley currently works in community health outreach with Project ECHO, an innovative telemedicine program focusing on supporting providers throughout New Mexico to utilize best practice for clients with common chronic diseases/conditions. She is a certified as an asthma educator with the National Asthma Education Certification Board.

Laurie A. Mueller, RDH, serves as the professional development coordinator for the School and Family Support Bureau in the New Mexico Public Education Department. For three years, Ms. Mueller served as one of two National Professional Development Coordinators for the Centers for Disease Control/Division of Adolescent and School Health through a cooperative agreement with New Mexico. Her expertise includes planning, developing, implementing and evaluating professional development events that increase the knowledge, skills and attitudes of funded partners, school administrators, teachers and other key stakeholders to provide quality school health programming and activities both on a state and national level. In addition, Ms. Mueller oversees communications for PED on school health policies.  For over 26 years, Ms. Mueller worked in the New Mexico Department of Health providing and overseeing various school health programs. She was instrumental in establishing the largest school-based dental sealant program in the world, serving over 19,000 students statewide in a single year. Expanding beyond dental services, Ms. Mueller became the Healthier School Coordinator and promoted the development of Coordinated School Health Programs in New Mexico and developed the Office of School Health within the Department. Before retiring in 2005, Ms. Mueller was the director for the Office of School Health, DOH, which supported 22 staff statewide that focused on delivery of quality school health programs.

Anna Nelson, LISW, is a licensed independent social worker providing direct services, programmatic consultation and policy development in New Mexico. Ms. Nelson possesses expertise in promoting resiliency and behavioral health for students and their families. In 2008, Ms. Nelson developed and promoted New Mexico’s first Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention week, an initiative endorsed by Governor Richardson. Currently, Ms. Nelson strives to develop a statewide system of school based and school linked behavioral healthcare guided by the principles of gender responsiveness, trauma and stigma-reduction, and cultural relevance through collaboration.

Michael Nelson, MD, is a pediatrician with 27 years practice experience.  He has both implemented and served as a leader for other teams initiating Lean Systems Thinking in the Presbyterian Healthcare System.  He is currently creating a Lean Implementation manual for others to use in health care settings. Dr. Nelson is credited with creating transformational change in financial performance, patient and staff satisfaction, staff turnover, and physician satisfaction while maintaining consistently superior clinical outcomes.  He currently has his own consulting business.

Kevin O’Brien, MSW, is a clinical social worker with many years of experience working with “at-risk” adolescents, including work in therapeutic wilderness settings and a residential facility for teens. Currently, Mr. O’Brien holds a position with Santa Fe Public Schools’ Project SUCCESS, a student assistant program focusing on substance abuse.

Chris O’Donnell, RN, MBA/HCM, is the manager of the School Based Health Center Program through the University of New Mexico, Family & Community Medicine Department. A psychiatric nurse with more than a decade of experience treating adolescents, he has served as the state chair for an international suicide prevention program, been a member of the NM Office of Injury Prevention Youth Suicide Prevention Review Committee, and served on the NM Suicide Prevention Coalition Board of Directors. He currently is an advisory board member of Agora Crisis Center and on the board of the NMASBHC.

Rene Paisano-Trujillo leads New Mexico Community Foundation's integrated services in school development, shaping initiative-wide program strategy, policy and leverage efforts, and communications support, as well as guiding implementation at each Elev8. A native of the Pueblo of Laguna, Ms. Paisano-Trujillo is locally and nationally recognized for her 25 years of extensive experience with nonprofit advocacy and community development organizations. Over the last 13 years, she has devoted her attention to the support of afterschool program initiatives, primarily in tribal and rural contexts.

Laura Parker, RN, BSN, CDE, has extensive experience in the health care field. Ms. Parker is currently working for Presbyterian Health Systems as diabetes educator with the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes Education Program. She received her BS in nursing from Duke University and is working on a master of science, to become an adult nurse practitioner.

Nissa Patterson, MPH, is a program manager for the NM Alliance for School-Based Health Care. She has worked with school-based health centers for ten years including serving as a manager of two programs. In spring 2008 and fall 2009 she worked with the Elev8 SBHC sites on a productivity assessment for each site.

Linda J. Peñaloza, PhD, is a research associate professor at the University of New Mexico’s Division of Prevention & Population Sciences. She received her doctorate degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in mass communication, and has BA and MA degrees in sociology.  She is currently president-elect of the New Mexico Public Health Association. Dr. Peñaloza is responsible for data collection with the middle school and high school Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS) in all of New Mexico’s 89 school districts and provides program evaluation support for the New Mexico DOH–Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program (TUPAC) and its contractors.

Anna Pentler is executive director of the New Mexico Immunization Coalition, and a booster of immunizations at many levels.  Ms. Pentler has a master of public health degree, and uses her public health knowledge to design projects to improve New Mexico's immunization rates and acceptance of vaccines. She has been the central figure in the New Mexico School Influenza Immunization effort.

Thomas Peterson, PhD, is the associate clinical director and regional clinical supervisor for Sangre de Cristo Community Health Partnership/NM SBIRT. Dr. Peterson is a licensed psychologist educated at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of New Mexico. His background includes the provision of inpatient and outpatient integrated mental health services at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center and UNM Carrie Tingley Hospital, individual and family therapy for substance using adolescents and adults, and clinical research of evidence-based treatment models for substance-using adolescents. He is also actively involved in the development and implementation of telehealth technology as a resource to provide training, supervision, consultation and behavioral health services to rural New Mexico.

Carol Pierce, a former regional public health director with New Mexico Department of Health, provides planning, facilitation and implementation support. She has worked extensively on the planning for the initial launch of services and has specifically focused on the integration of services. Ms. Pierce will now support the sustainability planning process for Elev8 NM.

Patricia Rael is the education and outreach coordinator for the NM Attorney General's Office. She teaches statewide on methamphetamine awareness. She was the head writer and researcher for the Methamphetamine Teen/Parent booklet and developed the PowerPoint for Meth Awareness Presentation for teens.

Ashley Ramirez

Mary Ramos, MD, MPH, is a pediatrician. She is a research assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of New Mexico and serves as school health officer for the NM Department of Health.

Charlene Reano, BA, MA, is the education director in Santo Domingo Pueblo and works closely with Bernalillo Public Schools to promote the success of Santo Domingo students. Additionally, she oversees the Santo Domingo Adult Education Program, Higher Education Program, Kewa Youth Initiative, Johnson O’Malley program and the Summer Food Program for youth 0-18.  She is also the administrator for Local Collaborative 16, a newly established Native American local collaborative, representing seven Pueblos, part of Navajo Nation and urban Native Americans. Ms. Reano received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art education at the University of New Mexico.  She also received an associate in fine arts and three-dimensional art from the Institute of American Indian Arts.  Her work is displayed in collections at both the IAIA Museum and the Wheelwright Museum. Ms. Reano is currently working on a second master’s degree in marketing business.

Susan Rice, BA, MA, is currently the health coordinator for Silver Consolidated Schools in Silver City.  She has also been a health educator and counselor in her 25+ year career in education, advocating for health issues and working to implement change.      

Dan Rifkin, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who provides psychiatric services in school-based health centers as well as training and consultation to SBHC medical and behavioral health providers around New Mexico. For the past 16 years Dr. Rifkin’s practice has included consultative work with schools and SBHCs, emphasizing multidisciplinary, collaborative evaluation and treatment of psychiatric problems. Dr. Rifkin is on faculty in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, UNM School of Medicine.

Sara Robbins, RD, practiced clinical dietetics in an inpatient adult setting in Portland, Oregon for three years, and was the nutrition education coordinator with New Mexico WIC for five years. Currently, she is program coordinator with Dairy Max, Inc. working with New Mexico schools and health organizations on the nutrition benefits of dairy foods.

Troy Rodgers, PsyD, a native New Mexican, has a masters and a doctorate in clinical forensic psychology. He is currently licensed in New Mexico as a school psychologist and a clinical psychologist. Dr. Rodgers has been the agency director for Forensic Behavioral Health Associates since its inception six years ago. Dr. Rodgers is a staff psychologist for the Albuquerque Police Department and also the director of the Behavioral Sciences Division of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department. He is a New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy certified instructor and is adjunct faculty at CNM and University of Phoenix. He has worked in the mental health field for over 11 years with expertise in the areas of school psychology, police psychology, law enforcement assessment, criminal and sexual offender treatment and evaluation, violence risk assessment, school and workplace violence, crisis intervention, behavioral profiling, peak performance training, and stalking.

Rosie Rogers, LMSW, LSSW, is a school social worker at South Valley Academy and co-creator of South Valley Peers in Action.

Carlos Romero, MBA, is president of Apex Education. He has eight years of experience in program planning, proposal development, project management, research and evaluation. He completed his undergraduate work in political science at the University of New Mexico and received his MBA from the University of Phoenix. Mr. Romero brings a broad range of experience to Apex, having worked with numerous federal and state grant programs including Goals 2000, Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration, Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers, Technology Literacy Challenge Fund, E-rate, Title VII Bilingual Education, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Reading Excellence Act and other programs focusing on school improvement, student and behavioral health, math and science, and reading and literacy.

Jerome A. Romero, BA, is the director of the New Mexico State Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Prevention Program at the University of New Mexico Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions and has devoted the last 14 years of his professional career to the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in New Mexico. He has developed numerous universal prevention projects targeting the general population as well as selective prevention projects that target women of childbearing age. He has developed a very successful Teen Peer Education Program, having trained more than 4000 students to become FASD Peer Educators. As a nationally recognized prevention specialist in the area of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, he currently serves as the chairman of the National Association of State FASD Coordinators, and serves on the SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence Expert Panel. He was recently inducted into the FASD Hall of Fame for his efforts in preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Francisco Ronquillo, PA, is a regional coordinator working with the Offices of the Vice Presidents for Diversity and Community Health at the University of New Mexico, and a former Albuquerque Public School employee.  Mr. Ronquillo was in charge of bringing education on influenza, on immunization, and on pandemic response to the NM School Influenza Immunization Project (SIIP) this year.  His principal role with the SIIP was coordinating the Health Sciences Center volunteers.

Liana Ryan, PA, is a physician assistant with Hidalgo Medical Services at the Silver Schools Health Center in Silver City, NM.  She obtained her Physician Assistant degree from the University of New Mexico and returned to her rural home-town of Silver City to begin practice. She incorporates her passion for fitness and health into her medical practice as well as through her work as a group fitness instructor at the Billy Casper Wellness Center.  She is a member of her local School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and has participated in trainings for the Teen Lifestyle Changes (TLC) program.

Rose Saltclah, MSN/CFNP, (Navajo) is a family nurse practitioner with 20 years of experience in New Mexico, five years in Arizona; and a total of 25 years of nursing experiences among the Native population. Her current clinical practice is with School Based Health Clinic as a coordinator and clinician at Crownpoint Indian Health Service Hospital. She received her undergraduate degree (BSN) from the University of Utah, and graduate degree (MSN/FNP) from University of New Mexico. Ms. Saltclah has worked in various Indian Health Service Hospitals, communities, schools and in the private sector. She is bilingual in Navajo/English, has a deep understanding of the Navajo culture, and has weaved her clinical practice with Navajo cultural teaching with positive outcomes.

Jacob Sanchez recently held a position as supervisor for a Child Placing Agency under the supervision of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Service (TDFPS). Prior to his work in the private sector, he served as a state legal liaison conducting child maltreatment investigations and coordinating and executing multidisciplinary permanency planning team objectives. Mr. Sanchez has eight years experience developing and conducting programming with multicultural populations of youth and families.

JoAnn Sartorius, LISW, for over 30 years has focused on prevention, working with youth, schools and communities in a variety of clinical and educational settings throughout New Mexico. For the past 15 years she has concentrated on suicide prevention. She is an independent consultant and trainer for Natural Helpers youth suicide prevention programs through the Office of School and Adolescent Health. She works with the Student Wellness Action Teams in Santa Fe and the Santa Fe County DWI Program. Ms. Sartorius was an original participant in the Hope for the Heart youth suicide prevention planning in New Mexico and has since continued to be active in helping to reduce suicide through her prevention and postvention work.

Amy Scott, MD, MPA, is the director of the EAT: Everyone’s At the Table initiative. For the past ten years, Dr. Scott has been involved in statewide community-based initiatives that address social determinants of health, quality improvement, advocacy, and policy. She was the co-founder and operations director of Envision New Mexico and consultant for Project ECHO.

Keahi Kimo Souza, LMSW, is currently working as the behavioral health director for the Santo Domingo Pueblo and is a faculty consultant for Arizona State University. He has been working in the area of adolescent and adult behavioral health for the past 15 years. He has developed and supervised gang intervention programs and has worked as a school social worker. He consults and provides technical assistance with a variety of national and local juvenile justice and behavioral health agencies.

Chenoa Bah Stilwell-Jensen, MS, serves as the community outreach coordinator for Envision New Mexico: The Initiative for Child Healthcare Quality. In partnership with the University of New Mexico’s Health Sciences Center with the Department of Pediatrics, she works with healthcare professionals in school-based health centers and community clinics with resources that will ultimately help the children and teens they serve with healthy lifestyles (nutrition education, physical activity, and promotion of safe environments). Her work extends nationally and statewide to rural, tribal and urban communities. She is in working partnership with numerous tribal nations in New Mexico to address adolescent well-being through school wellness policy development, advocacy trainings and school health advisory councils.

Eugene F. Sun, MD, MBA, is a physician executive with experience in all facets of medical management including case and disease management and quality improvement. In his current role as chief medical officer, he educates and interacts with network and group providers and medical managers regarding utilization practices, guideline usage and effective resource management.

Kathleen “Mo” Taylor is an occupational therapist who works for the University of New Mexico, Center on Development and Disability and also has her own private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals with autism spectrum disorders and is also an adoptive mother of a child with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). She has combined her personal experience and professional expertise to help children with FAS. She has trained internationally on ways to help affected children in the real world.

Donna Teuteberg, LISW, is a dedicated social worker who walks and weaves in the great tradition of social activism, cultural competence and honoring diversity of people and their cultures. Ms. Teuteberg shares her personal story, remains committed to her professional ideals and holds herself accountable to the “do no harm” ethic of best practice.

Omar Torres has a personal interest in DeeJay work, working in radio, rap music, and in performance. Active in Youth Radio, in Project M, and other student groups at his school, he enjoys working with other youth, engaging them in discussions about health. He has participated in the development of public service announcements, videos, and media messages which seek to educate other youth and community people about important community issues. He enjoys sports and wants to continue his work in college.

Danette Townsend, MS, has over 14 years of afterschool programming in middle schools and community development experience, most recently with the YMCA. She now leads the school-site integration and implementation effort with a focus on quality-building and developing best practice. Ms. Townsend has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in counseling.

Eva Vigil has been with Albuquerque Public Schools for 31 years, 19 of those have been as an administrator both at the elementary and middle school levels. Ms. Vigil taught various grades at the elementary level for 11 years and spent one year at the University of New Mexico supporting new teachers in APS. She belongs to New Mexico Association of Elementary/Middle School Principals (NMAESP), where she served as the president for one year. Ms. Vigil also belongs to the National Association of Elementary/Middle School Principals (NAESP) and serves as the Zone 8 president. Ms. Vigil also served on the Extra Support for Principals (ESP) advisory board for 12 years, helping to support mentoring for new principals in APS.

Suzy Whitehead, MSN, RN, is the nurse consultant in the New Mexico Medical Assistance Division School Health Office (SHO). Ms. Whitehead has been a registered nurse for 27 years. She has experience in hospital administration and women’s health research, as well as extensive experience working with state and local agencies to improve access to health care for New Mexico families. Ms. Whitehead has been a certified PE/MOSAA determiner for seven years.

Josie Whitley, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Austin, Texas. She has worked in the public schools as a teacher, supervisor of special education, student ombudsman where she provided crisis intervention services, and as a middle school counselor. In her private practice she has worked with individuals, couples and groups who are often coping with traumas. These traumas include child abuse, domestic violence, death or suicide of a family member, health challenges, divorce and family conflict.

Glenn Wieringa, MRC, is the underage drinking prevention coordinator for the NM Department of Transportation/Traffic Safety Bureau. He has 40 years of experience in both Ohio and New Mexico in substance abuse prevention. His primary responsibilities include interagency coordination, training and technical assistance in the area of alcohol control policy development, strategic planning and Environmental Strategies. Current areas of emphasis are media literacy, social norms, and social host ordinances, working with the private sector (e.g., Wal-Mart) and partnering with the Attorney General to develop an underage drinking prevention legislative package for 2010.

Georgina Williams is a certified prevention specialist for the Los Alamos Public Schools. She is also a licensed mental health counselor in private practice and works in the area of teen substance abuse and youth in the juvenile justice system. Her work with the district requires using survey data to work with community-based organizations and the schools to create, fund and implement community wide programs based on the survey results.

Colin Willis is a young man who has a direct interest in peer education with others around the issues of healthy relationships, reproductive health, and working to change unhealthy community conditions. He is active in Project M and a number of other student groups at his school. He enjoys working with other youth around high risk behaviors; he enjoys using drama to get his point across, and has participated in the development of videos communicating media messages about community health issues.

Jennifer Witten, MBA, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation fellow, is the senior director for Health Alliances and Programs for the American Heart and Stroke Association. The American Heart and Stroke Association is a national nonprofit organization focused on “Building healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke”. Ms. Witten has provided her skills and talents for AHA/ASA over a year and has worked in the healthcare industry for over 13 years. She has a wealth of experience and expertise in healthcare, non-profit management, and program development. She has a strong background in developing collaborative relationships with diverse groups to address the healthcare needs of New Mexico communities.

JoAnne Wright, RN, MSN, CNS, has been a nurse for 39 years, working with all ages. She has been a CNS since 2000 and began teaching pediatric tracheotomy at that time. She became the tracheotomy nurse specialist for the Children’s Hospital. Ms. Wright works with inpatient staff nurses, student nurses, school nurses and her favorite, the parents of children with tracheotomy tubes.