BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kristen has spent most of her life living in Albuquerque, NM. She is a graduate of La Cueva High School, University of Arizona, and UNM. Born into a New England raised military family, she has always been infected by the travel bug and after graduating from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor in Philosophy and English, she worked in larger cities like Phoenix and Boston before returning to the beautiful Southwest in 2001.

After beginning her career in advertising and marketing, she joined the family practice immediately gaining a great deal of satisfaction helping individuals, families, and business owners build financial security through personal comprehensive financial and succession plans. Kristen believes strongly in investing financially and personally in people, organizations, and her community. Her company’s philosophy, “We Invest in You,” is an extension of her personal values.

Away from the office, Kristen is a consistent contributor in both time and resources to New Mexico non-profits including, All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center, American Lung Association, St. Jude’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Casa Esperanza, Junior Achievements, Sangre de Oro, children’s literacy programs, and several small animal rescues throughout the state of New Mexico. Kristen also enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, and attending a Red Sox baseball game in Fenway Park when the opportunity arises.

Since 2016, Kristen has served All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center by sitting on the Board of Directors, Investment Committee, donating, attending events, and most recently, as a presenting sponsor for the first annual Noche Azul.

As the Director of Advancement of the Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation, Cyanne Lujan is responsible for the development of all marketing and fundraising strategies to grow the base of philanthropic and donor support and increase public awareness of the NB3 Foundation. She also builds and manages brand identity and all aspects of marketing and communication to raise awareness of the organization and its programs. Cyanne manages the Foundation’s signature special events such as the Healthy Kids! Healthy Futures! Conference, New Mexico Grande Slam and the NB3FIT Community Cross Country Race.

Before joining the Foundation in 2012, she worked in sales, staffing, human resources and education. Cyanne has a Master of Business Administration from University of Phoenix and a Bachelor degree in Organizational Management from the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico. She also volunteers as a board member for All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center, The Praxis Project, and as a member of her tribal Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

Cyanne is from the Pueblo of Sandia where she resides with her family. She enjoys staying healthy and active by running the reservation back roads with her dogs. Cyanne strongly values her family and is extremely proud of her Pueblo culture.

Ruth moved to Albuquerque in 2009 to run track and cross country for the University of New Mexico. Ruth currently works as an audit senior manager for public accounting firm KPMG and as an accountant for the Albuquerque Community Foundation. Ruth’s professional work experience is concentrated on clients in the governmental and nonprofit sectors, including healthcare entities. In fall 2022 Ruth will be starting a PhD in accounting, with a research focus on nonprofit and societal impact matters, at the University of Washington.

Ruth holds an MBA from UNM’s Anderson School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the United Kingdom. Ruth is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of New Mexico.

Ruth has served on the All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center Finance Committee since 2015, the Board of Directors since 2018, and the Executive Committee since 2021.

John moved to New Mexico in August 1997 and attended New Mexico State University where he graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Accountancy, and Associates degrees in Finance and Criminal Justice. He has resided in Albuquerque, NM and worked for KPMG LLP since 2001. He is an audit Senior Manager for KPMG LLP where he has gained nearly seventeen years of experience providing financial statement audit and related services to public and non-public entities, including not for profit entities. His vision is to use his financial skills to help organizations which provide serves to the local community to build healthy societies.

John has provided professional audit services to companies in accordance with PCAOB and U.S. GAAP requirements. His audit experience ranges from SEC filings for public entities, audits of multiple service utilities, manufacturing entities, and governmental entities (including federal and Native American Tribal organizations). John has an understanding of SEC rules and regulations and has been involved in numerous complex debt and equity offerings, stock compensation transactions, acquisition transactions, and divestiture transactions.

John previously served on the Board of Directors of All Faiths (2010 to 2016) where he was a member of the Finance Committee, as well as served as the Treasurer and member of the Executive Committee during portions of his tenure. John also served as a member of the Chief Executive Officer search committee that was responsible for reviewing submitted resumes, identifying qualified applicants for interviews, conducting interviews, and selecting a new Chief Executive Officer. He also participated in the resume review and interview process during the recruitment and hiring of two Chief Financial Officers.

John also served on the Governing Council of Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School (2012 to 2015), where he served as the Treasurer and Chair of the Audit Committee during portions of his tenure. During his time on the Governing Council he was directly involved in the development and presentation of financial forecasts to investors, and responding to attorney inquiries, when the school sought, and successfully raised, more.

Arlene Espinoza-Armijo is the Director of Development for The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. She has more than 11 years of experience in non-profit fundraising in the unique landscape of the not-for-profit sector in New Mexico.

As a homegrown New Mexican, growing up in Belen, NM, Arlene was led to her life’s work in Albuquerque, NM during her college career at the University of New Mexico. After graduation, Arlene found her passion within the healthcare sector and service to her community.

Committed to the betterment of her community, Arlene is honored to serve on the board of All Faith Children’s Advocacy as a trusted advocate for children and families affected by trauma.

As a Property Manager in Albuquerque, Melissa has seen the ups and downs of life in town and felt the need to help improve the area. Becoming part of All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center and supporting their system of trauma recovery, family wellness and health, and being able to contribute to the organization has become a mission of passion. Melissa is a graduate of New Mexico State University, and after 20 years of being a software geek and living away from New Mexico, she returned to be close to family and now owns Thunderbird Property Management and Realty Company as well as Thunderbird Mechanical, LLC. She is also a member and Vice President of the Albuquerque Chapter of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM).

Nathan Cogburn has been a nurse since 1993 and an EMT with a rural fire department prior to nursing.  His passion is to improve patient’s lives which serves as his guiding principle.  With over 19 years in many aspects of hospital operations including staff nurse, manager, and director.  During this time, he worked in a variety of settings ranging from small critical access hospitals on the Mexico border to Level 1 trauma centers including several hospitals in the Albuquerque area.    Specific areas of experience are emergency services, clinical informatics, nursing practice, and process improvement and Home Health.

Mr. Cogburn has spent the last several years in Medicaid/Medicare managed care and has been responsible for setting up and overseeing contracts, provider relations, medical management, care coordination, and value-based reimbursement.  He is currently serving as the Vice President of Network Development at Western Sky Community Care.

His Board involvement includes the Western Sky Community Care board and the New Mexico American Heart Association board where he has chaired or co-chaired the Heart Walk since 2018.

Andrea joined the New Mexico Start-Up Factory in 2018 as the Company Creation Specialist and currently serves as the Vice President of Operations for portfolios I, II and III. She works with entrepreneurs and scientists to help commercialize their innovations, create investable companies and secure funding. Andrea also works closely with research institutions to source new and promising technologies for development within the Start-Up Factory’s portfolio. With a background in marketing, employee development, leadership and operations, Andrea plays an important role in taking technologies from idea to industry within the organization’s business model.

Andrea is the former the Vice President of the New Mexico Angels, where she worked to source high growth investment opportunities, while performing due diligence and managing the investment portfolio after an equity deal had been made. Andrea worked closely with entrepreneurs and companies seeking angel funding and mentored them through business development, marketing and the pitch presentation process. In addition, Andrea is also the Chief Operations Officer for ORC Tech, LLC, the Chief Operations Officer for GPER G-1 Development Group, the Chief Operations Officer for MNT SmartSolutions and the Project Manager for both Osazda Energy and TNeuro Pharma.

In 2022, Andrea was awarded the Albuquerque Business First’s “40 Under 40” achievement, an honor based on individuals making in impact in the community while in a leadership role. Garcia also served in the 2022 “Scaling up Program” hosted by NASA Johnson Space Center as a Board Panelist. This program supports aspiring entrepreneurs from the NBA, MLB, MSL and WNBA by providing resources and mentorship focused on technology transfer. In 2020, Andrea was honored as an Albuquerque Business First “Woman of Influence,” a celebration in honor of women who have made a positive and influential impact in the New Mexico business community. She was also featured as one of “Three New Mexicans to Know: Leaders in Technology.” Andrea was highlighted as a special speaker for the Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University’s “WE Mean Business” Virtual Conference, an event focused on supporting women entrepreneurs in New Mexico.

Mrs. Garcia also currently serves on the Board of Directors for All Faith’s Children’s Advocacy Center, an organization that advocates for children and families affected by trauma in the state of New Mexico. Her volunteer service also includes raising awareness for LifeROOTS and The Harbour Dream Center.

Mrs. Garcia earned a B.A., Honors Cum Laude from the University of Denver and is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from New Mexico Highlands University. She is the mother of two young boys and enjoys competing in triathlons, snowboarding and playing golf with her husband.

Paula has recently started a new chapter in her life as Co-Founder of NM-NEW – a social profit working to engage people aged 50 to 70+ who wish to remain active in the community.

Paula retired from Sun/Oracle in August 2021 after almost 40 years in the computer services industry, managing and leading global project & risk management teams. She is certified in Six Sigma and ITIL foundation. She started her career working for DEC in Colorado immediately following college graduation. She was able to return home to New Mexico in 2005 and worked remotely while traveling across the world.

While at Oracle she passionately served as one of the volunteer leaders of OPEN (Oracle’s global LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group). Closer to home she is on the Boards of UNM Anderson School of Management Alumni Council and All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center.

Paula is a native New Mexican, born & raised in Santa Fe, one of seven children. She earned her B.A. in Business Computer Systems from the UNM Anderson Business School. She lives in Los Ranchos with her wife and two dogs.

Cristin brings a wealth of resources and entrepreneurial skills to REDW’s Human Resources Consulting group, including an in-depth legal understanding of federal, state, and Tribal employment laws, human resources management and strategy, employee relations, compensation and benefits and employee engagement. She started her career as a litigation attorney specializing in employment law, representing public and private employers in matters involving Equal Employment Opportunity, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Workers’ Compensation and Federal Employers Liability Act.

In 2018, Cristin started Human Resources Experience, LLC, a human resource consulting and proactive legal practice, and merged her growing business with REDW in early 2020. In previous roles, Cristin served as VP-Human Resources and General Counsel for a large regional restaurant franchise with more than 1,700 employees.
As an experienced HR consultant, Cristin offers the following services to clients:
Consulting related to compensation analysis and planning, job descriptions and employee benefits
Improving performance in the human resources function, including design of employee engagement and culture initiatives, development of strong policies and procedures, implementation of talent management software and leadership coaching/professional mentorships and succession planning for HR and operations managers
Developing risk management, legal and compliance functions, including proactive strategies to eliminate potential employer liability, mediating employee relations matters, conducting effective internal investigations and I-9 audits and insurance claims management.

Cristin is an avid attendee of the National Employment Law Institute (NELI) as well as a frequent presenter to local organizations on human resources and employment law topics.

Cristin is currently Chair of the Human Resources Committee for All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center where she also serves on the Board of Directors and Capital Campaign Committee. She is also a Board Member of the Employment and Labor Law section of the New Mexico State Bar as well as the New Mexico State Personnel Board. Cristin is also a former President of the Albuquerque Bar Association. She has also chaired fundraising initiatives for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation and assisted in fundraising initiatives for NDI New Mexico and The New Mexico Dream Center.

In 2014, Cristin was recognized as one of Albuquerque Business First’s “Top 40 Under Forty,” and in 2015 the publication honored her again as a “Woman of Influence.” She was also selected as a UNM Anderson School of Management Hall of Fame Young Alumni award recipient in 2017.

Cristin has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management and obtained her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. She also received her Tribal Human Resources Professional (THRP) credential in early 2021.

Leean Kravitz joined Fidelity Investments in August of 2008 and currently serves as Vice President of Public Affairs & Government Relations, overseeing teams in New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. Her direct responsibilities include serving as the primary external representative for Fidelity Investments in New Mexico, as well as having accountability for government relations, community relations, and corporate sponsorship programs across all three states. In addition, she covers state government relations for California and Oregon. In 2019, Leean was named Regional Co-Lead for New Mexico and is responsible for driving an engaging, productive and collaborative workplace for associates in the region.

Leean currently serves as president of the Albuquerque Forward Fund, board member of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the National Dance Institute of New Mexico (NDI), and All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center and as an executive committee member for Albuquerque Economic Development and the NM State Chamber of Commerce. She also serves as the co-chair for both Mission: Graduate and the Corporate Council for NDI. In 2017, she was recognized by Albuquerque Business First as a Women of Influence. She holds a Bachelor in International Relations from the University of Delaware and an Master of Business Administration from the Anderson Schools of Management at University of New Mexico.

Prior to joining Fidelity Investments, Leean was the Marketing Director at Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, the architecture firm that designed the Fidelity site at Mesa del Sol in Albuquerque. She has more than 30 years of government relations, marketing, public relations, and business development experience in the Southwest.

Fran Lesher is a Senior Vice President and Commercial Lender at Century Bank. Fran has been in the business banking arena in Albuquerque for over 15 years. Though originally from Wisconsin, Fran has been in New Mexico since 1979 and considers the Land of Enchantment home. She and her husband have owned and operated an automotive repair business in Rio Rancho for over 15 years. Fran is a graduate of New Mexico Highlands University where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Accounting. Fran is passionate about serving her community and previously served on the Board of St. Martin’s Hospitality Center for six years as Secretary and Board Chair.

Stephen Montoya has been with HTLF/New Mexico Bank & Trust since May of 1998, He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Regional Operations Coordinator with HTLF, the parent company of New Mexico Bank & Trust. Previously, Montoya served as Executive Vice President, Head of Operations for New Mexico Bank & Trust.

Prior to joining New Mexico Bank & Trust, Montoya worked in several financial institutions in New Mexico and has over 35 years of audit and operations experience. Montoya received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Finance Concentration from the University Of New Mexico Anderson School Of Management. Montoya is also a graduate of the BAI School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.

Montoya has been active in several community organizations, serving in various capacities, including The Make-A-Wish Foundation of NM, Easter Seals NM, NM Junior Livestock Foundation, Dominican Ecclesial Institute, Mid Rio Grande Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of NM. Having served as a past Board Member and Board Chair for All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center, Montoya is returning for his second term of Board service. He also serves on the Institutional Funds and Audit and Compliance Committees.

Stephen is a lifelong resident of New Mexico and is married to his wife, Sandra. They have two children – Matthew and Dominic.

After 20+ years, Jesus Ontiveros retired from Sandia National Laboratories in April 2021, as the Senior Manager of Division Business. Jesus spent 17 of those years in Leadership roles and the last 6 as Senior Manager. Prior to joining Sandia, Jesus worked for several large companies including Siemens, Bank of America, Motorola and Honeywell with 4 years in Leadership positions.

Jesus has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. Jesus is also a graduate of the Leadership Albuquerque Program and served as the Chair of the Hispano Philanthropic Society Council, a United Way affinity group. Currently, he sits on the board of the Albuquerque Collegiate Charter School and the UNM Anderson Alumni Council. In addition, he formerly sat on Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central NM.

Jesus is a first generation American, his Father and Mother having been born in Chihuahua, Mexico and immigrating to the U.S. Jesus and his wife Gloria, a retired Registered Nurse, have been married for almost 45 years and have 4 adult children, all college graduates, and 6 grandchildren, all future college graduates.

Heather L. Ouellette grew up in northern New Mexico and has lived in the Albuquerque area for over 20 years. Heather’s formative years growing up in Taos shaped her interests and passion in health care, service to disenfranchised populations, and empowerment of diversity communities. Heather believes strongly in ensuring everyone has a voice and a place where important decisions are made.

Heather is a New Mexico-trained, board-certified pediatrician. She has worked at First Choice Health Care in Los Lunas, Lovelace Westside Hospital, and Indian Health Service in Shiprock. Before going to medical school later in life, Heather had previous professional stints as a nurse at Health Care for the Homeless and Taos High School, and an itinerate life as a military spouse and mother of two. She is a life-long learner with degrees from Yale University, Washburn University, Michigan State University, and the University of New Mexico.

Heather currently works as a medical reviewer for Blue Cross Blue Shield. She enjoys working in her yard on the weekends, traveling nationally and internationally, and spending time with her family. When she isn’t out actively searching for the best hand-held burrito in town, she can be found in her kitchen trying out new recipes.

Garth Scrivner is a financial professional with over 20 years of experience in financial services. Garth is a member of the American Institute of CPAs®, New Mexico Society of CPAs, New Mexico Estate Planning Council and the Financial Planning Association. Garth graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor degree in Accounting.

Garth makes his home in Albuquerque with his wife, Jennifer, and daughter Addison. He is actively involved with Roadrunner Food Bank and All Faiths Children’s Advocacy Center’s Investment Committee.

In his free time, Garth enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends in the Albuquerque community.

Michelle is a lifelong New Mexican. She grew up in Hobbs, NM, and attended New Mexico State University. After a brief time living in Denver, she and her husband, Eric, moved back to NM and have lived in Albuquerque for the past 21 years. Since then, she has been committed to raising her family while finding meaningful ways to serve her community.

For the past seven years, she has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) on behalf of children in CYFD custody and foster care. Her role as a CASA expanded her awareness of the foster care system in NM. In addition, advocating for children and witnessing the many challenges they face strengthened her commitment to being a voice for children and working hard on their behalf.

Her dedication is not only to her children but the children of New Mexico, whom she believes deserve to be stood up for and fought for by all those who have a voice in this state. She holds a BA in Communication Studies from NMSU.