Board of Directors
Executive Board
Toby Dolan
BOARD CHAIR
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Toby Dolan has lived in this area since 1987, locating here for the serenity and the once beautiful view from his home of Hermit’s Peak. But now, the fire has devoured his house, his mother’s house, and his grandmother’s house too. Having retired from a career with the NM State Police, he now works as a ranch manager in San Miguel County. He and his family love the Las Vegas area and the people that live here. Toby currently manages a ranch west of Las Vegas. Previously, he was a captain with the New Mexico State Police as the district commander for Las Vegas and Raton.
The Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire greatly affected Toby’s family, he has been serving on the grant review committee for the LVNMCF. He hopes to see our beautiful area and great people recover as well as possible from the disaster. He has been married to his wife Audry for 37 years, they have 2 sons with one living locally and the other in Texas. They have one grandson who they consider their pride and joy. His mother and grandmother also live in this area. Toby loves spending time with their sons and extended family.
David Chester
VICE CHAIR
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David grew up in Albuquerque, NM and worked as a restaurant manager and insurance sales office manager before returning to school to earn a degree in Elementary Education. After teaching for APS in Albuquerque's south valley for ten years, he moved to beautiful Las Vegas in 2006. After many years with Las Vegas City Schools, David retired in 2021.
During his school career, David was active with both the ATF and NEA teacher's unions, eventually serving on NEA's state board of directors. His areas of interest included Bilingual Education, Educational Technology, and History.
Lorraine Martinez
SECRETARY
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A life-long resident of Las Vegas, NM, Lorraine has been an educator for the past 45 years in the secondary and post-secondary setting. She retired from the LVCS as an Administrator and implemented the Immersion Program at Los Ninos School. Currently, Lorraine serves as full term faculty at the School of Education at NMHU.Lorraine serves on the NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Board, Area Health Education Corporation and the LVNM Community Foundation Boards in many educational capacities.
Working with the youth of the community is her passion. She has helped coordinate AAUW ‘Girls Can’ events for seven years, an organization that provides free technology to after school programs through Project GUTS (Growing Up Thinking Scientifically) for middle school students. She has taught religious classes at IC Parish for over 30 years. Presently she is on the Board for the Luna Community Foundation, Chair of the LVNMCF, and member of AAUW.
She and her husband Peter are the proud parents of four children: Kimberly, David, Kelly, Kristen and seven grandchildren. She loves traveling to visit her grandchildren as well as sewing with the Tea Time Quilters and crocheting with the Norteño Knitters and Crochet Club.
Kathy Romero
TREASURER
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Kathy A. Romero was born and raised in Las Vegas. Kathy received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from New Mexico Highlands University. She has worked in State Government, Local Government, and the Federal Government for over 30 years in the Business/Financial Field.
Kathy currently serves on the Boards for North San Isidro MDWCA, the Acequia De Los Seguras, and Cow Creek Basin Acequia Association. Kathy also volunteers her time, skills, and expertise to several communities, organizations, and individuals in need of assistance.
Kathy is the proud mother of two, a daughter and a son and the proud grandmother of seven. When she is not working, she enjoys attending sports activities, camping, fishing and working on the family ranch.
Board of Directors
Edward Martinez
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Dr. Edward Martinez is the current Interim Chair of the NMHU Department of Forestry. From 2021 to 2024 he was the President of Luna Community College, where he was committed to enhancing the partnership between Luna and the communities in its service area for the benefit of students and community members alike. During his tenure at Luna, Martinez implemented community education, opened a community kitchen and a food pantry for students, initiated continuing education programs, increased state and federal revenue for the institution, led the removal of the institution from HLC probation, and re-established academic programs placed on hiatus during the pandemic and created new workforce programs.
During the historic wildfires of the spring and summer of 2022, Martinez opened the college campus to more than 1000 emergency response personnel as Luna became the US Forest Service Incident Command Center. Post-fire, Martinez has played a major role in bringing land restoration workshops to the community to help address erosion, bring back vegetation and build marketable skills for assisting others impacted by the wildfires and subsequent floods.
Prior to serving as president at Luna, Martinez served at New Mexico Highlands University as Special Assistant to the President, founding Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management, and Professor of Forestry. In 2019, Martinez was selected as an American Council on Education fellow, completing his fellowship at the University of Nevada-Reno. Martinez’s numerous successful grant authorships and publications have received national recognition for their focus on supporting underrepresented populations to succeed in STEM fields.
Martinez received his diploma from Mora High School, his welding certification through Luna Community College, and his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences from NMHU. Martinez earned both his Master’s in Environmental and Regional Planning and his Doctorate in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences from Washington State University-Pullman. Martinez lives north of the College in the Monte Aplanado region of the Sangre de Cristos.
Jorge Martinez
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Jorge Martinez was born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, and has spent the past 15 years living and working across the U.S. In late summer 2023, he relocated to Las Vegas to support the region’s recovery from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire as part of the North Central New Mexico Economic Development District.
With a professional background in all-hazard emergency response and management, Jorge specializes in serving remote and rural communities across the U.S. Southwest.
Beyond his work, he enjoys boxing, hiking, and exploring the outdoors. He shares his home with two beloved pets — his dog, Juniper, and his cat, Boquillas.
Elaine V. Luna
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Elaine is a retired medical social worker and a longtime community/public health advocate. She is a graduate of New Mexico Highlands University (BSW/MSW).
Prior to retirement, she served as the executive director of the Montañas del Norte Area Health Education Center at Luna Community College primarily in workforce development in health care, as a Health Extension Rural Officer with the University of New Mexico, Office for Community Health and as the director of the social work department for Northeastern Regional Hospital. In retirement she and her husband David dedicate their energy, experience and life skills to community service. They have 3 adult children (Joel, Matthew & Amanda) and two grandchildren.
Elaine also serves on the following community and statewide boards:
New Mexico Highlands University Board of Regents
New Mexico Health Resources
Alta Vista Regional Hospital
Kids Counseling, Inc.
She is committed to being a lifelong advocate for the needs of the underserved in rural New Mexico.
Dr. D. Veena Parboteeah
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Dr. D. Veena Parboteeah serves as the as Dean of the School of Business, Media, and Technology at New Mexico Highlands University. In 2017 – 2018, she participated in the Leadership Portales program to raise money for the Recreation Center, which offered children and adult programs to enrich the quality of life within the Portales community. She was a Board Member of the United Way of Eastern NM (2019 - 2020) and the Samaritan House. She also served as the treasurer on the board of the Animal Welfare Center of Northeastern NM and the Hermits Peak Water Alliance. Dr. Parboteeah currently also serves as a trustee on the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum board.
Carla Romero
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Carla S. Romero has lived in Las Vegas since 1969. Raised on a ranch near Wagon Mound, she holds a BA in Accounting & Computer Science and an MBA from NMHU. After retiring as Director of Business and Professional Studies at Luna Community College, she taught Mathematics and Business at NMHU for 16 years. She is passionate about supporting youth and currently serves on the boards of Luna Community College Foundation, Las Vegas, New Mexico Community Foundation, and AAUW Las Vegas, NM. Carla and her husband Peter have four children and eight grandchildren.
Cin Ulibarri
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Cin Ulibarri is a community-engaged leader based in Las Vegas, New Mexico, with a background in environmental studies, public policy, and civic leadership. A graduate of New Mexico Highlands University, Cin holds bachelor’s degrees in Geology and Political Science with a minor in History. They contribute to the Institute for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Learning and Teaching and are a certified Grants Management Specialist. Cin has held leadership roles with the Las Vegas Arts Council, Amnesty International USA and the Highlands University Board of Regents, and brings a strong commitment to equity, community development, and effective nonprofit stewardship to their service on the Board.
Tisha Woolf
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Tisha Woolf and her family moved to Las Vegas, NM, in July of 2024 and quickly became invested in the community. She and her husband, Neil, have three children all growing into adulthood. Having lived in many places, Tisha believes the best way to feel at home is to embrace where you are and love it, which has been the case for everywhere the family has lived, including New Mexico!
Tisha earned degrees in Social Work from BYU and Eastern Washington University and worked mostly in Child and Family Services and Human Resources. She has volunteered in many capacities in her communities and church, served on several Parent Teacher Organizations, was on the Board of Directors for the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon, and currently also serves on the Board of The Samaritan House.
Staff
Elmo Baca
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Baca is a native of Las Vegas and has been involved in downtown revitalization and historic preservation for over 40 years. He served as state Main Street director and state historic preservation officer during a nearly twenty-year career with state government.
Among the highlights of his career are the enactment of New Mexico’s Arts and Cultural Districts state statute in 2006, and the implementation of the New Mexico’s Historic Theater Imitative in 2012-15.
Elmo built the Indigo Theater cinema in 2015 in his historic Baca Building in the Bridge Street Historic District of Las Vegas, which continues to present first-run movie entertainment for the greater Las Vegas community.
Sarah Martinez
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
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After a fulfilling career as an administrative assistant with the Las Vegas Schools, I have embraced retirement. I’m a proud mother of three and a grandmother to three wonderful grandchildren. Celebrating over 40 years of marriage, I cherish my family and memories we’ve created together.
Anchorum Staff
Arielle Hawney
ANCHORUM FELLOW
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Arielle is a passionate community advocate with a strong foundation in natural health and wellness. Following nearly seven years in health and wellness retail, and with more than a decade of experience in community organizing, she seamlessly integrates her aptitude in natural approaches to wellness, permaculture systems, and holistic prevention with her commitment to promoting health literacy, empowering individuals, and fostering thoughtful community development and resiliency.
Arielle's entrepreneurial spirit extends to include her work as a freelancing writer/marketer and farmers market vendor. She is a devoted mother who finds joy in outdoor pursuits and the simple pleasures of music and fiber arts.
Originally from the scenic Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, she has embraced Las Vegas as her chosen home since 2006, where she currently resides with her partner and young daughter.