Keynote Presenters

James Masica has a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and has had a career as a licensed therapist as well as an organizational development consultant. He has been active in the human potential field for 26 years and he uses wellness psychology with both individuals and organizations, drawing on the client’s strengths to move gracefully forward. He is a Certified Laughter Leader and Laughter Yoga instructor. His life experiences include the program manager for the Department of Health, clinical supervision at a drug treatment clinic, teaching hypnotherapy, building an adobe house, and raising 2 children that turned into grown-ups before his very eyes. Mr. Masica's recent focus on Laughter Workshops reflects his experience of the transformational power of laughter. His work incorporates current breakthrough research on happiness, brain chemistry, and what is truly effective in transforming struggle into joy. He speaks, coaches and consults on how we can make better and more productive choices using the resources of our inner selves. His mission is to spread the word that “We create the world we live in.”

William (Bill) Potts-Datema serves as chief of the Program Development and Services Branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health. He has worked in education and public health for 28 years, including service from local to national levels and has held a number of national leadership positions working with Federal agencies, national non-governmental organizations, and state governments nationwide to improve health and educational outcomes for children and youth. Mr. Potts-Datema holds Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Education degrees from Missouri State University, and he has completed other graduate coursework at the Harvard School of Public Health and Kennedy School of Government. He has presented in 48 states and six other nations, and he has authored and contributed to a number of publications. 

Track Presenters

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs

Jeanne Block is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in Health Education. Her 20+ years of prevention experience includes 5½ years of college 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, violence against women, and substance abuse. She is currently the methamphetamine project coordinator for Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico.

Denis Doyon is director of media production for the New Mexico Media Literacy Project, one of the nation’s leading media literacy organizations.  He has produced several multimedia teaching resources, including Media Literacy for Prevention (2009), Media Literacy Toolbox (2008), Something Stinks in Hollywood! (2005), Blowing Away Big Tobacco’s Big Lies (2003), Los medios y la salud (2002) and Media Literacy for Health: A K-12 Activity Curriculum (2001). He has designed and led teacher training workshops across New Mexico. He previously worked in newspaper and book publishing, radio, and film and video production. Mr. Doyon was educated at Williams College (BA cum laude, 1980) and Temple University (MFA, 2000).

Kim Rutley is a health educator for the New Mexico Department of Health Tobacco Use Prevention and Control (TUPAC) Program. She has been involved in tobacco education since 2001 when she lived in Roswell, NM. Ms. Rutley was actively involved in Roswell’s 2004 clean indoor air campaign as well as youth advocacy projects in Chaves County. Currently, she oversees nine TUPAC contracts with schools, or entities that collaborate with schools. One of her primary responsibilities with TUPAC is to provide input on youth tobacco prevention strategies for the state. As a TUPAC contractor, Ms. Rutley implemented substance abuse prevention curricula in high schools for thousands of students and draws heavily on that experience in program planning with TUPAC. 

Chris Schueler has created over 100 television programs in the past 20 years that have garnered 18 Emmy® Awards and have been broadcast throughout the country and around the world. Focusing on educational and social issues, Mr. Schueler has over two decades of experience in youth programming, cultural and social documentaries, and family series television all geared to create “Television to Touch the Heart.” His clients have ranged from the United Nations to the PBS network to the CBS Network Foundation. His documentary projects have explored important issues ranging from air quality to domestic violence, which have aired on PBS, The Learning Channel, The Classroom Channel, and over 100 domestic markets as well as 35 countries. In addition to the United States, filming locations have included Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Central America and Africa. Documentaries focusing on the environment, health and social issues, and Native American challenges have raised public awareness and also impacted public policy. Most recently he has created social marketing and outreach campaigns involving extensive use of the media to address underage drinking, domestic violence, illegal drugs and youth suicide and family mental health issues. Each of these projects included organizing partnerships with non-profit stake holders, government entities and private businesses. These documentaries and community outreach projects included not only broadcast of the programs in prime time, but also curriculum guides, Town Hall meetings, specialized educational videos, and internet components including live web cam interaction and discussion groups as well as cell phone text messaging.

David Tompkins is currently the media strategist for the New Mexico Department of Health Tobacco Use Prevention and Control (TUPAC) program where he oversees the planning, implementation, and evaluation of media advocacy initiatives throughout the State of New Mexico. In this position, he has administered innovative, award-winning public education media campaigns to promote cessation, clean indoor air, and tobacco use prevention that integrate multi-platform marketing strategies. He attributes the success of the campaigns to solid research, creativity, and passionate teamwork among TUPAC, its contractors and its community partners.

Elementary

Mary Beth Brady is the restorative justice coordinator for the Santa Fe Public Schools where she been teaching since 1993. For the last six years she has helped to implement Restorative Justice practices in SFPS as an alternative approach to traditional discipline. Whereas traditional discipline simply punishes misbehaving students, Restorative Justice is a problem-solving approach in which peers help classmates take responsibilty for negative behavior and 'make things right'. Students who participate in Restorative practices develop emotional intelligence as well as communication skills, which together allow the students to build and maintain relationships in their school community.

Mary Erwin holds a bachelors of science in elementary education with an emphasis in English from Texas State University, San Marcos. She began teaching first grade in Belen, NM at H.T. Jaramillo in 1991 and later transferred to Adobe Acres in the south valley of Albuquerque where she taught first and second grades there until 2000 when she was hired at Bandelier. Ms. Erwin completed her masters’ degree in elementary education with an emphasis in science field work at the University of New Mexico in May of 2008 and now holds a level three license with an early childhood endorsement.

Hector Martinez is the youth program coordinator for Mothers Against Drunk Driving New Mexico (MADD NM).

Laurie Mueller is the Professional Development Coordinator for the School and Family Support Bureau in the New Mexico Public Education Department. After working for fifteen years in the Dental Program of the New Mexico Department of Health developing and implementing a statewide sealant program, Ms. Mueller was offered an opportunity to switch to school health in 1993. Since that time she has held several positions in the school health arena at the Department of Health ending with her retirement as the School Health Director in December 2004 with over 26 years of public health work. In 2005 she returned to state work at the New Mexico Public Education Department as the Professional Development Consortium Coordinator where for three years she supported national professional development events for the Centers for Disease Control on school health topics. 

Nissa Patterson, MPH, is a program manager for the NM Alliance for School-Based Health Care. She has been interested in the interior and exterior design of health care facilities for many years in the belief that our facilities need to reflect the deep care and respect we have for the young people we work with. Ms. Patterson has collaborated with the UNM School of Architecture and Planning on a SBHC design project and worked with the Chaparral High School to redesign a room in their SBHC. She has also worked with several school gardens and is particularly interested in how to gather human and financial resources for school gardens. She is also an avid gardener and loves growing, picking, preserving and cooking homegrown foods.

Cynthia Schebel is an independent consultant, trainer, counselor and life coach living in Austin, Texas. She is a licensed professional counselor, a licensed chemical dependency counselor, an advanced addiction counselor, and a certified prevention specialist. Ms. Schebel has over 30 years experience in the education field as a consultant, administrator, prevention specialist, counselor, speech pathologist and classroom teacher. She previously worked with Eanes ISD (Austin, TX), Round Rock ISD (Round Rock, TX), Region 16 Education Service Center (Amarillo, TX), and Amarillo ISD. In addition to her Austin based counseling practice, she speaks and conducts training throughout the United States.

Alma Torres currently holds the position of project coordinator for the OrganWise Guys program at New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service.  OrganWise Guys is a nutrition and physical activity program for elementary students. Ms. Torres is responsible for establishing linkages between county Extension offices and schools throughout the State of New Mexico. She has worked for 13 years in clinical and community nutrition settings both in the United States and in her native Mexico.

Nutrition

Whitney Kane, LMSW, is a social worker in Albuquerque Public Schools Special Education program for middle school students with severe emotional disturbance. Over the past 4 years Ms. Kane has coordinated program staff, students and community volunteers to revitalize the school garden. Ms. Kane also has experience in youth gardening through service-learning projects with the East Bay Conservation Corps in Oakland, CA. She believes that gardens are excellent settings for meaningful educational experience and emotional growth.

Penny Madanick, MS, ATC, LA., NSCA-CPT, a native of Albuquerque, is a health educator currently with the Albuquerque Public Schools. She is teaching Nutrition, Sports Medicine, Personal Trainer Preparation, and Health Careers at Cibola High School. She received her undergraduate degree in Health Education from New Mexico State University in 1987, and her Master’s degree in Exercise Science form the University of New Mexico in 1991. She maintains a certification and license as an Athletic Trainer with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, and certification as a Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Ms. Madanick has worked in a variety of settings—health clubs, rehabilitation centers, universities and high schools. She has had the opportunity of working with Olympic and professional athletes. She enjoys educating others and keeps her CPR and First Aid Instructor’s Certification current. She has been involved with community outreach programs such as Habitat for Humanity, People Living Through Cancer, and the American Diabetes Association.

Nissa Patterson - see her biography in Elementary

William Potts-Datema - see his biography in keynote presenters

Physical Activity

Beverly Billie received her A.A. in Outdoor Education Leadership from Santa Fe Community College. She has work for the Santa Fe Mountain Center since 2003 where she coordinates projects and is the lead facilitator for a variety of programs from their Therapeutic Adventure Program, which is funded by NM Value Options, to their Health Services Program. She is the VOCA project coordinator for Courage to Risk Curriculum that does Adventure Therapy for survivors of domestic violence and trauma, including serving Native American families.

Kristine Perry Gracey has been a health educator for twenty-nine years.  She has been recognized numerous times for her innovations in health education and has been nominated for the Crystal Apple Award, the Golden Apple Award and Disney’s American Teacher’s Award.  She was recently selected for the National Honor Roll for Outstanding Teachers.  In 2006, she was named as the Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High School Scholars. Highly respected by her students, she has been included in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers numerous times. Ms. Gracey has her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Central Michigan University and her Master’s Degree in Health Education from the University of New Mexico.  She currently teaches Health Education at La Cueva High School.

Kevin Moeller is the wilderness program manager at the Santa Fe Mountain Center. He works primarily with adjudicated youth developing programs that involve extended wilderness contact. These programs include rock climbing, rappelling and hiking components. He has been at the Mountain Center since 1999. He also oversees the technical training of all Mountain Center staff.

Ann Paulls-Neal is in her twelfth year of teaching elementary Physical Education in Albuquerque. She is nationally board certified in Early and Middle Childhood Physical Education and is currently serving as the SWD AHPERD President-elect. She has made numerous presentations at school, district, and state conferences.

William Potts-Datema - see his biography in keynote presenters

Safe Schools

Mary Beth Brady - see her biography in Elementary

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 teens in various settings, including juvenile-justice and diversion programs, psychological evaluation and treatment. Since 2003, Dr. Moore has developed and taught programs in relational aggression, cyberbullying and social empowerment skills for students, parents, educators and community leaders.

Anna Nelson, LISW, is a licensed independent social worker providing direct services, programmatic consultation and policy development in New Mexico for the past ten years. Ms. Nelson possesses expertise in promoting resiliency and behavioral health for students and their families. In 2008, she 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.

Patricia Rael is the education and outreach coordinator for the NM Attorney General's Office. Prior to that she was the special projects coordinator at the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office. In one major project, she wrote and co-produced a statewide Poll Worker training video on Disability Etiquette for use during elections.  She also assisted in writing legislation for the 2006 legislative session. Ms. Rael’s other accomplishments include the writing of a sixty-seven-page “Business Retention and Expansion” report for the State Director of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers. During this time she worked at the Legislature and developed a training program about the legislative process.

Chris Schueler - see his biography in Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs

Sexuality/HIV Prevention

Lonnie Barraza, BS Ed, MS Ed, has taught PE and Health Education for over 20 years and was one of seven teachers who created a national Health curriculum for all Job Corps to use. She currently works for the NM Public Education Department (NM PED) as the HIV Prevention Program Administrator where she coordinates efforts around HIV/Sexuality issues throughout New Mexico.

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.

Caroline Enos is a volunteer educator for the Mid-Rio Grande Chapter of the American Red Cross. She coordinates Community Prevention Education Programs. She has been doing community education for the Red Cross for 15 years, serving in Virginia and Texas prior to moving to New Mexico. She specializes in providing preparedness and prevention education for volunteers and the community at large. She teaches both English and Spanish courses as diverse as CPR and First Aid, Working with Diverse Communities, and Disaster Family Services Training. Recently, her focus has been in providing Culturally Sensitive HIV/AIDS Prevention Education, Injury Prevention, and Disaster Preparedness. She is a certified preventionist for the State of New Mexico, and is an active member of the New Mexico HIV Community Planning and Action Group (CPAG). She is also a member of the Albuquerque Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

Diana Koster, MD, has been the medical director for Planned Parenthood of New Mexico since 1987. Prior to that Dr. Koster worked as a student health physician at several colleges. Additionally she has taught sexual health classes at Alvarado Elementary School, Taft Middle School and Valley High School. She has worked with teens through the maternity and infant care clinics of UNM, especially at New Futures School.

Tessa Medina-Lucero currently works for the NM Department of Health, Office of School and Adolescent Health (OSAH) as the Adolescent Health Coordinator. Prior to working with OSAH, she worked with various organizations on improving the health status of youth.

Laurie Mueller - see her biography in Elementary

Sylvia Ruiz, BS, is the executive director for the New Mexico Teen Pregnancy Coalition. Ms. Ruiz acts as a spokesperson for NMTPC, providing information and consultation to organizations, communities, media and other entities. She also is responsible for forming partnerships and collaborations with local, state and national organizations. Prior to joining the New Mexico Teen Pregnancy Coalition Ms. Ruiz worked at Peanut Butter and Jelly, a leading regional agency that provides services to at risk populations, for 24 years.

Art Salazar has worked in the field of HIV/STD prevention for 10 years. In 1999, he started his public health career as the Phlebotomist/Lab Tech in the Stanford Public Health Office. There, he drew blood and processed specimens for the STD/HIV clinic and Family Planning program for 4 years. In December 2003, he was promoted to Disease Prevention Specialists (DPS), out of Stanford PHO for Region 1&3. Responsibilities were ensuring that clients, who tested positive or exposed to STDs and HIV, were adequately treated. During this time as a DPS, his work took him into jails, prisons, schools and the streets to deliver the message of STD/HIV prevention. Mr. Salazar started the East Central Outreach, a collaborative integrated infectious disease street outreach, which included several local Community Based Organizations to provide testing and prevention messages to high risk individuals. In August 2008, he was promoted to Health Educator for the HIV Prevention Program, where he is responsible for certifying and training new HIV prevention staff, providing guidance as the state-wide HIV Community Planning and Action Group (CPAG) co-chair and continuing to providing street outreach services to high risk individuals.