University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
Community Advisory Board (CAB) is comprised of a group of community leaders, health care professionals, program administrators, and policy makers committed to finding ways to reduce and prevent alcohol related problems in New Mexican communities.
The goal of the CAB is to contribute to the creation of a research and career development program for SARG researchers who are dedicated to the study of health disparities, alcohol problems, and interventions. This program will emphasize culturally relevant ways to address alcohol related problems in Hispanic/ Latino, Native American, and rural communities of New Mexico.
Following are the community advisory board members for the SARG:
Elena Avila
Elena Avila, RN, MSN Curandera, is a first generation Chicana born in the barrios of El Paso, Texas. Her parents were born in Mexico and brought their medicine with them out of Mexico, medicine passed down through time. Elena's first language was Spanish, and her family's health care included Curanderismo as well as western medicine.
Larry Emerson, Ph.D.
Frank Fragua, substance abuse counselor
Frank Fragua is substance abuse counselor for Jemez Behavioral Health and a traditional healer in the Pueblo.
Harrison Jim, Traditional Counselor
He was the program director at the NCI NA'NIZHOOZHI Center Inc. which is a detox center in Gallup, New Mexico. He is a southwest certified addiction counselor.
Louis J. Luna
Michael Landen, M.D., MPH
He works with injury substance abuse, community, and survey epidemiology for the department of health epidemiology office.
Pamela Martin, Ph.D. ABPP
She is the director of the Behavioral Health Services Division which is dedicated to improving and maximizing the impact of New Mexico’s substance abuse prevention system. To this end, BHSD seeks to build the capacity of the state’s local prevention providers to deliver effective prevention services aimed at reducing alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse.
Thomas Morris, Jr., Diné Medicine man
Roberta Rael, consultant for Public health
She is the Director of SAFE TEEN New Mexico which is a driver safety prevention program for under age drinking. She is also the president of Inspired Leadership which consults for public health.
Lauren Reichelt
She is the director for Rio Arriba Family Care Network (RAFCAN) and the director for Rio Arriba county health and human services. RAFCAN is the appointed health advisory counsel for the county.It is an outreach program for substance abuse. She also oversees the transit department and does a lot of grant writing since RAFCAN is a nonprofit organization.
Ben Tafoya, CEO of HOY recovery program
He has 20 years of experience in counseling in substance abuse, and is presently the clinical director of HOY.
Nadine Tafoya, MSW, LISW
She has a consulting group, Tafoya and associates, which is contractor with the Department of Health behavioral health services division.They provide technical support, training, program development and program evaluation for substance abuse prevention and treatment program.
Eliseo Torres, E.D.D.
He is the Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of New Mexico. He also assists the director for ENLACE which is a community outreach program directed toward the youth which may not attend college. It gives them encouragement and self esteem to know they can do it.