speakers bio
Ann Anthony
Ann Anthony is the Health Promotion Specialist with the New Mexico
Department of Health’s Public Health Offices in San Juan County. A lifelong
New Mexican, she holds a Master’s degree from the University of
New Mexico in Organizational Learning and Instructional Technologies
and is a certified facilitator for leadership development and process
improvement efforts.
Ann moved to San Juan County two years ago with more than 20 years of experience as an
internal or external consultant in organization development, leadership training,
instructional design, quality assurance, project management and program evaluation. She
has worked in or with such organizations as Lovelace Medical Services; Presbyterian
Healthcare Services; Las Vegas Medical Center; Los Alamos National Laboratory,
Albuquerque Public Schools, as well as multiple small businesses, including several
physicians in private practice.
Kristine L. Carlson, LISW
Kristine Carlson is the Clinical Director for Behavioral Health Services at
the Farmington Community Health Center.
Kristine is an independently licensed therapist, with a master’s degree
in Social Work. In 1987 she began her career working for Holy Family
Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She provided group and individual therapy to
adolescents through a Partial Hospitalization Program, and provided family therapy and
substance abuse treatment to at-risk families through a home based services program.
In 1996 she moved to Gallup, NM to work for Western New Mexico Counseling Services.
Kristine provided individual, family and couples therapy in an outpatient setting. During this
time she also worked as a Social Worker for Hospice and provided consultation services to
Our Lady of Mount Carmel home for girls.
In 1999, she became the Clinical Director of Battered Families Services, a domestic violence
program. She developed and implemented a children’s program and was responsible
community education, outreach and direct clinical services provided to domestic violence
victims and their families.
Currently Kristine resides in Farmington, NM and oversees several programs including drug
court, treatment court, community corrections, IOP, case management, peer support and
outpatient mental health, substance abuse and co-occurring treatment services.
Dan Darnell, Retired Police Officer; Councilman, District One, City of
Farmington; Executive Director, San Juan Safe Communities
A resident of San Juan County since the early 1980's, Dan retired from
the Farmington Police Department in December, 2003, after more
than 30 years of police service.
In March, 2004, Dan was elected to the Farmington City Council, representing District One.
He was re-elected in March, 2008. Since that time, he has worked on numerous major
efforts, including, the Sycamore Park and South Side Community Center projects, the
Metropolitan Redevelopment Area, the One Stop Social Services Shop, the Multi Cultural
Center, Affordable Workforce Housing efforts, the Safe Streets Initiative and the creation of
San Juan Safe Communities.
Dan has been active with the youth in the community as a mentor, as well as through
coaching basketball, baseball and softball. He has presented various drug, alcohol and gang
prevention programs to community groups, civic organizations, parent groups, teachers,
and to workforce safety organizations.
He has served as a member of the Boys and Girls Club foundation board, and is on the Red
Cross Board of Directors. He is a 2005 graduate of the Municipal Officials Leadership
Institute, a 2005 graduate of the Leadership New Mexico Government Leadership Program,
a 2007 graduate of the Leadership New Mexico Community Leadership Program, and is in
this years class of Leadership San Juan.
Dan attends the Oasis Church in Farmington, and is a member of the San Juan Rotary Club,
and Rotary International.
In June, 2007 he took over as director of The San Juan Safe Communities Initiative, Inc.
Judge John A. Dean, Jr.
John A. Dean, Jr. has been a District Judge since February of 2003. He has been a resident of San Juan County since 1958. He is married to Gayle and they have two children and one granddaughter.
Judge Dean served on the San Juan County Commission from 1992-1996. In that capacity he was involved in the development and implementation of the DWI Treatment Center.
Judge Dean has also served as President of SJEDS, President of the NM Association of Counties and Chairman of the San Juan County chapter of the Red Cross.
Pamela Drake
Executive Director, San Juan County Partnership, Inc., 16 years; Board Member, San Juan Safe Communities Initiative and Chair of the Prevention Task Force; Governor appointed member of the Substance Abuse/Adult Subcommittee to the Behavioral Health Planning Council; Core Team Member, Prevention Advocates; Member, Prevention Providers Advisory Group; Board Member, Community Healthcare Fund; Bachelor of University Studies, UNM.
Officer John Garcia, Farmington Police Department
John Garcia has been with the Farmington Police Department for the
past seven years. During that time he has become a Field Training
Officer, a Firearms Instructor, and is a member of the Special
Response Team. He was honored as both Officer of the Quarter and Officer of the Year in
2008 by his department. He is currently assigned to the Gang Unit, and is an FBI Gang
Task Force Officer.
Michelle Garcia
Michelle Garcia is a native New Mexican. In 1984 Ms. Garcia embarked on a career in Law Enforcement. After graduating from the Albuquerque Police Academy, she served with the Department for over 20 years. While with APD she held several positions, Field Training Officer, Impact/Narcotics Officer, Recruiting Officer, and Chief’s Staff, however her heart was with the investigations division for most of her career, she worked on a variety of cases from crimes against children, white collar crimes, to violent crimes. In 2001 she graduated from Wayland Baptist University with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education. Michelle retired from APD in 2003 is currently working as the Chief of Staff for the New Mexico Attorney General Gary King.
Raymond M. Keeswood, Jr, LADAC, CPS
Raymond Keeswood is a member of the Navajo Tribe residing in San Juan County in the
community of Tse’ da’ kaan’ (Hogback, NM). His career begin with building homes for
Veterans and low-income families on the Navajo Reservation. He then began transporting
dialysis patients from the vast Navajo Nation to the border town dialysis center.
For the past 12 years he has worked in the clinical field as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. He has worked with adolescents and adults with co-occurring disorders in outpatient and inpatient treatment settings.
He is a Certified Prevention Specialist with the Navajo Nation, working with local schools, communities, and providing technical support. He has helped organize a Community Coalition (Dine’ Ba; Hozho Coalition), Developed Community Organizers, QPR certified trainer for suicide intervention, Certified Native American Peer Specialist Trainer, member of the DWI planning council, New Mexico Native American Prevention member Region Six, and has helped with New Mexico Navajo Local Collaborative 15 to establish a voice for mental health and substance abuse treatment/recovery for the Dine’.
Currently he has helped to receive funding through the Drug Free Communities Grant, establishing a Native American Peer Specialist Program with the National Mental Health America and awarded a NM Reinvestment Funds to establish a Healing Circle Drop-In Center in Shiprock, NM.
Attorney General Gary K. King
Gary King is currently the New Mexico Attorney General and the only
current AG in the nation who is also a scientist with a Ph.D. in organic
chemistry. Dr. King maintained a private practice as an attorney and served
as a state Legislator before being elected Attorney General in 2006. Since
1987, he has been married to Yolanda Jones King, also a scientist and
community leader. Gary grew up with his ranching family in Stanley, New
Mexico.
Dr. King attended New Mexico State University and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in
Chemistry. He received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Colorado University at Boulder.
He then attended law school at the University of New Mexico, where he received his J.D. In
1984, Gary formed the law firm of King and Stanley in Moriarty, where he carried out the
general practice of law. In 1990, he assumed the position of Corporate General Counsel
and Senior Environmental Scientist with Advanced Sciences, Inc., an environmental
consulting firm.
Gary served for 12 years in the New Mexico State Legislature. During 10 years as the
Chairman of the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee, Gary used his leadership position
to work vigorously on health care, environmental and civil rights issues.
In 1998, Gary became the Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Environmental
Management at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington, D.C. Within a year,
he became the Department’s Director of the Office of Worker and Community Transition.
While at the DOE, he developed and implemented a program fostering cooperation between
federal, state, local and Native American governments to enhance cleanup activities.
As Attorney General, Gary spearheaded the effort to get legislation passed that, for the first
time, made it a felony crime to engage in the practice of human trafficking. AG King was
invited to Geneva, Switzerland by a United Nations committee to present this legislation as
a model for other nations around the world that are seeking to end the practice of human
slavery.
Attorney General King has been a long-time active participant in his local community and
has given his time and expertise to many statewide positions. He has served as President
of his Rotary Club and Chair of the Manzano District of the Boy Scouts of America. Gary has
served as the Chair of the Legal Services Committee of the New Mexico State Bar
Association; as a Domestic Violence Special Commissioner and served as guardian ad litem
for abused and neglected children in the Seventh Judicial District. He was also the
Chairman of the New Mexico Mining Commission and served on the Environmental Advisory
Board to the Federal Aviation Administration. Additionally, Dr. King was of counsel with Law
and Resource Planning Associates, one of New Mexico’s most respected water and natural
resource law firms.
Natalie Koehn
Natalie Koehn is the supervisor for Sycamore Park Community Center. She has a bachelors
degree in Health Promotion and Health Education from Emporia State University in
southeast Kansas. She most recently came from Coffeyville, Kansas where she was the
youth and adult sports director for the Coffeyville Recreation Commission. Natalie has also
been a personal trainer and coach.
Reuben Leyva, Program Director
YDI 4SO Family Services Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ruben has been involved in full time urban youth work for more than 25 years with extensive experience in the faith community and in Gang Intervention. Rubens passion lies in developing productive young people by helping them to see and reach their potential. He has been with Y.D.I. for 15 plus years and is currently the Program Director for the 4TH Street Outreach Family Services Center (4SO).
Laura McClenny
Laura has lived in the Four Corners since 1980 and San Juan County for the
last eight years. Currently Laura works for San Juan County Partnership as
project director for Positive Community Norms – Most Of Us, and is part of the
team in Shiprock supporting the efforts of the Dine Ba Hozho Coalition. Her
background includes work as a trained mediator, nine years of teaching
sociology at both Fort Lewis and San Juan College, and community organizing.
Laura has a B.A. in humanities from Fort Lewis College and a master’s degree from Prescott
College in Arizona.
Sheriff Bob Melton
Bob Melton began serving as the Sheriff of San Juan County in January,
2003. Prior to that he was the Operations Captain at the Sheriff’s Office
where he supervised Uniform and Investigative services. He began his
law enforcement career in 1980 and began working at the Sheriff’s Office
in 1996.
He serves on numerous local oversight and policy Boards, which includes the San Juan Safe Communities Board. Sheriff Melton also supports a variety of state-wide law enforcement efforts including serving as Chairman of New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, and as a regular speaker on behalf of Leadership New Mexico.
Robert V. Mitchell, M.A.
Robert V. Mitchell, M.A. is the San Juan County Alternative Sentencing
Division Administrator. He has been with the county nearly 7 years and
oversees the DWI Detention & Treatment Facility, the Methamphetamine
(jail-based treatment) Pilot Program, and the Adult Misdemeanor
Compliance Program. He currently serves as Chairperson for the statewide
DWI Affiliate representing thirty-three counties and as an Advisory Board
member to the New Mexico Association of Counties. He is an active
member of the New Mexico State DWI Leadership Team, the New Mexico
DWI Grant Council, and the Governor’s State-Tribal DWI Task Force.
Locally, Mitchell serves as the Co-Chair for the San Juan Safe Communities Initiative
(SJSCI) Intervention Task Force, the Chair of the SJSCI Treatment Subcommittee, a board
member of Totah Behavioral Health Authority, a board member of Leadership San Juan, and
a member of the San Juan College Institutional Review Board. Mitchell is a Board Certified
Expert in Traumatic Stress by the National Center for Crisis Management in association with
the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.
Chief Of Police, Tom Pagel
Thomas Pagel received his B.S. Degree from Michigan State University in
1972 with his major in Criminal Justice. Upon graduation he was accepted
into the Michigan State Police where he worked numerous assignments including patrol,
S.W.A.T., and training. In 1978 he was promoted to Detective Sergeant. In 1979 he
accepted employment with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. His
assignments have included homicide investigator, supervisor of the drug enforcement
section, and Deputy Director. In 1990 he was appointed Director of the Wyoming Division
of Criminal Investigation and continued to serve in that capacity until May 1, 2002. Upon
his retirement from the Division of Criminal Investigation, May 1, 2002, Mr. Pagel became
Police Chief for the Casper Police Department.
Mr. Pagel has accumulated over 30 credit hours from the University of Wyoming toward a
Master of Public Administration degree. He is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation National Academy, the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of
Government Drugs & Crime Program and has received over 3000 P.O.S.T. accredited
training hours.
He is a past President of the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, the
Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Project, Association of State Criminal
Investigative Agencies, and the Governor’s Substance Abuse and Violent Crime Advisory
Board. In 1989, Mr. Pagel was recognized by his peers as the Wyoming Peace Officer of the
Year.
Mr. Pagel’s professional efforts include developing a comprehensive and integrated plan to
address the impact of methamphetamine on Casper and Wyoming. The Western Governor’s
Association awarded Mr. Pagel with the 1999 George S. Mickelson Memorial Fellowship for
his work in this area.
In 2005 he received the McMurry Foundation Community Service Award. Mr. Pagel was the
2006 campaign Chairman for the Natrona County United Way, is a member of the Casper
Rotary Club and serves on many Boards of Directors. He gives freely of his time and makes
many public presentations around the state and community.
Elizabeth (Betti) Souther
Betti manages grant programs and provides staff development for the Farmington Municipal Schools, after serving both in the classroom and at the central office. Since 2001 Betti has managed multiple Comprehensive School Reform programs and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEARUP).
In collaboration with Dr. Payne, Souther developed The R Rules, a
workbook and training for young people grade eight and up. The R Rules provides learning
activities that direct-teach young people the hidden rules and principles presented in
Payne’s A Framework for Understanding Poverty and Bridges Out of Poverty, co-authored by
Payne, Phil DeVol and Terie Druessi Smith.
The R Rules curriculum was piloted as a life skills class aligned state content standards and
supporting components of the American School Counselor Association model. This class
continues to be improved as students use it to identify and refine personal resources and
identify resources available in their communities.
Betti has presented at local, state, and national conferences and has trained various groups
of young people, including Student Senate, Youth Conservation Corps, GEARUP, Grade
Court, and various other school and business groups.
Betti and husband Tappan have two sons and a daughter in law: Chandler, Tappan
and Amy.
Farmington, NM 87401