Chelsea T. Morris is an Assistant Professor of early childhood education in the Family and Child Studies program at the University of New Mexico. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Miami in teaching and learning, with a focus on early intervention/early childhood special education. She began her professional career in the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital, where working with families who were enduring medical trauma launched her research trajectory. Dr. Morris’ research today focuses on the disproportionate impact of exclusionary discipline practices and systemic change to the early childhood workforce to address social, emotional, and mental health wellbeing of young children and their families.
Dr. Danielle Lansing (Diné) is an Instructor and Coordinator of Early Childhood Education at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute. She was the 2022 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, the US Department of Interior's highest honorary recognition for outstanding contributions. Her research and passions are centered on Indigenous education, culturally-based early childhood education curriculum, and preservice teaching opportunities. Dr. Lansing's expertise includes how teacher education programs at Tribal College and University systems are integral to rebuilding educational systems to meet the needs of Native American children.
Laura Moore, UNM-Gallup, is the Director of Education and an Assistant Professor. The director of education is a newly created position at UNM-Gallup to support and grow new teacher education programs, such as the AA elementary and secondary program; The future is bright for 2024-2025 when the first cohort of the Alternative Teacher Licensure Program begins. My position provides me the challenging task of creating the curriculum and teaching in the program.
Dr. Voit is an Adjunct Professor at Santa Fe Community College in Early Childhood Education and a Technical Project Manager for Los Alamos National Laboratory. Her research includes African American education in rural Tennessee, teaching children social justice, and Reggio Emilia influences in Head Start. Dr. Voit is from Cambridge, MA, and from an African American family who nurtured her education. Her community was supported by esteemed academic institutions that gave generously to public schools. Dr. Voit directed preschool programs in public, private, pueblo, and Early Head Start/Head Start making visible children’s intellectual capacities supported by research, best practices, and curriculum. She believes New Mexico educators are fearless in guiding children towards life-long learning!
Dr. Berry is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Multicultural Education at New Mexico Highlands University.
Dr. Angela Redondo is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Multicultural Education at New Mexico Highlands University.
Tenesha Betoni is the Director of Early Childhood Education at San Juan College. She is a dedicated and motivated educator with a strong background in early childhood education, with over 15 years of experience. Tenesha has expertise in teaching infants to preschoolers, her philosophy is encouraging love, compassion and empathy through education. Tenesha advocates and supports educators in aligning teaching methods to NAEYC standards. Additionally, she serves as the faculty representative for the Early Childhood Mentor Network. Her leadership and advocacy efforts continue to positively impact the field of early childhood education in San Juan County.
Cleo Mow has dedicated her career to the field of education, and her passion for teaching is evident in her role as the Head of the Education Department at ENMU-Ruidoso. With a wealth of experience and expertise, Cleo has become a driving force in the academic community, where she excels in guiding, assisting, and nurturing the development of future educators. In this role, she combines her love for teaching with a keen understanding of the unique needs and challenges associated with early childhood education. Cleo is deeply invested in creating an environment that fosters the growth and development of both students and educators within the department. As a member of the Early Childhood Task Force, Cleo takes on a broader responsibility by representing her institution in shaping policies and strategies that impact early childhood education on a regional or even broader scale.
Dr. Sarah Wiegand is an assistant professor of early childhood and special education at New Mexico State University. She is a former early intervention provider. Sarah's research interests center around best practices in Part C, personnel preparation, and autism.
Dr. Wenjie Wang is the Early Childhood Education Department Chair of the New Mexico Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education Programs at Western New Mexico University (WNMU). She co-leads the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation renewal for the Associate of Arts degree and accreditation initial review for the Bachelor of Science degree. She is also an assistant professor and researcher, teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, and conducts research focusing on young children's symbolic comprehension. Her research interests lie in the area of early childhood culturally sustaining pedagogy at the border community, non-traditional early childhood students, early childhood teacher preparation, and children's cognitive development. Four of her research were published in peer-reviewed journals in 2022 and two in 2023.
Dr. Nyabando is an Assistant professor of Early Childhood Education at Eastern New Mexico University.
David J. Atencio is an Associate Professor of Family and Child Studies in the Department of Individual Family & Community Education in the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of New Mexico. He has been a member of the New Mexico Early Childhood Higher Education Task Force since 1998. His research focuses on developing self-regulation and motivation through private speech in young children and on investigating the impact of professional development on educators’ psychological well-being and attunement to children’s social-emotional development.
As a dedicated advocate for infant and toddler workforce development, Jackie Shipley fosters a nurturing environment where every learner thrives. With a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education and specialized training and experience in infant-toddler care, she brings unparalleled expertise to her role. Her holistic approach prioritizes the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of young children, ensuring their development is supported at every stage. Through innovative teaching methods and mentorship programs, she empowers educators to create inclusive and enriching environments. Jackie’s unwavering commitment to championing all learners reflects her belief in the transformative power of early childhood education.
Hello! My name is Jonathan Contreras. I am Bilingual Professor with a master’s degree in education and most of my educational experience took place in Chihuahua, Mexico. I attended college in Mexico and graduated with a BA in Law and International Affairs at the Interamerican University of the North. As a lawyer, I worked in the criminal justice field and became a public agent at the Procuraduría General de la República in Mexico. I am an Assistant Professor for the Teacher Education Department at SFCC (Bilingual Cohort, Early Childhood Education). Early childhood education provides a significant positive experience for our children as it helps them develop their social, language and cognitive skills. Early childhood also offers the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. I possess a sincere caring for college students and willingness to extend myself to help ensure their success as future educators of our country.
Catron is the director of the Early Childhood Center of Excellence (ECCOE) at Santa Fe Community College. ECCOE uses a multi-generation approach to support families and the early childhood workforce through programming that includes the five-star SFCC Kids Campus bilingual early learning center, the APRENDE Early Childhood Teacher Apprenticeship Program, the First Born® and More home visiting model office, the Institute for Innovative Family Programs, and the Student Parent Success in Higher Education project.
Dr. Violet Henderson a College Assistant Professor and the Clinical Director of the Early Childhood Education Program in the School of Teacher Preparation, Administration, and Leadership at New Mexico State University. Dr. Henderson collaborates with preservice and in-service teachers within the Teacher Education Program, the Bilingual Education/TESOL Program, and the Language, Literacy, and Culture Program. Her teaching and research interests include literacy portraiture, multiliteracies, family literacy, community cultural wealth, funds of knowledge, and translanguaging. She has published in The Association of Mexican American Educators Journal, The Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, and other academic journals.
Dr. Schultz-Chiovitti is a full professor of Educational Psychology at NMSU-Alamogordo. She has been involved in the work of the Task force for almost 15 years. She obtained her doctorate in Educational/School Psychology from Indiana University with a focus on Child Development and Special Education. Her main academic interests and passion are the areas of Early Childhood Development and Developmental Disabilities, specifically Autism. Dr. Schultz Chiovitti has served in several important committees in New Mexico that advocate for the well-being of children, such as the New Mexico Association of Infant Mental Health. She was also the president of the NM Association of School Psychologists.
Mylis Murdock is the Department Chair for Education at New Mexico State University - Doña Ana Community College. She is a full Professor and teaches courses in Education, Early Childhood, and Family and Child Science fields. As a nationally Certified Family Life Educator, she has presented and published regionally and nationally. Her commitment to educating pre-service teacher candidates stems from her vast practical and theoretical knowledge and experiences as infant/toddler learning school teacher, early childhood public school teacher, gifted programming facilitator, and higher education instructor. She is committed to helping students achieve their dream of becoming highly qualified educators!
Diné College - Barsine Onyendo
Luna Community College - Tycie Jackson
Navajo Technical University - Cheryl Tom
NMHU - Shirley Meckes
NMSU - Grants - Kathleen O'Connor
Northern New Mexico College - Alberto Mares
Santa Fe Community College - Dawn Wink
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute - Lisa Towery
UNM - Taos - Pam Remstein
UNM, Valencia - Karen Walter
UNM, Gallup - Vanessa Ferguson
A:Shiwi College - Reynelle Lowsayatee
Clovis Community College - Cindy Martin
Mesalands Community College - Janet Griffiths
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