A Grateful Tribute to one of Taos Counties Community Leaders

Ambrose Baros

Ambrose Baros has over 20 years of experience in the behavior health field and is independently licensed in both mental health and addiction counseling. Ambrose completed a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from New Mexico State University and went on to complete a Master’s degree in Social Work from New Mexico Highlands University. He is a lifelong resident of Northern New Mexico and is committed to supporting efforts that help to create positive change for individuals and communities.

Early on in his career Ambrose worked with families and youth. With a focus on strengthening resiliency in “at-risk” youth by providing direct services in establishing/enhancing coping skills, life and social skills development and developing community resources, such as gang intervention programs, youth teen centers, after school programs, interim alternative educational settings for the local school district and youth coalitions. During his experience working with Espanola Public School District (August 2003 – June 2010) Ambrose worked closely with the Special Education Director as a Parent Liaison supporting Students and Parent rights under IDEA, students with disabilities act. Educating school administrator and teacher on Individual Education Plans, MDT meetings and alternative educational programs for students with disabilities. In addition, Ambrose worked for Santa Maria El Mirador as a behavioral therapist supporting staff and participants in creating positive behavior support plans, staff training in crisis management, cultural sensitivity and positive behavior reinforcement strategies, while utilizing a person-centered trauma informed approach.

For the past 10-years, Ambrose was the Executive Director for Hoy Recovery Program, Inc. (Hoy Recovery), a nonprofit organization that was started in the Espanola Valley in 1974 to provide residential treatment services for alcoholism to community members, 18 years or older, in Rio Arriba and Northern Santa Fe County. Since then Hoy Recovery has evolved to provide substance abuse and mental health treatment services to clients across New Mexico in both a residential (AARTC) and outpatient setting. Offering clients core treatment components in residential, outpatient and intensive outpatient services which are Hoy Recovery’s cornerstones. These components combine trauma informed care with evidence based best practice and cultural healing to form a holistic treatment program.

Currently Ambrose is a consultant and clinical therapist working closely with State and Local officials to establish behavioral health services treating mental health and substance use disorders in both a residential and outpatient setting.

Along the way Ambrose has written policies and procedure in line with CARF and JAHCO Accreditation standard for many behavioral health services such as, medical detox, residential high intensity clinical services, transitional living and intensive outpatient.

When Ambrose is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, landscaping, the outdoors (camping, fishing, hiking), riding his motorcycle, reading, and listening to music.

Darren DeYapp

Darren DeYapp, Executive Director, received his Master of Arts from New
Mexico Highlands University in the field Guidance and
Counseling/Psychology in 1998. Prior to his commencement of employment
with La Clinica, he worked with Santa Maria El Mirador for over 10 years
as a Program Director. The knowledge and experience gained provides a
strong foundation for serving as a board member for El Mirador. Darren
also met his civic duty to his community by serving as a city councilman
for the Village of Chama in which he and his family reside. He completed
a total of over 16 years of service as a city councilman and 2 years as
mayor. The opportunity to work with and provide access to health care
services to the people of the communities in which he grew up was a major
factor in Darren’s consideration of the position of Executive Director
with La Clinica. He has served in this capacity for over 13 years. This
experience has positioned La Clinica to proactively address any and all
barriers or obstacles that it faces in meeting their mission to provide
healthcare to all regardless of their ability to pay. Darren is currently
the President of the New Mexico Primary Care Association Board of
Directors. He is also the President of New Mexico Health Resources Board,
an agency organized to support efforts to recruit and retain healthcare
personnel for communities including rural and medically underserved areas
around New Mexico.

Vacant

Human Resources Director

Christina “Tina” Marie Cook Baca

Christina “Tina” Marie Cook Baca has been a SMEM Director since 2016. She is retired from public education in New Mexico and California. Born and raised in New Mexico, she worked as a Special Education teacher, Program Evaluator, Special Education Director, Integration Program Director Principal, and Interim Superintendent in Schools. In her career she has developed job training programs and jobs for students with special emphasis on programs for students with disabilities. Tina and her staff developed a collaborative program withEaster Seals El Mirador for students with social/emotional challenges who were notsuccessful behaviorally at the high school. All of the student participants graduated from high school with the emotional supports. Tina attended Trinity University, New Mexico State University and Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Mary Kuper Kay Papen

Mary Kuper Kay Papen is an American politician who served as a member of the New Mexico Senate from January 2001 to January 2021. For seven years from 2013 to 2021, Papen also served as president pro tempore of the New Mexico Senate and has led a coalition of Republicans and conservative Democrats who hold leadership positions in the state Senate in a bipartisan fashion for all New Mexicans. Senator Papen has advocated and supported policy in the best interest of the mentally ill, disabled, rural communities, education, domestic violence and vulnerable population throughout her tenure in the New Mexico State Senate. She has won numerous awards for her work throughout her 20 years of service to New Mexico. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the SMEM Board of Directors to benefit the needs of the clients we serve.

Marizza Montoya-Gansel

Marizza Montoya-Gansel is a retired Licensed Independent Social Worker, who received a Master’s Degree in Social Welfare from UCLA. Most recently she was employed by Presbyterian Medical Services at Santa Fe High School as a mental health therapist. She spent most of her career as a mental health therapist working with children, adolescents, and families. She was a program manager with the NM Dept. of Health and with the Human Services Dept/Behavioral Health Services Division working with managed care organizations, community providers, tribal programs, and other stakeholders. Marizza has served as a member of the City of Santa Fe Human Services Committee and is currently a member of Local Collaborative 16.

Carlos D. Miera

Carlos D. Miera, is a retired Licensed Independent Social Worker, with a Master’s Degree in Policy, Planning and Administration. He held several positions during his 40+ years of professional service to include; Executive Director of the Sangre de Cristo Mental Health Services in Taos, Associate Director of Treatment Services at Rio Grande Alcoholism Treatment Program, Director of Community Development and Planning at Taos County, CEO at Tri-County Community Services and Senior Director of CYFD Services at OptumHealth New Mexico. He lives in the community of Des Montes, 11 miles north of Taos where he is the Secretary for the Des Montes Ditch Association, a position he has held for 20 years. He is also a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army for 1969 to 1972.

Bernadette Sanchez

Bernadette Sanchez received her Bachelor’s and Master’s from UNM and received a Scholarship to attend the Educators Summer Program at the University of Alcala in Spain. She served as a State Senator from 2001-2012 serving on Senate Finance, Economic Development, Health, Education, Conservation, Land Grant, Public Affairs, Judiciary and Behavioral Health Committees. A strong advocate for New Mexico on issues of behavioral health, disability services, and Substance Abuse Prevention. Her sponsored legislation, lead the effort to curve opiate heroin overdoses, rehabilitation, treatment; creation of mental health courts; jail diversion program, teen courts and the State Aging Department.

Dominic Montoya

Information Technology Director

Dominic began his tenure with SMEM as a direct care professional, House Manager and then worked in the accounting department for two years before being promoted again to IT director. Dominic was born and grew up in Santa Fe and has worked in many positions during his time at SMEM. He holds an associate degree in Information Technology from Santa Fe Community College and a bachelor’s in Information Engineering Technology from Northern New Mexico College. Dominic has been instrumental in moving the organization forward to modern systems that improve efficiencies in business operations and overall IT infrastructure. His ambition combined with technical skill has proven to be effective in implementing major IT-based functions to SMEM, from online timecards to improved office security features to electronic document systems streamlined for use by multiple departments. Dominic has a special relationship with the participants at SMEM, and in his free time Dominic enjoys his dog, Mariana; biking; home projects; and impromptu dance-off competitions.

Jamie Coleman

Program Director

Jamie began working with Santa Maria El Mirador in 2010 as a Case Manager and was promoted to Program Director in 2011. Jamie is a graduate of Arkansas Tech University with a Masters in Community Service Counseling from the University of Central Arkansas. She has worked in the mental health field for 38 years. Jamie worked as a Program Director for the largest Intermediate Care Facility in Arkansas and worked for the State of Arkansas prior to moving to New Mexico in September 2010. Jamie loves working with the participants at Santa Maria El Mirador and considers it a blessing every day to be able to work with the participants at SMEM.

Patricia Romero

President & CEO

Patricia (Patsy) Romero became President and CEO of Santa Maria El Mirador in June 2016, after serving as a consultant and executive team member since 2009.

Patsy originally joined the team at SMEM as a Behavioral Health and Quality Manager consultant in 2009, then later as the agency’s Chief Operations Officer in 2012. Patsy increased her role at Santa Maria by managing the agency’s entire operations, including Finance, Human Resources, Nursing, Clinical, Programs, Incident Management and Quality. In the past 30 years, she has held numerous administrative leadership roles in New Mexico for both Behavioral Health and Disability Services. Patsy has spent her entire professional and personal career serving, advocating and lobbying for mental illness, disability issues and policy for the most vulnerable. She serves as a Director for the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange, Executive Committee member for Association of Developmental Disabilities Community Providers, Intermediate Care Facilities Chair and Past State President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She has served on numerous boards that support vulnerable New Mexicans. “I consider advocating and fighting for those most vulnerable and for those who work on behalf of the most vulnerable a rewarding opportunity. An opportunity that will I hope will make a difference and impact a life in a positive way. I am privileged that working for SMEM continues to provide me with this opportunity.”

Matthew Carrasco-Trujillo

Chief Financial Officer

Matthew is a Santa Fe native who’s worked in non-profit finance for his entire career. In 2018, he became the Chief Financial Officer for Santa Maria El Mirador after working in and restructuring the accounting department in 2015. He graduated from Pepperdine University with a bachelor’s in business and finance and completed his CPA certification in 2019. He also serves as treasurer on the board of directors for Santa Fe Dreamers Project and is also a director with the New Mexico Workers Compensation Healthcare Association. His knowledge of finance and accounting, as well as a passion for serving his community, lends to a continued dedication to Santa Maria El Mirador and the people they serve.