Board & Advisory
2024 Board
President:
Jen Harrington
Janet Harrington (known to her Abiquiu friends as “Jen") moved to New Mexico from California in 2009 and joined the Luciente Board in 2020. Her longtime dedication to the education and welfare of children makes her a good fit for Luciente. Jen graduated from Duke University––many moons ago but remains a fanatical Duke basketball fan–– and spent twenty years as an educator (K-6) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her nonprofit experience includes serving as board member and president of Kannon Do Zen Meditation Center, Mountain View, CA. Since retiring to Abiquiu, Jen has concentrated on photography, exploring local history and art, and hiking with her rescue dog Jack. About her home in northern New Mexico, she says, “I love this place. It has welcomed me and delighted me.
I am eager to give back.”
Vice President:
Randy Sanches
Born and raised in New Mexico, Randy Sanches grew up in the communities of Dixon and Tierra Amarilla. He began a career in public safety in his teens, starting out as an EMT working for Rio Arriba County Ambulance. Having moved to Denver, Colorado, to obtain his paramedic license, Randy returned home and attended the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy which set him up for a position with the Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Office. As Major Sanches, Randy ran the administrative side of the Sheriff’s office and was also the Public information Officer among a list of other duties before retirement. Randy calls Chili home where he spends summer evenings along the Chama River. When not working the COVID pandemic as a paramedic, Randy can be found fly fishing in and around northern New Mexico or driving his classic C-4 Corvette. Additionally, on occasion Randy can be seen on Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid providing medical care to cast members on the show.
Secretary:
Debra Vigil
Debbie is a Gallina, New Mexico, resident and the current school nurse for the Jemez Mountain School District. Her family has had ties to northern New Mexico for many generations. Her grandparents were subsistence farmers, and Debbie has many fond memories of helping them on the family farm. Debbie obtained her nursing degree from Casper College in Casper, Wyoming. She and her husband moved to Gallina in 1995 where they raised their two daughters. She has been the District School Nurse for 20 years. Debbie is always looking for opportunities and resources to help her students be successful in school and to help the communities served by the school district. Along with being the District School Nurse, Debbie has been a volunteer for the fire department, a 4-H sponsor, the community homeless liaison, the drug-free prevention coordinator, and currently a mobile food depot manager. Debbie enjoys spending time with her family, camping, and traveling. She is honored to be on the Luciente Board to continue to support the youth and the surrounding communities.
Vice President:
Randy Sanches
Treasurer:
Carol Ho
Having grown up in Albuquerque, Carol returned to New Mexico in 2017 and settled in Abiquiu, a truly beautiful place in many ways. She believes the culture, people and landscape blend into a wondrous community to live in and embrace. Carol currently works for Española Humane as it's Clinic Director. Honored to be a part of Luciente, she believes in the support offered our community.
Having grown up in Albuquerque, Carol returned to New Mexico in 2017 and settled in Abiquiu, a truly beautiful place in many ways. She believes the culture, people and landscape blend into a wondrous community to live in and embrace. Carol currently works for Española Humane as it's Clinic Director. Honored to be a part of Luciente, she believes in the support offered our community.
Having grown up in Albuquerque, Carol returned to New Mexico in 2017 and settled in Abiquiu, a truly beautiful place in many ways. She believes the culture, people and landscape blend into a wondrous community to live in and embrace. Carol currently works for Española Humane as it's Clinic Director. Honored to be a part of Luciente, she believes in the support offered our community.
Having grown up in Albuquerque, Carol returned to New Mexico in 2017 and settled in Abiquiu, a truly beautiful place in many ways. She believes the culture, people and landscape blend into a wondrous community to live in and embrace. Carol currently works for Española Humane as it's Clinic Director. Honored to be a part of Luciente, she believes in the support offered our community.
Board Member:
Matti Gallegos
Matti Gallegos has lived her entire life in northern New Mexico. Always having the biggest heart for children, Matti knew once she graduated high school, she wanted to help youth in our community. She currently works for the Special Education department at Abiquiu Elementary School. As a unit director for Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Fe/Del Norte, she served until the program decided to part ways in Abiquiu. During her free time, Matti loves to be outdoors––fishing, hiking, and spending time with family and pets. She is very excited to join the board and make a difference in the community.
Board Member:
Shaia D'ourso
Board Member:
Thanh Ho
Thanh was born in Vietnam and came to the United States as a teenager. He and his wife, Carol Ho, moved to Abiquiu in 2017 when he accepted a job with Los Alamos Laboratory. Thanh had reservations about the arid landscape and remoteness of Abiquiu, but has since fallen in love with northern New Mexico cultures, peoples and landscapes. Carol and Thanh recently purchased motorcycles and are excited to explore more of the area. As a new board member in 2021, he is thrilled to be part of Luciente and supports its commitment to the children of our community.
Bio on the way
Board Member:
Giustina Renzoni
Board Member:
Shaia D'Ourso
Having grown up in Albuquerque, Carol returned to New Mexico in 2017 and settled in Abiquiu, a truly beautiful place in many ways. She believes the culture, people and landscape blend into a wondrous community to live in and embrace. Carol currently works for Española Humane as it's Clinic Director. Honored to be a part of Luciente, she believes in the support offered our community.
Having grown up in Albuquerque, Carol returned to New Mexico in 2017 and settled in Abiquiu, a truly beautiful place in many ways. She believes the culture, people and landscape blend into a wondrous community to live in and embrace. Carol currently works for Española Humane as it's Clinic Director. Honored to be a part of Luciente, she believes in the support offered our community. Â
Shaia was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado but grew up in Northern New Mexico in and around the communities of Santa Fe. She started her educational journey at Northern New Mexico College on a path towards Criminal Law but a slight detour put her in an advanced program in Social Work, she attended Highlands University where she obtained her Masters Degree in Social Work. Shaia works with all age groups, with a focus on adolescents and senior populations. She also focuses on working with addiction recovery and oversees Drug and Treatment Court Programs. Shaia has a deep passion for serving her community and demonstrates that through her outreach efforts to other local organizations in hopes of connecting individuals with needed services as a board member of several boards. In her free time Shaia is active statewide as a member of an all volunteer Star Wars community that frequently makes visits to Children’s Hospitals and events. She has the heart of a gipsy and loves to travel far and wide, most often to visit family but don’t be surprised if her travels take her to see one of her favorite rock bands. And though she is not a guitar player she has an impressive autograph guitar and music memorabilia collection. When not traveling Shaia enjoys her evenings sitting beside the Rio Chama.
Having grown up in Albuquerque, Carol returned to New Mexico in 2017 and settled in Abiquiu, a truly beautiful place in many ways. She believes the culture, people and landscape blend into a wondrous community to live in and embrace. Carol currently works for Española Humane as it's Clinic Director. Honored to be a part of Luciente, she believes in the support offered our community.
“A rocky vineyard does not need a prayer, but a pickax.”
Navajo proverb
Advisory Council
Dr. Richard Bailey, Jr.
President, Northern New Mexico College
Dr. Bailey and his wife Diana joined the Northern family in October 2016, after a twenty-four-year career in the United States Air Force. Dr. Bailey received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Sciences from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a master’s degree in International Affairs from Washington University in St. Louis, and a doctorate in Government from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Dr. Bailey served in the U.S. Air Force and retired from the Air Force as a command pilot with over 3,500 flying hours. Before assuming the presidency at Northern, Dr. Bailey served as associate professor of strategy and security studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He also served as the school’s first-ever Dean of Students.
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During President Bailey’s tenure at Northern New Mexico College, enrollment has increased by over 10%, and bachelor’s degree graduation rate nearly doubled. The institution maintains the most affordable tuition and fees of any four-year college in the southwest United States, the third lowest average student debt upon graduation of any four-year college in the country, and the top performing High School Equivalency program in the nation for the second year in a row.
Dr. Julie Shimer
Technology board member, technology leader
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Dr. Julie Shimer retired in 2013 as Chief Executive Officer of Welch Allyn, a global manufacturer of frontline medical equipment and solutions. Previously she served as CEO of Vocera Communications. Prior to being a CEO, she held executive positions at 3Com Corporation, Motorola and AT&T Bell Laboratories. She currently serves on the boards of Avanos, Apollo Endosurgery, Windstream and Masimo, as well as three nonprofit boards. Dr. Shimer has a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University and a B.S. in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She lives in Ojo Caliente, New Mexico with her husband, Jary.
Dr. Tamara Singleton
Physician, El Rito and Amarilla
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Dr. Singleton is board-certified in family medicine. She has a practice in El Rito, NM and is on staff at La Clinica Del Pueblo de Rio Arriba in Tierra Amarilla, NM.