Sandy Buffett serves as our Executive Director. Sandy, who grew up in Albuquerque, previously worked for the International affairs office of the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C where she helped to build an international network of activists campaigning against environmentally destructive projects by multinational corporations in developing countries. She has consulted with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the World Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Environment Program (UNEP), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the Colorado College and a M.A. in International environmental policy from American University and speaks Japanese and French. Sandy serves on the Board of Directors of the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and served as an appointee of Governor Bill Richardson to the NM State Game & Fish Commission.

Leanne has worked in a variety of advocacy roles in different issue areas, but has dedicated most of her professional work to environmental advocacy.  Most recently, she served as the Environmental Program Advocate for New Mexico Public Interest Research Group (NMPIRG), where she led successful issue campaigns on water conservation and transfers of development rights for preservation of open space.  She has also worked collaboratively with other constituencies on issue campaigns for regulation of domestic wells, protection and restoration of the Rio Grande, and planned growth in Albuquerque.  Prior to coming to New Mexico in 2002, Leanne established a diverse coalition in support of watershed restoration efforts in a large urban/rural fringe community outside of Vancouver, British Columbia.  She also developed a successful pilot project for a municipal wildlife habitat strategy for urban/rural areas, working with federal and provincial government agencies, local governments, First Nations, and grassroots and community-based groups and individuals.  She graduated from the University of British Columbia with a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations, before pursuing graduate studies in Forestry and Conservation Biology at the University of Toronto.

Thomas is our Business Administrator. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Carbondale (CO) Council on Arts & Humanities (CCAH), as well as being the Director of the Carbondale Mountain Fair, a 3-day extravaganza of arts/crafts/music & international food. During his tenure of 17 years CCAH received the prestigious Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and the Carbondale Mountain Fair was selected as one of the top 200 Arts & Crafts Fairs in the U.S. Thomas has actively confronted and defeated proposals to build huge power lines and an enormous coal-fired power plant in Colorado. He also successfully worked to rein in the local electric cooperative’s plans to expand unneeded facilities in Delta County, CO.

Molly Brook is our "Heat Is On " Global Warming Program Associate . Previously, she was the Global Warming Program Associate for Environment New Mexico, where she worked to mobilize public and grasstops support for clean and renewable energy in New Mexico. During her time there, she also worked with local groups on urban sprawl issues, and directed a canvassing operation during the 2008 Presidential Election. Prior to coming to New Mexico in 2008, Molly received her Bachelors degree from the University of Minnesota in Geography with a concentration in Environmental Systems, and Sustainability. During her undergraduate studies, she also collaborated with several professors, organizations, and the City of Minneapolis conducting research on the public's attitudes and perceptions of environmental action to help shape the city's growing sustainability program. In her spare time, Molly enjoys camping, hiking and skiing.

Ariel Bickel is an Organizational Development coach, facilitator, trainer and Spanish language teacher and translator.

Ariel spent her childhood growing up in the Colorado Rockies, where a love and respect for wilderness was nurtured by her family, who instilled in her a strong conservation ethic. She studied Environmental Technology at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville and earned her BA in Hispanic Letters from Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO.

Ariel entered the world of civic engagement organizing in the 90’s, when she became involved in social justice issues, particularly around human and civil rights. Since then, she has worked on numerous candidate and issue campaigns and strives to develop her knowledge of community organizing and public education tactics.

Ariel continues her quixotic quest to find, as Jane Goodall calls it, a “Reason for Hope” – the innate goodness that humans have to come together and ultimately create positive change in the world. She loves spending time exploring the outdoor beauty of New Mexico, and in doing so, is constantly reminded of why she has committed herself to the CVNMEF mission.

Michael B. Casaus, Vice-President & Treasurer

A native of Silver City, New Mexico, Michael has been an environmental advocate, community organizer and scientific researcher for over two decades. He studied Biology and Anthropology at New Mexico State University and Cornell University, where his graduate research in Mexico and Venezuela investigated the current state of traditional botanical and medical knowledge in a globalized world. While at Cornell, Michael was a Gates Foundation Millennium Scholar, served on the Graduate School Minority Council and was President of the Latino/a Graduate Student Coalition. He has received numerous awards including the prestigious Anne Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany. He has a strong commitment to public service and currently serves as Co-chair of the Recuerda a César Chávez Committee and Board member of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center and Conservation Voters New Mexico. Michael has held key positions on several political campaigns and is the former Senior Field Organizing Manager with the Sierra Club. Michael is currently the New Mexico State Director for The Wilderness Society and resides in Albuquerque. On his spare time, he enjoys camping, backpacking, fishing and playing soccer.

Chris Catechis, Director

Chris Catechis is a Senior Environmental Consultant to Sandia National Laboratories, specializing in both Environmental Restoration and Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Chris was instilled with a love of the natural environment and its conservation at a young age from participation in the Boy Scouts of America. Having grown up in Houston, Chris has seen first hand the effects of urban sprawl as Interstate 10 in Houston has gone from 6 lanes to a planned 24 lanes of traffic. Chris moved to Albuquerque in 1997 and has never looked back. He is a strong advocate for the preservation of open spaces and wildlife as being conducive to the human spirit. In the struggle for preservation of out natural spaces, Chris identifies best with David Brower who said “All our victories are temporary. All our defeats are permanent”.

Erin Marshall - Director

Erin’s undergraduate degree is in anthropology from the University of Colorado at Denver. She has volunteered as a backcountry ranger in Denali National Park, and enjoys the great outdoors.

She entered the non-profit health arena in 2000 with the New Mexico Hospital Association. Her career with the American Heart Association (AHA) began in early 2002. While with AHA, she served as chair of the New Mexico Chronic Disease Prevention Council, and Vice Chair of the state Stroke Advisory Council and was later promoted to the national center of the AHA as state health alliances consultant; she also coordinated the Healthy People 2010 national partnership, acted as liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Indian Health Services, and assisted with the annual national Cardiovascular Institute.

Erin is currently an independent public health contractor in New Mexico - as Managing Director of the New Mexico Healthier Weight Council. In 2010, she was also the Outreach Coordinator for Health Action New Mexico and Executive Director of the New Mexico Alliance for School Based Health Care. She serves as liaison to several organizations including the New Mexico Food & Agriculture Policy Council, New Mexico Chronic Disease Prevention Council, New Mexico Health Equity Working Group, New Mexico Oral Health Advisory Committee, and New Mexico Department of Health. Erin is committed to the good health of New Mexicans and all Americans.

Her household includes family, two Belgian Shepherds, several Nigerian Dwarf Goats, and a few cats. They attempt to practice principles of permaculture and believe in sustainable farming, are members of the American Goat Society, American Dairy Goat Association, and Southwest Nigerian Goat Club. She also sits on the Board of the Rio Communities Association as District 3 Co-representative.