Kim Alaburda, BA
Executive Director
Kim Alaburda has provided leadership to the Coalition for 26 years. Her accomplishments include advocating for the policies, services and medical needs of victims of sexual violence in rural, Native, border and urban areas of New Mexico. She has increased the Coalition’s staff from 1 in 1985 to 13 in 2014, and the budget from $67,000 in 1985 to $3.2 million in 2014. Kim was able to use these increases to guide the Coalition’s substantial research efforts, create programming specific to people with disabilities and Native American communities, and more than double the state’s rape crisis centers, SANE units and prevention projects. Kim effectively collaborates with statewide agencies and non-profit organizations to ensure that there is ongoing policy enhancement and funding for sexual violence intervention and prevention efforts.
Kim Benally
Director of Tribal Sexual Assault Services/Researcher
Kim Benally (she/her) is the Director of Tribal Sexual Assault Services/Researcher. Kim leads research efforts on services and resources available for Indigenous peoples with the goal of increasing available culturally specific services. Kim has a background in non-profit management, organizational development, and positive youth development, but has found her heart lies in advocacy for survivors. She is pursuing a Doctorate of Educational Leadership at the University of New Mexico and is a citizen of the Navajo Nation from Hogback, NM.
Rose Cary, MA
Office Assistant
Rose Cary (she/her) joined the Coalition in 2022 as the office assistant. She holds a B.A. in English Studies and an M.A. in Elementary Education. Rose has previously worked as a kindergarten teacher. In her office assistant position, Rose provides resource referrals for survivors and those who serve them statewide; assists with the production, distribution, and tracking of Sexual Assault Examination Kits (SAEKs), the collection and organization of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) data, various data input, and general office support. Outside of the Coalition, Rose enjoys volunteering with Planned Parenthood, listening to music, and spending time with her cats, Halloween and Salami.
Jess Clark
Director of Sexual Violence Prevention
Jess Clark is the Director of Sexual Violence Prevention for the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, a consultant for Catharsis Productions in Chicago, IL, a transgender education consultant, and the host of Both/And: A Sexual Violence Prevention Podcast. His work over the last decade has focused on increasing youth capacity to interrogate systems of oppression, exploring queer and trans masculinities as a site of violence prevention, and supporting organizations in better serving transgender communities through policies, best practices, and learning to be like his grandma. Jess is a member of the Santa Fe Public Schools Equity and Diversity Council and has served on the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of Santa Fe and Transgender Resource Center of NM.
Rachel Cox, LMSW
Director of Technical Assistance for Direct Services
Rachel Cox, LCSW, has worked in the field of interpersonal violence for 20 years. She has worked as a domestic violence advocate, sexual assault program coordinator, child and adult therapist and clinical director of a domestic violence and sexual assault agency. Her experience in direct service informs the guiding principles of her approach to supervision and leadership. Ms. Cox has many years of experience helping implement client-driven services models and is a strong advocate for intentional supervisory structures to support trauma service organizations. Ms. Cox has worked with organizations around the country to facilitate organizational change to improve service quality for survivors and their families.
Kathleen Donlin, BA
HR Coordinator, Accounting Assistant, SAEK Coordinator
Kathleen joined the Coalition contractually in June of 2010 and became a full time staff member in 2018. In 2011 Kathleen assisted the Community Justice Project Director for the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant. During her time at the Coalition, Kathleen has done a variety of jobs from administrative to accounting to human resource tasks. This position has also allowed her to use her creative talents to help with everything “office” including brochures, signs, and helping with many conferences/trainings at our office or around Albuquerque. Kathleen also coordinates the production and distribution of the Sexual Assault Evidence Kits (SAEK’s) directly with the SANE Coordinator. Kathleen’s latest role of HR Coordinator has allowed her to use her over 15 years experience in office administration/management to do her work for the Coalition, its clients, and its staff.
Melissa Ewer, JD
New Mexico Children’s Alliance (NMCA) Director
Melissa joined the Coalition in 2019 as the New Mexico Children’s Alliance (NMCA) Director. She has spent her professional career over the past two decades advocating for survivors, working in the non-profit, academic, and government sectors to create positive change, earning local, state, and national recognition for her work. She provided free legal services to adult and child immigrant survivors of abuse for over fifteen years before transitioning to statewide federal grant oversight for non-profits and government agencies serving victims of crime in New Mexico. She holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies from Vassar College and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Currently, Melissa administers and implements the goals, objectives, and policies of the NMCA, which serves as the leading resource within the state for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). She provides leadership, training, and technical assistance, and works in partnership with NMCA member programs to increase visibility of and support for the NMCA and CACs while also promoting awareness about child abuse and the CAC model.
Carla Gallegos Ortega, BBA
Project Manager and PREA Coordinator
Carla Gallegos-Ortega joined the Coalition in 2006. She has written and managed several VAWA grants that provide specialized training for tribal law enforcement and prosecutors training on sexual assault in Indian Country. She has also provided statewide training for sexual assault investigation for law enforcement, sexual assault prosecution for prosecutors, scholarships for law enforcement officers and prosecutors to attend national trainings on investigating and prosecuting sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and teen dating violence cases as well as provided equipment to law enforcement agencies to aid in the investigations of these crimes. In 2015 Ms. Gallegos-Ortega took an interest in PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act). She focused on writing VAWA grants for PREA training for county detention centers, NMDOC, and youth detention centers. In 2017 Carla became one of the PREA Coordinators for the Coalition. She also assists in logistics for all Coalition hosted trainings.
Ellen Gatewood
Contract Manager, Medical Billing Coordinator
Ellen Gatewood began working with the Coalition in 1988. She is the program coordinator for the sexual assault medical bill program that provides payment for the medical exams for all sexual assault victims following an assault or the discovery of abuse. She has managed VAWA grants to provide trainings to rural law enforcement officers and prosecutors on investigating and prosecuting sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking crimes. Currently, Ellen manages subcontracts with sexual assault nurse examiners programs, sexual violence prevention programs, and rape crisis centers. Ellen also coordinates the Adolescent Sex Offender Treatment training project, which provides training for therapists and other professionals who work with adolescent sex offenders.
Christy Lucky, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Christy Lucky has had an accounting-based career for more than 25 years. Christy joined the Coalition first contractually in 2011 and then as a full time employee in 2012. Specializing in non-profit accounting, she manages NMCSAP grants and funds in compliance with the Uniform Administrative Requirements in 2 CFR 200. Christy has also worked 5+ years as a non-profit auditor and this has honed her skills in compliance, internal controls, implementing processes and problem solving. Christy is a licensed CPA in the State of New Mexico, a QuickBooks specialist, has certification as a Non-profit accountant, and trained thru DOJ Grants financial management program.
Lisa Meyer
Project Coordinator, Research Assistant, Contract Manager
Lisa Meyer joined the Coalition contractually in 2004 and has been a staff member since 2009. Through the years, Lisa’s position has evolved to include many facets of support, from data and reports to administrative, technical, and subcontract management. Several challenging and enjoyable projects accomplished include: Most recently, leading the creation of our online learning platform for virtual training; creating online training modules replete with previously unknown PHP programming; and working as part of a team to guide a competitive grant process through the creation of innovations such as an electronic application, Mini-Grant options, and a Pre-Proposal Webinar and then providing technical assistance to successful applicants. Lisa looks forward to ongoing professional development and to being a part of the Coalition’s important work.
Baily Oliva, BA
Contract Manager/Administrative Support
Baily Oliva began working with Sexual Assault Service Providers in 2016 in her role as Operations Coordinator at Albuquerque SANE. During that time she also provided direct services while participating as a research assistant in the Better Tomorrow Network’s “Women’s Health Study.” In October of 2019 Baily joined the coalition team and began her role as contract manager for Sexual Assault Service Providers and Children’s Advocacy Centers across the state.
Virginia Pérez-Ortega
Director of Community Collaborations on Access and Inclusion
Prior to this position, she was a Resource and Outreach Coordinator at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Locally she has experience coordinating a community-based crime reduction project with the Office of Bernalillo County District Attorney. She is also an independent consultant, provides training, facilitation and coordination of victim advocacy related projects and events on the topics of domestic and sexual violence prevention. Ms. Perez-Ortega is an English-Spanish translator and interpreter. She is an experienced media campaign coordinator, community event planner and a successful community organizer. Virginia is a social and human rights activist with over 15 years working to end violence against all women and girls. In her previous role as Violence Prevention Director for a local NGO, she developed and implemented community-driven gender violence prevention programs; she also pioneered one of its kind prevention program of men against family violence. She is committed to social justice and to improving the conditions of those affected by inequalities. She is about making a better life for each other through family, culture, caring, discipline, fun, collaboration and action. She is the proud mother of 2 beautiful children. Virginia was born and raised in Mexico and has lived in New Mexico since the late 90s. She holds a BA on Community Development from UnADM (Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Mexico and an AA on Business Graphics and Communications from Central New Mexico Community College.
Elena Rubinfeld, JD
Legal Director
Elena Rubinfeld (she/her) is the Legal Director for the Coalition. In this role she provides legal education, technical assistance, and training to sexual assault programs, outside partners, survivors, and the Coalition team. In her career, Elena has worked on a variety of initiatives to prevent sexual assault and support survivors’ rights. Her work began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador, where she trained young people on sexual health and healthy relationships. Since then, she has worked on developing and promoting policies to support survivors, unique issues faced by immigrant survivors, Title IX compliance, and women and children’s rights issues. Elena holds a B.A. in International Studies from American University and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Alexandria Taylor, MPA
Deputy Director
Alexandria Taylor (she/her), Niecy as her beloved community knows her, is the Deputy Director at the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, where she supports the services provided by the thirteen rape crisis centers in New Mexico, as well as the 32 sexual assault coordinators within community mental health agencies across the state. In her role as Deputy Director, Alexandria provides technical assistance, develops training, provides leadership on community-based initiatives and policy efforts. Alexandria also coordinates the Institutionally Underserved Workgroup, which is a collaboration between advocates working with institutionally underserved communities within New Mexico. Prior to joining NMCSAP, Alexandria was the Executive Director of Valencia Shelter Services in Los Lunas, NM. Alexandria Taylor has keynoted and trained statewide and nationally on anti-oppression and institutional bias in social services. Alexandria serves on the Board of Directors for the ACLU-NM and is currently attending the Columbia University in New York, NY. Born and raised in New Mexico, a major portion of Alexandria’s existence is spent contemplating and living out radically mothering her son.
Jade Waskow, BA
Media and Systems Specialist
Jade Waskow (she/her) joined the NMCSAP in 2021 as their first media and systems specialist. She holds B.A.s in Sociology and Religious Studies from the University of New Mexico. Jade has been with the Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico as a volunteer advocate since 2019. She assists with education, prevention, and outreach through managing the Coalition’s social media, monthly newsletter, and graphic design projects. She also provides support for training preparation, data entry, and other activities.