Monica Torres, Ph.D., Board President

Monica F. Torres, Ph.D. is Vice President for Academic Affairs at New Mexico State University, Doña Ana Community College and a former dean at Central New Mexico Community College. Her research and teaching interests include the role of language and other forms of representation in the shaping of cultural identities in the United States. A Las Cruces native, she has long been interested in broad-based community development and has served on the boards of rape crisis centers in southern and central New Mexico and on the board of the Mesilla Valley Film Society.

Jane Asche Ed.D., Board Secretary

Jane Asche, Ed.D. is a retired educator and community development specialist. She has been a national trainer and author for community-business-education partnerships, and she has a passion for working with groups that are committed to creating economic, social, and environmental justice at the local community level and beyond.

Martina Filerio, Board Treasurer

Martina Filerio is co-owner of Southwest Painting, LLC in Berino, and has lived in the Anthony/Berino area for 24 years. She is a co-founder of the Women’s Intercultural Center in Anthony and served as director of Finance and Administration from 2004 to February, 2009. She is a board member of La Semilla Food Center and has been a board member for the Home, Education and Livelihood Program in Albuquerque, Mercy Volunteer Corps in Philadelphia, and the Anthony, NM/TX Chamber of Commerce.

Roberto Lozano, Board Member

Roberto Lozano is an Assistant Principal at The New America School- Las Cruces. His experience includes serving as Las Cruces Public School’s Director of Dual Language and Migrant Education Programs and as an elementary Dual Language teacher. He holds a master’s degree in educational management and development and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from New Mexico State University. In addition, he was selected to serve on the New Mexico State Bilingual Advisory Committee and is the co-chair for the Doña Ana County Education Task Force. His areas of interest include closing the achievement gap for underserved students with special focus on students who are learning English as a second language. He is married to Patricia Lozano and has a one-year son (Diego) and 2-year-old daughter (Isabel).

Esther Devall, Ph.D., Board Member

Esther Devall, Ph.D., Certified Family Life Educator is the department head for Family and Consumer Sciences and Extension Family and Consumer Sciences at New Mexico State University. Before becoming department head, she taught undergraduate and graduate classes in the Family and Child Science major in the department. Her research interests include parenting and relationship education, family resiliency, single-parent families, and Hispanic families. She has been the principal investigator on federal and state grants totaling over $13 million. She served on the advisory boards of Jardin de los Niños and the Teen Parent Residence. She believes that to improve our state and nation, we must focus on strengthening families. Her mission is to help move New Mexico “from worst to first.”

Evelyn Madrid Erhard, Board Vice-President

Evelyn Madrid Erhard is a former teacher from NMSU and Dona Ana Community College. She taught essay writing, interpersonal communication skills, public speaking, and debate with an emphasis on critical thinking and creativity.  Joining parents, teachers, and the community to boost our children’s success is a priority for her.

Jennifer M. Haan, Coordinator for Elementary Instruction

Jennifer Haan is Coordinator for Elementary Instruction in the Las Cruces Public Schools. With 23 years’ experience in K-12 public schools, Jennifer has been both a teacher and an administrator in California, Texas, and New Mexico. Originally from San José, California, Jennifer is currently a doctoral student at New Mexico State University. Her research focuses on educational leadership practices in K-12 schools, specifically in racially and ethnically diverse settings.

Frank R. López, Executive Director

Frank René López is the Executive Director of Ngage New Mexico.  He has over 20 years working with nonprofit and community organizations. His experience in capacity building includes: strategic planning, leadership, board development and social enterprise.  His experience as an attorney and CPA includes working for some of the largest firms in the country.  He is a “teacher” at heart.  He has delivered hundreds of workshops and has taught at several universities, including the University of California at Berkeley, Golden Gate University, UTEP Texas Tech University School of Law and recently at New Mexico State University (teaching high impact nonprofit organizations).  His work has provided extensive public speaking opportunities.  He has delivered presentations all over the country including Washington D.C., Atlanta GA, New Orleans LA, Dallas, Houston TX and Palm Beach CA. Speaking topics include: Nonprofit Sustainability, Social Entrepreneurship, Community Partnerships and “Education & Diversity.” Lopez has published articles in the areas of Corporate Social Responsibility and Teaching Race & Law.He is also a Coach/Mentor for the W.K. Kellogg foundation. He has a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and a JD from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law.  He is licensed to practice law in Texas and California.

Martha Toltecatl, Executive Assistant

Martha Toltecatl is the Executive Assistant for Ngage New Mexico.  Martha has worked in the non-profit sector for the past 24 years in a number of areas with an emphasis in Administration. Martha also has a passion for volunteering and has volunteered in the past with the Elderly population, Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, soup kitchens, and most recently at the Whole Enchilada Festival.  She is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has made Las Cruces her home. Martha is currently attending New Mexico State University.

David Greenberg, Director of the Regional Education Partnership

Cindy Corona  is the Executive Director of the Ocotillo Institute for Social Justice at Ngage New Mexico.  Cindy grew up in the small mining community of Mammoth, Arizona. She earned a Bachelors Degree from the University of Arizona in 2002 and a Masters Degree in 2007. Cindy has worked at several non-profits in Arizona including, Pima Prevention Partnership, Arizona Youth Partnership, and Luz Social Services. Ms. Corona has worked in communities across the southwest and internationally to create capacity to address needs at the root cause through practice, program, and policy. Cindy also provides consulting services to non-profits working with youth and communities. She has sat on various boards in the community including the Latina Institute, the Arizona Women’s Conference, Amistades, Inc. Segundo de Febrero Planning Committee and Arizonans for Prevention. Cindy has participated on over 15 coalitions in rural areas and helped develop their strategic plans and visions. In 2011 she was recognized as a “Top 40 Under 40” recipient for her professional and personal accomplishments

David Greenberg, Director of the Regional Education Partnership

David Greenberg  is the Education Initiative Director at Ngage New Mexico.  Prior to this role, David was a high school social studies teacher at Gadsden High School in Anthony, New Mexico. David taught US History and World History, and was the co-chair of the social studies department at Gadsden. He was also the co-sponsor of the Gadsden Student Council and coordinated the Gadsden Student Leadership Team. Outside of teaching, David has been very involved in the community of Anthony, serving as a board member of the youth group Moving Anthony Forward and as Gadsden Community Fellow for Teach for America in New Mexico. Before moving to Southern New Mexico, David lived in Washington, DC and worked for the Civil Rights Practice Group of the DC-based law firm Cohen Milstein. David has a BA in Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government from American University in Washington DC. He also studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Oxford University as a visiting student, and received his teaching certification from Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico.

Michael Radtke

Michael Radtke Is a Las Cruces native and a New Mexico State University graduate. What drew Michael to Ngage New Mexico was the strengths Ngage offered in capacity building and community organizing. He works closely with Early Childhood Education Organizations and is involved in the County wide plan for Early Childhood Education. Some of his other interests include playing bass and riding his bicycle through Mesilla and the surrounding areas.