Meet the DVSAC Members

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Resources and Assistance

Teresa Garcia

Chair of the DVSAC and Lived-Survivor

Teresa Garcia is a first-generation graduate from the University of New Mexico, holding a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She is originally from El Paso, Texas. Teresa is bilingual and Spanish is her first (native) language. As a survivor of domestic violence she left her 10 year Pharmaceutical career to make a difference in her community and raise awareness for domestic violence. She has supported and served in different capacities including outreach, education and training for local and statewide organizations and sat on committees advocating for survivors of DV and SA. She served on the SAKI and ASERT city and state wide committees along side S.A.F.E House and SANE in Albuquerque, New Mexico in support of survivors of sexual assault. She currently remains engaged and continues to advocate within her community in being part of several committees such as the New Mexico Heritage Committee, Chaired the South West Community Policing Council, MMIW Committee, SW DV Steering Committee and sits on the Albuquerque Celebrates Recovery Event Committee in memory of recovering Santero, Community Advocate and mentor Adan Carriaga.

Stacy Burleson

Co-Chair of the DVSAC and Lived-Survivor

Ms. Stacy Burleson is the Executive Director of a program called Women In Leadership. this program is for any woman impacted by the criminal justice system directly or indirectly. Ms. Burleson programs focuses on women at risk for domestic violence, sexual assault, homeless, substance abuse and human trafficking. Ms. Burleson's organization believes sexual assault and domestic violence is the root cause of incarceration for women. Ms. Burleson organization also focuses on the opioid health crisis. Ms. Burleson is a returning citizen, mother and a grandmother.

Chearie (Che-Che) Alipat

Prevention and Healing Coordinator at New Mexico Asian Family Center

Chearie Alipat (she/her) is the Ending Gender Based Violence Coordinator at the New Mexico Asian Family Center. Has attended and received Bachelor's degree from University of New Mexico in Political Science (Pre-Law concentration) and Sociology and Master's in Justice and Security from University of Phoenix. A naturalized citizen and immigrant from the Philippines, she speaks Tagalog, Visayan(from the province ofiloilo). Born in Manila, Philippines, she is the eldest daughter of four children from first generation immigrant, nurse/caregiver/business Filipina woman and an overseas contract worker and few of first Filipino Chief Engineer merchant marine for import/export in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Chearie also served as a board member of the Filipino American Foundation of New Mexico. Chearie has had 19 years of experience with state, local, and federal agency including New Mexico's Judicial District Courts, Department t of Health, Federal Probation and Pretrial Services, Juvenile Justice of Children Youth and Families Department, and Care Coordinator for a Managed Care Organization.

Jolene Holgate

Acting Director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women

Bio coming soon.

Sara “Bonnie” Escobar

Executive Director of Enlace Comunitario and Chair of the DVSAC Training Subcommittee

Ms. Escobar currently serves as Executive Director for Enlace Comunitario, where she has been since late 2020. Previously, Ms. Escobar lived in El Paso, Texas where she served as Chief Development Office at El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, where she served for 2 years. However, she began her long commitment and passion for family violence advocacy at the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence, where she served as Director for Strategic Development for 13 years. She was formerly the Managing Partner for MJD & Associates providing management and organizational consulting services to private corporations, foundations, non-profit organizations and community leaders in the border region. Ms. Escobar has also served as a Vice President at the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and formerly as leadership director for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a national non-profit organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of U.S. Latinos. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Public Administration. Ms. Escobar is a committed community activist who strives to put her ideas into action, working to advance women, Latinos, and fellow New Mexicans.

Jodie Jaramillo

Director of Crisis Services at Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico

Jodie Jaramillo is the Director of Crisis Services at the Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico (RCCCNM), managing the 24/7 Crisis Response Department. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with a focus on Criminology from Denver University. She was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is the proud parent of triplets plus one. Jodie currently arranges the case reviews for the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) monthly meetings and is assisting with the creation of RCCCNM's Sex Trafficking Allied Response Team (START). She also trains professionals on working with sexual assault/domestic violence survivors and is responsible for training new sexual assault/sex trafficking/domestic violence advocates in RCCCNM's volunteer program. Prior to joining the RCCCNM team, Jodie spent many years as a Victim Advocate and Victim Advocate Unit Manager charged with responding on-scene to domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, child abuse and stalking cases for the Albuquerque Police Department, the University of New Mexico Police Department, and the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office during grave shift hours.

Shannon Lowry

Executive Director of the Albuquerque Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Collaborative

Shannon Lowry serves as the Executive Director of ABQ SANE Collaborative, overseeing the non-profit's development and implementation of all administrative, fiscal, and programmatic aspects.  Before moving to Albuquerque in 2023, Ms. Lowry worked for the Office of the Texas Governor, where she served as the Associate Administrator for the Governor's Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force.  Before her time at the Governor's Office, Ms. Lowry worked for the largest police association in Texas, providing training for LEOs on domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and the neurobiology of trauma, working closely with multidisciplinary partners in the community.

With over a decade of work in the anti-violence movement, Ms. Lowry spent many years as a community advocate, leading support groups and providing medical accompaniment for SANE exams.  She also previously served on the Board of Directors for the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault.

Ms. Lowry is a proud graduate of Sam Houston State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology and a Master of Science in Victim Services Management.  She believes wholeheartedly in the school's motto, "A measure of a Life is its Service."

Jenny Bartos

Advocacy and Education Director of The Arc of New Mexico

Jenny Bartos is The Arc of New Mexico’s Advocacy & Education Director, and oversees the Sexual Assault Victim Advocacy Program, Community Advocacy and Education Programs within the Center.  Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Jenny has been a fierce advocate of social justice and disability rights for over 20 years in the non-profit, profit, and government agency sectors.  She started as a Direct Support Provider

(DSP) working with young adults living with disabilities in Chicago right out of college; over two decades later, she was still active on the front lines of disability advocacy and human rights within the NMDOH, where she was instrumental in settling a 30+ year lawsuit as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) and creator/developer of NMDOH’s statewide required trainings on recognizing and reporting abuse, neglect and exploitation against individuals with disabilities.  She is the founder of the growing

“Smash the Cycle” movement inspired by Tony’s All Stars self-advocacy group in Roswell, and a proud member of NM Advocate Leaders and Albuquerque People First disability advocacy groups.  Her passions include road tripping with her four-legged soul partner, playing the piano, research, and training development.

Deputy Chief Cecily Barker

Investigative Bureau of Albuquerque Police Department

Cecily Barker was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. She holds an Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice from Western Oklahoma State College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Justice Administration from Wayland Baptist University. Cecily joined the Albuquerque Police Department in 2004. She served as a uniformed officer in the Field Services Bureau from 2004-2012 where she held collateral duties of Gang Suppression Officer, Crisis Intervention Officer and Field Training Officer. In 2012, she was promoted to Sergeant and continued to serve as a supervisor in the Field Services Bureau and later in the Violent Crimes Division as the Family Abuse and Stalking Training Team, Missing Person and Cold Case Sergeant. During this time, she was a member of the Intimate Partner Death Review Panel and the Mayor’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Task Force.  As the FASTT Sergeant, she created, updated and provided training to officers about domestic violence investigations. In 2017, Cecily was promoted to Lieutenant. During her time as a Lieutenant, she oversaw the Juvenile/Property Crime Division, Criminalistics Division and was a member of the Child Abuse Multi-Disciplinary Team.  She was promoted to Commander in 2020 and served as the Northwest Area Commander and later the Chief of Staff to Chief Harold Medina.  During this time, she led the creation and implementation of the departments Detective Academy. In late 2021, she was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Investigative Bureau, where she continues to serve. The Bureau includes the Criminal Investigations Division, Investigative Services Division, Investigative Enhancement Division and the Scientific Evidence Division.

Deputy Commander Jay Ratliff

Special Victims Section of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Albuquerque Police Department

Jay Ratliff has over 23 years of law enforcement experience and currently serves as the Deputy Commander over the Special Victims Section of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Albuquerque Police Department. He oversees the Crimes Against Children unit, Sex Crimes Unit, Child Exploitation Division, Missing Persons and Human Trafficking.

Prior to his service to the Albuquerque Police Department, he served as the Special Agent in Charge and Commander for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the New Mexico Human Trafficking Task Force, In his ten years of service to the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office served in Special Investigations, Internet Crimes Against Children and Cybercrimes. He has been recognized and an expert witness in computer forensics and child exploitation investigations across the State of New Mexico.

Prior to his work with the Office of the Attorney General, he served at the Eighth Judicial District Attorney’s Office where he assisted in the investigation and prosecution of all felony cases in Colfax County. He began his law enforcement career serving for the Village of Cimarron Police Department where he quickly learned all aspects of law and held the ranks of patrolman, Sergeant and Chief of Police.

He has been teaching law enforcement officers for twenty years in general police instruction, firearms, case law, and computer forensics. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of the Southwest.

Deputy Chief Christopher Sotelo

Human Resources of Albuquerque Fire Rescue Department

Bio coming soon.

Sergeant Autumn Neas

Special Victims Unit of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office

I am Sgt. Autumn Neas with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department. I have been with the department for twelve years. During my career I have been part of the DWI unit, Crisis Negotiations Team, High Risk Victims Unit, Special Victims Unit, and a Field Training Officer.

Prior to being promoted in 2021 I was a detective in the Special Victims Unit for three years. During that time, I investigated numerous sexual assaults, many of which were perpetrated my intimate partners. I also investigated crimes against children, elder abuse, and animal cruelty. I have been the Special Victims Unit supervisor since August 2022. Intimate partner violence and child abuse are my passions and I look forward to working with the commission.

Honorable Judge Amber Chavez Baker

Second Judicial District Family Court Judge

Amber Chavez Baker was appointed to the Second Judicial District Family Court bench in March 2019. She was a Domestic Relations Hearing Officer for Family Court from 2015 until her appointment. Before that, Judge Chavez Baker practiced exclusively in family law; representing parents, grandparents and children in Albuquerque and Carlsbad. Judge Chavez Baker is an Albuquerque native, graduating from the University of New Mexico with both her undergraduate and law degrees.

She enjoys community outreach activities, in particular as a board member for the Albuquerque Speech and Language Hearing Center.

Judge Chavez Baker is a recipient of the Domestic Violence Resource Center’s 2021 Purple Heart Award.

Victoria LeBlanc

Deputy District Attorney of Policy and Planning at the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office

Bio coming soon.

KC Carmona

Victim Advocate at the NM Attorney General’s Office

Bio coming soon.

Kate Thompson

Managing Attorney of the Metro Division at the Public Defender’s Office

Bio coming soon.

Natividad Posada

Family Services Division Deputy Director for Children, Youth, & Families Department 

Natividad Posada was born in Bakersville, CA but was raised in Albuquerque, NM. She has a bachelor’s degree in human services from Kaplan University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Phoenix.

She has worked with the Children, Youth, & Families department for 9 years in a variety of leadership positions. During this time, she has helped several families who have experienced domestic violence and its lasting effects. In her role now she is committed to providing leadership over several prevention programs aimed at helping families with whatever their needs may be, including those in domestic violence situations.

For fun she has family living in Mexico and loves to travel there and spend time with them.

Jeffery Bustamante

Deputy Director of Albuquerque Community Safety Department

Jeffery Bustamante is the Deputy Director of Violence Prevention and Intervention and will oversee key ACS programs such as our Violence Intervention Program and Community-Oriented Response & Assistance. Jeffery previously served as the ACS Division Manager for Organizational Growth and Community Relations. In this position, he showed his expertise by successfully streamlining our financial and grant processes. Jeffery also helped strengthen our partnerships with the community, while building new and lasting partnerships. Through his previous work, Jeffery has supported the growth of new organizations by serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange. He also served as Scheduler & Constituent Services Liaison for former United States Representative Ben Ray Luján, and held a similar role with United States Senator Jeff Bingaman.

Jeffery is completing his Ph.D. in Nursing & Health Innovation at Arizona State University. He holds a Master’s Degree in Health Innovation and a Bachelor of Political Science from the University of New Mexico.

Ellen Braden

Public Health Initiatives Manager of Health, Housing & Homelessness Department

I was born and raised in Kentucky, moving to New Mexico in 2002. Prior to working with the City, I worked exclusively in non-profit organizations focusing on serving youth, at-risk youth, youth with serious mental illness and seniors with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. My entire career at the City, beginning in 2005, has been within the Department of Family and Community Services, primarily within the Division of Behavioral Health and Wellness. The Division of Behavioral Health and Wellness is a funding division – funding needed social services for our local community, including early intervention, prevention and treatment services for a wide array of populations. I accepted the position of Public Health Initiatives Manager in the fall of 2022, where I will work to implement the Medical Sobering Center, a social referral platform increasing connectivity among area services, and expand the impact of the City in improving public health outcomes, among other projects.

Beatriz Valencia

Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Liaison of the Office of Equity and Inclusion

She is originally from Barranquilla, Colombia but grew up in a beautiful island in the Caribbean called San Andres. Since she has memory, Beatriz recalls to be part of diverse cultures, languages and religions. Her experience working with people from all walks of life and different nationalities has been continuous through her life.

She has an undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and she went to graduate school to Lehigh University for Health and Biopharmaceutical Economics. Later on, she worked in the education sector with community schools for several years, and got involved with the non-profit and business sector as well. She is very well connected in the community and has a great deal of experience in language access, partnerships and community outreach for diverse populations.

Also, Beatriz has been involved in multiple organizations such as the NM Hispanic Heritage Committee as a board member, LULAC council 8057, liaison with the Recuerda Cesar Chavez Committee, former member of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and The West Chamber of Commerce.

Moreover, she has life experience on the topic of domestic violence and knows firsthand the shortcomings related with this subject in the state of New Mexico. She is looking forward to participate in the upcoming meetings with the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Commission.