IVAN HILTON SCIENCE BUILDING INFORMATION

Facundo Valdez School of Social Work

The professional social worker makes a difference in improving the lives of others. NMHU’s focus on multicultural practice provides a deep understanding of cultural and ethnic differences and the way they influence the social worker’s role.

New Mexico Highlands University’s B.S.W. program was first accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in 1974. Our curriculum prepares students for entry-level generalist practice.

NMHU’s alumni are successfully working in a variety of settings: mental health and health care, substance abuse programs, schools, child welfare, hospice, gerontology and many other fields of practice. 448 hours of field practicum in social work is required during the senior year. This experience lets students gain direct work experience with a specific target population, while integrating and applying their classroom knowledge.

Students who achieve high academic standards are eligible to apply to the school’s advanced standing M.S.W. honors program, which allows completion of the M.S.W. degree in two to three academic semesters.

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Xochitl Campos Biggs

Photo of Xochitl Campos Biggs

Alumni Occupations

Graduates of the Facundo Valdez School of Social Work can be found in the following occupations:

  • Mental health and behavioral health social worker
  • Clinical social worker
  • Community health workers and administrators
  • School social worker
  • Social and community service manager
  • Research social worker
  • Hospice social worker
  • Direct services practice
  • Forensic social work
  • Marriage and family therapist
  • Public policy social worker
  • Case manager

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Faculty and Staff

School of Social Work

Cesar Abarca, Ph.D., MSW

DEAN

cabarca@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6183

Melissa Riley, Ph.D.

DIRECTOR, NATIVE AMERICAN SOCIAL WORK STUDIES INSTITUTE

meriley@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6192

Amber Vilas

CONTINUING EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COORDINATOR

aacvilas@nmhu.edu

Helen Robertson, MIRLS

ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN

hsrobertson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-232-6000

Emet Ma’ayan, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

emetmaayan@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6198

Rachelle Tenorio, Ph.D.

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

rachelletenorio@nmhu.edu

Brandon Sedillo

IT TECH SUPPORT (ABQ/RIO)

bsedillo@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3131

Christine Floyd, MSW, MAED

MSW ONLINE FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR

christinefloyd@nmhu.edu

Patricia Miera

MSW ONLINE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER

prmiera@nmhu.edu

Sharen Maldonado

FIELD EDUCATION SR. ADMIN. ASSISTANT

skmaldonado@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-2058

John Tourangeau, Ph.D., LADAC, LCSW

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

jtourangeau@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3515

Rey Martinez, Ph.D.

PROFESSOR

rcmartinez@nmhu.edu

P: 505-566-3047

Summer Charley

SOCIAL WORK ADMIN ASSISTANT

summercharley@nmhu.edu

Kristin Stephenson

SR. ADMIN. ASSISTANT

kstephenson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6181

Anna Nelson, Ph.D., LCSW

DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL WORK

annelson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6194

Valerie Valles-Pedroza, MSW, LCSW

DIRECTOR, SWEEP-RAICES

vevalles@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6187

Judy Barnstone, Ph.D., MSW

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR/ MSW PROG. COORDINATOR

jebarnstone@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6188

Samantha Nelums, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

samanthanelums@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6912

Sara Hurtado, MSW, LCSW

FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR (ABQ/RIO)

sarahurtado@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6186

Eric Rolstad, Ph.D., LCSW

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

erolstad@nmhu.edu

Faith Eldridge, MSW, LCSW

MSW ONLINE FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR

feldridge@nmhu.edu

Benjamin Bencomo, DSW, LCSW

BSW PROGRAM COORDINATOR/ ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

bbencomo@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3346

Melissa Williamson, MSW, LCSW

FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR (LV/SF)

mawilliamson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3326

Krystal C’deBaca

STUDENT SUCCESS COACH (HUMANITIES)

kmcdebaca@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3319

Craig Stern, DSW, LSW, MSW

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

castern@nmhu.edu

Marian Vargas, MSW

STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

mrvargas@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6191

Monica Otero, MSW

SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR, CESW

mrotero@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6194

Velinda Pearson, MSW, LCSW

OUTREACH COORDINATOR, SWEEP-RAICES

vmpearson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6190

Sreyashi Chakravarty, Ph.D.

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

schakravarty@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6189

Caroline Dailey, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME TERM PROFESSOR

cdailey@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6185

Nicole Padilla, MSW, LMSW

FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR

nicolepadilla@nmhu.edu

Jedediah Bragg, Ph.D., LMSW, ACSW

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

jebragg@nmhu.edu

P: 505-891-6923

Janice Dowsett

MSW ONLINE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

jdowsett@nmhu.edu

P: 505-429-8043

Jeanette Baca, DSW, LCSW

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR & MSW PROGRAM COORDINATOR

jmbaca@nmhu.edu

Rebecca Moore, Ph.D., LMSW

PROFESSOR

rmmoore@nmhu.edu

P: 505-426-2053

Joseph Moreno, Ph.D.

METRO CENTER MANAGER (ABQ/RIO)

jamoreno@nmhu.edu

P: 505-891-6914

Nicole DeHerrera, MSW, LCSW

FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR (FARM)

ndeherrera@nmhu.edu

P: 505-566-3805

Tamara Thiedeman, MSW, LCSW

FIELD EDUCATION DIRECTOR

tthiedeman@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6196

Joey Jimenez Jr., MSW

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, CESW

jcjimenez@nmhu.edu

P: 505-429-1340

Elizabeth Garcia, MSW

SPECIAL PROJECT COORDINATOR, SWEEP-RAICES

elizabethgarcia@nmhu.edu

Frances Ortega, Ph.D.

FULL-TIME TERM PROFESSOR

fortega@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6195

Reyna Rivera, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

reyna@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6193

Vanessa Palmer, MSW, LMSW

CYFD STIPEND COORDINATOR

vanessapalmer@nmhu.edu

Annie Allen, Ph.D., LCSW

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

annie@nmhu.edu

Ruth Sandoval

MSW ONLINE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER

ruthsandoval@nmhu.edu

Lawrence M. Montaño, MSW

STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

socialwork@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3310

Dolores Ortega, Ph.D., MSW

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

ortegad@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3567

Robert Anaya

SF/FARM CENTER MANAGER

raanaya@nmhu.edu

P: 505-426-2130

Sharon Terry-Doom

STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST/ SW PROGRAM COORDINATOR

sharondoom@nmhu.edu

P: 505-566-3655

Mission Statement

The mission of the Facundo Valdez School of Social Work is to educate students to practice social work competently with the diverse, multicultural populations of New Mexico and the Southwest. This context of cultural and regional responsiveness informs the School’s creation and implementation of all its educational programs. The School has a primary commitment to Hispanic and Native American people. Our curriculum grounds students in core professional social work values, skills and ethical principles, and provides a focused awareness and respect for cultural differences and how poverty affects the well-being of people in the region.