Team
Get to Know Us
Our team is composed of County employees and consultants who are passionate about improving the health of our community using Health Literacy guidelines to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Meet our team working on the frontlines of increasing health access and reducing health inequities.
County Staff
Program and Contract Administrator
Anabel Canchola is a Program and Contract Administrator at Doña Ana County, Health and Human Services Department in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She is our go to person if we need an answer. Armed with a degree from New Mexico State University, and over 15 years of health field experience, she understands the County and border community needs.
Lucky for us she is a certified mental health first aid instructor as well as a community health worker. She is always cool under pressure.
Project Coordinator
Selina exudes energy and positivity. With multiple degrees in paralegal and Business Management as well as over 20 years in community education programs she is a wealth of information. With experience in education, career counseling and financial aid facilitation she is well equipped to ensure everyone involved with the program meets their goals in addition to the program's overall success.
When she isn't working hard as the team's Project Coordinator you can find Selina in the community extolling the benefits of Health Literacy and enjoying life with family and friends. We don't know what we'd do without her!
Community Health Worker
A Chicagoan by birth, you’d never know it by the way Irene has embraced the Southwest! Growing up in the region she is passionate about keeping our area beautiful and its residents healthy. Her positive outlook combined with a background in science inspires her to help people make health literate decisions.
With 25 years of teaching health, science and special education in the public schools for Grant, Luna and Dona Ana Counties, Irene is now ready to commit full-time to connecting with her community as a member of the Salud y Vida con Amigo team. When not encouraging healthy lifestyles you can find her with camera in hand out hiking with her three sons, or dancing to Spanish music.
Community Health Worker
Renee Hernandez Is the youngest of the team, but don’t let that fool you, she’s highly motivated! When she isn’t attending classes towards her Criminal Justices Bachelor’s Degree at NMSU, you’ll find Renee volunteering with her church with monthly food distribution or mission trips.
Renee says “I felt like coming to work for Doña Ana County as a Community Health Worker was right in line with how I live my life.” We are glad she is on our team, sharing her time and energy serving our community!
Community Health Worker
Jesus has a long history with Doña Ana County and the northern area of Rincon, Radium Springs and several other communities. He has also worked as a VISTA promotor for 3 years in addition to his work with the county.
With a degree in religious studies and theology, and Christian Counseling, plus his work as a Community Church Lead Pastor in Chaparral NM, we feel blessed to have him on our team.
His strongly believes that “El que no vive para servir no sirve para vivir.” “Whoever's purpose is not to serve, serves no purpose." We couldn't agree more!
Consultants
Health Literacy Consultant (Extraordinaire)
With a Master of Public Health (MPH) Health Management and Policy and a PHD in English, she specializes in medicine, public health, and health policy. English professor when the whim hits. An international published writer in both print and online media, as well as a non-profit consultant, there seems to be nothing she can't do. She is the glue that holds the project together. In addition to writing the program's learning modules, she keeps us focused on the program's mission improving Health Literacy.
When not working with the team she can be found running on local trails, shuffling her daughter to activities, working with her horses and volunteering in the community. We aren't sure when she sleeps.
Creative and IT Consultant
Kaye has always been inspired to create unique experiences for others. An award-winning designer, illustrator, her wealth of experience in marketing, community campaigns, public relations, event planning and she tries (key word "try") to keep Salud y Vida con Amigos' community outreach and brand strong. Kaye also runs an internationally recognized non-profit dedicated to creating positive events that raise awareness and funds to help communities fight domestic abuse. Kaye's passion for the program makes it hard to keep all that enthusiasm quiet during zoom meetings.
When not tied down to her computer, you'll find her out on the trails of Northern Michigan, chasing rabbit trails or working on her house pretending to hammer nails and avoid falling off ladders.
Health Information Consultant
Anne's 20 years of experience includes administration of health science libraries, health policy planning and research. In addition to statewide health system reform, public health emergency preparedness planning at the State level, including community coalition building and working with various federal agencies. (whew), Anne is indispensable to our team.
When Anne isn’t cooking pasta, reading about WWII, or swimming, she is sniffing out health information from all parts of the light and dark web. She has been called a Labrador by some, and compulsive, by others, for her passion with organizing all things COVID so that folks in Doña Ana County can have a reliable place to find the information they need.
Community Outreach Consultant
With too many talents to mention, Paul is constantly on the move (we can hardly keep up), but he always manages to make time for the people that matter most. He has traveled the country performing music, painting and teaching.
He now calls Silver City home and appreciates the closeness of small town life, the high desert with it’s sunshine, dust storms and outdoorsy lifestyle. When not working in his studio for an upcoming show or writing songs, you can find him wandering the trails outside looking for inspiration.
Program Evaluator
We'd be lost without Liz, a Program Manager for Crimson Research located in the Department of Public Health Sciences at New Mexico State University, one of our many partners. Liz is the one who develops the questions you get to answer. Her relaxed, friendly demeanor is a welcomed relief during our zoom meetings.
Having grown up in southern Doña Ana County on one of the historic dairy farms, she is used to the hard work involved in herding her children and juggling multiple tasks.
Community Health Worker
Beatriz Favela is the Family and Consumer Sciences agent for the Doña Ana County Cooperative Extension Services, a licensed Clinical Social Worker, with a Master’s degree in Social Work from New Mexico State University, and has experience in school social work, family preservation, family reunification, and teaching Social Work courses at NMSU’s School of Social Work.
As if this isn't enough, she is bilingual, a certified facilitator for English and Spanish programs such as the Circle of Security™ Parenting Program, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Chronic Disease Self-Management, (breath) Diabetes Self-Management, National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach, and Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR). And she does all this without breaking a sweat.
A lifelong resident of Las Cruces, enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and is passionate about helping others achieve optimum well-being. Where she finds the time for all this is under investigation.
Who We Are
Salud y Vida Con Amigos uses Health literacy to help people find, understand, appraise, and act on information to protect themselves and their community from COVID-19. Salud y Vida con Amigos is funded by the Office of Minority Health/OASH/HHS and is a program of Doña Ana County.
Contact Us
Salud y Vida con Amigos
Doña Ana County Health and Human Services
845 N. Motel Blvd.
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88007
(575) 728-5591
Contact Us!
