Our Board
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Carla S Romero, Chair
Carla S Romero has lived in Las Vegas since 1969. She grew up on a ranch homesteaded on the Harding/Mora County line, 18 miles east of Wagon Mound. After retiring as the Director of the Business and Professional Studies department at Luna Community College in 2003, she taught Developmental Mathematics at NMHU for 10 years and business classes for 6 years.
Working with the youth of the community is her passion. She has helped coordinate AAUW ‘Girls Can’ events for seven years, an organization that provides free technology to after school programs through Project GUTS (Growing Up Thinking Scientifically) for middle school students. She has taught religious classes at IC Parish for over 30 years. Presently she is on the Board for the Luna Community Foundation, Chair of the LVNMCF, and member of AAUW.
She and her husband Peter are the proud parents of four children: Kimberly, David, Kelly, Kristen and seven grandchildren. She loves traveling to visit her grandchildren as well as sewing with the Tea Time Quilters and crocheting with the Norteño Knitters and Crochet Club.
Elaine Luna, Vice-Chair
As a social worker, a community partner and collaborator, Elaine serves as the director of the Montañas del Norte Area Health Education Center at Luna Community College. She participates in many statewide partnerships to support the increase of health care professionals/providers in rural New Mexico.
Elizabeth Ratzlaff, Treasurer
Elizabeth Ratzlaff moved to Las Vegas in 1999 with her husband, Tracy, and three sons, Adam, Ben and Jacob. With a master’s degree in food science and human nutrition, she has worked with the San Miguel County Maternal & Child Health Council, the San Miguel Family & Community Health Council, the West Las Vegas School-based Health Clinic and for many years at New Mexico Highlands University to help establish, coordinate and write grants for the ARMAS (Achieving in Research, Mathematics And Science) Center.
Currently Elizabeth divides her work time between working as a Reading Specialist with the Reading Quest program and working with her husband at his procedural pain clinic. She is a member of the leadership team for the San Miguel County Early Childhood Coalition, a member of the Literacy Council of Northeastern New Mexico, and coordinates the San Miguel Chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. She has been a board member with the Las Vegas NM Community Foundation since 2017.
Elizabeth and Tracy live just north of Las Vegas on the beautiful llano and have horses, goats, sheep, chickens, dogs and cats that keep them busy.
Board of Directors
Richard Lindeborg
Richard Lindeborg served as co-chair of the Advisory and Development Committee of the Las Vegas New Mexico Community Foundation prior to joining the Foundation’s Board and Executive Board in 2020. He was raised in Las Vegas, New Mexico. After graduation from Highlands University and service in the US Army, he spent his career teaching, writing, and editing for four universities and three federal departments before returning to Las Vegas in 2005. He is President of the Las Vegas Arts Council and is active in the First United Presbyterian Church of Las Vegas. Richard and his wife Susan, a retired restaurant chef, live in the Las Vegas home his family built in 1950.
Lorraine Martinez
A life-long resident of Las Vegas, NM, Lorraine has been an educator for the past 45 years in the secondary and post-secondary setting. She retired from the LVCS as an Administrator and implemented the Immersion Program at Los Ninos School. Currently, Lorraine serves as full term faculty at the School of Education at NMHU.Lorraine serves on the NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Board, Area Health Education Corporation and the LVNM Community Foundation Boards in many educational capacities.
Rose Contreras-Taylor
As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras and Deputy Executive Officer of the US Agency of International Development in Senegal, Rose has long been involved in community projects. She retired after 11 years of service as Director of Standards & Compliance for the NM Behavioral Health Institute.
Keith Tucker
Keith Tucker first joined the community full-time in 1982. He originally grew up in Las Cruces and outside Wagon Mound
He currently works for New Mexico Highlands University in accreditation and teaches business classes. Previously Keith was in banking for 30 years. Everything from the receptionist to the president. He has volunteered for and belongs to numerous community groups and associations including NERH and Alta Vista hospitals, various local financial advising committees, various NMHU committees and councils, the Santa Fe Trail and the NM Cattle Growers associations. He is most passionate about clean air, water, and ground initiatives. .
When he is not working or volunteering, his wife and kids can find him somewhere on their family ranch lost in work or thought.
Paul Stagner
Paul Stagner is a retired dentist and business owner. He first moved to Las Vegas in 1992, left in 2002 and moved back in 2014.
Paul was a founder of the Old Town Commercial Club (later became Las Vegas First Independent Business Association). He has served on the board of the Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation, the Northeastern Regional Hospital Corporate Board and the City of Las Vegas Lodger’s Tax Board where he served as Chairman.
Since returning to Las Vegas in 2014, he helped organize the San Miguel-Mora NMSU Extension Master Gardeners where he served as treasurer, as well as the Amor de la Tierra Garden Club. Paul has been a member of the City of Las Vegas Tree Advisory Board since 2015. He was a founding member of the Gallinas Riverwalk Park Coalition and served on the executive committee. He is also serving on the Board of Directors of the Charles and Adele Ilfeld Foundation. Paul currently volunteers with the CCHP to staff the visitor center on Bridge Street one day a week.
Paul’s primary interests as a Community Foundation Board member are economic development, healthcare and environmental issues.
Diane Moore
Diane Moore is a lifelong resident of Las Vegas and has worked in many areas; owned a business, worked for several years for a non-profit organization helping underprivileged towards career and educational goals. The last 10 years in the Hospitality Industry as Event Coordinator. Most recently retired to take care of her elderly parents, the most challenging and yet most rewarding job she has had.
Being a public servant has been a passion for Diane. She has served on numerous boards/committees for Las Vegas and San Miguel County. She was elected as City of Las Vegas Councilor for 2-terms. The current 2 boards she serves on are San Miguel County Lodgers Tax Advisory Board and the Rio Grande Alcoholism Treatment Program Inc. serving 4 counties.
Her and her partner David enjoy traveling, visiting and spending time with their grown children and their families. They have 2 dogs and love to camp.
“I love my hometown of Las Vegas; it really molded me who I became and who I am today!”
Toby Dolan
Toby Dolan has lived in this area since 1987, locating here for the serenity and the once beautiful view from his home of Hermit’s Peak. But now, the fire has devoured his house, his mother’s house, and his grandmother’s house too. Having retired from a career with the NM State Police, he now works as a ranch manager in San Miguel County. He and his family love the Las Vegas area and the people that live here. Toby currently manages a ranch west of Las Vegas. Previously, he was a captain with the New Mexico State Police as the district commander for Las Vegas and Raton.
The Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire greatly affected Toby’s family, he has been serving on the grant review committee for the LVNMCF. He hopes to see our beautiful area and great people recover as well as possible from the disaster. He has been married to his wife Audry for 37 years, they have 2 sons with one living locally and the other in Texas. They have one grandson who they consider their pride and joy. His mother and grandmother also live in this area. Toby loves spending time with their sons and extended family.
Elmo Baca, Chair Emeritus
Elmo is the owner of the Indigo Theater on historic Bridge Street in Las Vegas. He has been involved in community revitalization projects for forty years.
STAFF
Dr. Catherine Czacki, Executive Director
Dr. Catherine Czacki (She/Her/Hers – They/Them) has worked as a k-12 educator, tenure-track college professor, union organizer, archivist, and office manager. Czacki has also been a facilitator for an anti-oppression collective, a research group on de/anti/post-colonialism(s), served as an English language tutor for Spanish speaking custodial staff and other workers at UC San Diego, worked on meal program initiatives for the unhoused in El Paso, Texas, served as a mediator for a chronic illness and (dis)ability collective, and has received numerous residencies and research grants for her art, academic scholarship, and community work. Czacki is an artist, writer and musician working across mediums including painting, ceramics, found objects and metal work – happily based in Las Vegas, with a project of renovating buildings for working and living with friends and collaborators. Czacki is of Polish/Tatar and American descent, with a personal and professional investment in supporting indigenous, diaspora, immigrant and LGTBQIA+ communities, promoting multi-cultural/ethnic and diverse collaboration across various community building initiatives. Czacki’s aim as the first Executive Director is to expand the LVNMCF’s grant making, development, and community visibility. Czacki currently also teaches a graduate research seminar at New Mexico Highlands University in the Media Arts Department. Czacki dedicates personal time to art, music, writing poetry, gardening, studying herbalism/regional food growing, and spending time with Big Buddy the rescue dog.
Erika Larsen, Administrative Assistant
Erika Larsen (she/her) moved into Las Vegas from San Ignacio after losing her home and farm in the Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Fire. She also works as an herbalist and caterer and loves plants and water.
ADVISORS
VINCE HOWELL
SARA JO MATHEWS
SAM MINNER
LEVEO SANCHEZ
VICTORIA SANCHEZ