Natasha Garcia - BA, CPSW
FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
In the face of numerous challenges, including a long-term recovery from substance use disorder and years spent in and out of the justice system, our Executive Director has emerged as a beacon of resilience and transformation. The past 8 years have been a transformative period, with the introduction of Suboxone playing a pivotal role in saving her life. ACHR was instrumental in her rehabilitation, particularly in job development.
Today, as the Executive Director of the New Mexico Reentry Center, she is driven by a passion to create a program that empowers and inspires individuals in their recovery journey, providing them with essential skills and opportunities. Advocating for peer support, driving change, and combating the stigma surrounding substance use and mental health issues are central to her mission.
Beyond her professional role, she cherishes her identity as a parent of two beautiful girls, draws inspiration from the works of her favorite author, Brene Brown, and has a deep love for RED Chile. Her story is one of resilience, growth, and a commitment to living authentically. With every step, she continues to inspire those around her, illuminating a path of hope, healing, and the enduring power of the human spirit.
Fred Hernandez -BA, CCHW
Housing Director
A proud native of New Mexico and UNM Communications alum, Fred brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership spanning over a decade. With a background that includes serving in the Peace Corps for two impactful years and an additional two years with AmeriCorps, Fred currently serves as the housing director for the NM Re-entry Center and sits on the Board of Directors with the New Mexico Department of Health.
Fred's commitment to community involvement extends over 15 years, encompassing various facets such as operations, event organization, fundraising, and collaborative initiatives across the state. With over 20 years of experience in interpersonal, social, and organizational networking,
Passionate in fostering connections, inspiring collaborations, and empowering others within this vibrant community. Proudly immersed in this space, he has cultivated valuable bonds, friendships, and meaningful experiences that continue to enrich the nonprofit sector in New Mexico.
Mariana Herrera- CHW
Comprehensive Community Support Service Coordinator / Housing Navigator
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Mariana Herrera’s life journey has been one of resilience and transformation. After eighteen years of personal struggle with addiction and mental illness, coupled with periods of incarceration and multiple interactions with Federal and State Probation officers and Rehabilitation Centers, Mariana made a life-altering decision to surrender her wants and seek a new path.
Slowly but surely, she began to see the light piercing through the dark clouds that had once dominated her life. She found purpose as a woman, a mother, a wife, and most importantly, as a contributing member of society. Her experiences have instilled in her a deep empathy for others whose lives mirror her own, fueling her passion for helping others on their journey to recovery.
In her pursuit of this passion, Mariana has earned her Community Health Worker Certification and now finds herself in the role of a Comprehensive Community Service Specialist at the New Mexico Reentry Center. She is eager to embark on this new professional journey, where she has been given an opportunity to thrive and excel.
Mariana’s life has undergone a significant transformation, and she firmly believes that others can experience the same. Her story is a testament to the power of resilience and the possibility of change. As she often says, “My life has changed, and so can yours.”
Eileen SandOVAL - CHW, cpsw
Intensive Case Manager
Eileen Sandoval, born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Barelas community, developed a successful career with major companies like General Mills, Coca-Cola, and Eclipse Aviation. Known for her wide-ranging skills and deep community connections, she is often referred to as a "jack of all trades." Her strong ties to the community are rooted in her large family and her dedication to the place where she grew up.
At 47, Eileen’s life changed dramatically when she faced a five-year incarceration. Following her release, she reintegrated into the community with a renewed sense of purpose, driven by a passion to help others facing similar challenges. Now, as a valuable member of the NM Reentry Team, Eileen brings a wealth of experience, resilience, and a deep commitment to supporting justice-involved individuals. Her contributions make her an indispensable asset to the team.
Stephen Torres - CCSs
Enterprise Navigator
Stephen Torres, aka Major, was born in the South Bronx of New York City and raised in Miami, Florida. At 17, after surviving the foster care system in Florida, he entered the U.S. Army, becoming both a combat veteran and a professional dog trainer. With degrees in computer science and canine behavior modification, Major faced challenges transitioning to civilian life after his discharge, which eventually led to his imprisonment. During his time in the Department of Corrections, he made the decision to turn his life around, embrace his faith, and dedicate himself to helping others.
After attending seminary and earning a degree in theology and biblical studies, Major focused on supporting individuals struggling with addiction, mental illness, and homelessness. He also channeled his creative energy into art through MajoInk, expressing the struggles of various cultures, particularly veterans and those with street lifestyles. Now, Major is poised to apply his leadership, creativity, and passion for supporting the formerly incarcerated as an Enterprise Navigator and Comprehensive Community Services Specialist at the New Mexico Reentry Center, helping others rise from adversity and reclaim their lives.
Angel Torivio - CCSs
Intensive Case Manager
Angel Torivio was born and raised in Albuquerque’s South Valley. At the age of 19, she became a mother and wife, but after tragically losing her husband on New Year's Day in 2004, she was left to raise three daughters on her own. This loss led to a challenging decade in her life, marked by addiction and incarceration. However, after completing rehab at NM Women's Recovery, Angel found a renewed sense of purpose and decided she wanted to help other women and mothers navigate the path to recovery.
Since then, Angel has dedicated herself to supporting individuals struggling with homelessness, addiction, and reintegration into society. She has worked in homeless shelters, assisting both men and women, and uses her resources to help them secure jobs, housing, and other essential services. Angel’s passion lies in empowering others to rebuild their lives and maintain their sobriety.
About New Mexico Reentry Center
Board President
A lifelong Albuquerque resident. Joseph is the current Director of Non-Profit Operations for a local Non-Profit based here in Albuquerque called Fathers Building Futures (FBF). FBF’s mission is to help parents experiencing the barriers of incarceration receive the best opportunities for stability emotionally, socially, and financially. They provide their clients with Peer lead vocational opportunities in the woodshop and soon will include welding. On the program side of FBF they offer parenting classes, financial education peer support, life skills training, and much more. Mr. Shaw started with FBF as a client when he was released from incarceration in Dec. 2012 and stayed with the organization to better himself to keep him from going back to the old lifestyle he used to live including drugs, violence, and repeatedly going in and out of Jail. Mr. Shaw also the former Executive Director of FBF has obtained multiple certifications to better himself and pass on to the clients in their program including a Class A&B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). An OSHA 10 and OSHA 30, 40 hours of NCCER Basic Construction Safety training he was a certified CPR First Aid & AED Instructor and is also has a certification to Train the Trainer in Passenger Securement. Over the past 8 yrs, Mr. Shaw has had the opportunity and privilege to work side by side with over 400+ fathers returning home from prison. Currently, Joseph sits as a Board Advisor for VIANTE NM and also has a seat on the Albuquerque Community Foundations Community Impact Committee.
Board Vice-President
Dedicated licensed realtor with 18+ years of Residential and Commercial real estate experience. Passionate and dynamic, committed to helping clients achieve their real estate goals. Patience, perspective, integrity, a sense of humor and the ability to analyze data with context are the most important qualities of a good broker.
Residential real estate transactions can be stressful for many reasons and one of a broker’s most important roles is to listen to what people need and keep things calm. Silesha has been a top producer of her Companies since she started in 2005, first in New Construction and entering into Resale in 2006, she has been in the top 5% in sales & currently earned her way into the Luxury Team & NM Select, New Mexico’s top agents. All of this is a result of her passion and empathy for the clients she serves.
Board Member
I am Michelle Williams, a certified nurse midwife and women's health nurse practitioner and I currently work for Bosque Women’s Care. I moved to Albuquerque in early 2020 but now I’m rooted down. My husband and I recently purchased a home in the historic Barelas neighborhood, where we live with my two stepkids and a dog. I have always been passionate about advocating for people in need, which is why I was drawn to the NMRC. I believe every individual has the chance to succeed when they have support and equal access to resources and education. I am all about empowering people!
Board Member
Briony has a background in program management and development, and she has worked in both the nonprofit and public sectors. She grew up in the UK and moved to New Mexico for graduate school, and she has an MA in Linguistics and an MS in Law. Briony has worked in contracts management at UNM and most recently at Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless, where she oversees day-to-day HR operations.
Briony has also worked as an education consultant in Nambé Pueblo, and she was a member of the election campaign team for NM State Senator Brenda McKenna. She was a volunteer program developer at Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, and a crisis worker at Agora Crisis Center. Briony is thrilled to be a board member for the New Mexico Re-Entry Center and to have the opportunity serve the community she has come to call home. She loves to travel around the country with her spouse and daughter.
Board Member
Angel Garcia is the Social Services Manager for the City of Albuquerque’s Violence Intervention Program. It is a public health approach to reducing gun violence in our communities by providing resources to victim/offenders and their families. Angel understands the pain and suffering that people are dealing with and wants to help in any way he can. After 20 + years as an active gang member in the streets of Los Angeles and 12 years of incarceration, Angel has now dedicated his life to saving lives by intervening in the vicious cycles of violence that some in our community are stuck in. He is using his negative past to foster positive futures.
Danny Diederich
Danny Diederich serves as the Executive Director of Icarus Behavioral, where he finds deep fulfillment in his work within the realm of recovery. With a decade of sobriety under his belt, Danny's journey in the treatment field began at the onset of his own recovery journey. Having endured 16 years in prison, he intimately understands the struggles of reentry and the daunting challenge of rebuilding one's life from scratch. Danny's passion lies in providing unwavering support to individuals emerging from incarceration, offering them hope and guidance as they embark on their journey to reclaim their lives.
