Melissa M. Alexander (She, her, hers) - Equality New Mexico Board Chair retired after three careers and relocated to New Mexico. She and her wife/partner, Paula fell in love with the Land of Enchantment when they vacationed here years ago. Melissa practiced law for twenty-one years in various jurisdictions with a primary focus on employment and labor law as well as litigation. Following her practice, she started a small business where she worked as a professional meeting planner. Melissa also taught college courses as an instructor for various institutions for seventeen years. She taught courses in employment and business law, paralegal studies, communications, professionalism, political science and ethics. Melissa also wrote college courses for several organizations as a curriculum developer. Melissa devoted much of her life to community service serving on numerous charitable organization boards, a ten-year volunteer league official for youth softball and baseball leagues and as a volunteer cook at food shelters and community programs. She also served nine years on the Board of Directors of TransOhio, an organization which advocated for the transgender and gender-nonconforming community throughout the state of Ohio. Melissa planned and coordinated ten TransOhio Symposiums, a three-day conference for the community, allies and service providers. Melissa enjoys travel, cooking and baking along with her favorite hobby, ceramics.
Abraham Sanchez (He/him) Equality New Mexico Foundation Board Member
Abraham Sanchez was born and raised in Las Cruces, NM and grew up in a close family. He is the youngest of three and has an identical twin brother. He attended Las Cruces Public Schools and New Mexico State University and has a deep commitment to education, democracy, and community. He believes in collective decision-making and shared power and has worked in many roles to advance worker rights, immigrant rights, and voting rights in New Mexico. He has worked on election administration and as a community organizer. He has also served on multiple non-profit boards and has worked on HIV prevention and faith-based support for asylum seekers. He works in his day job to create effective communications promoting accurate information in support of progressive public policy. In his spare time Abraham enjoys playing competitive billiards, picking guitar, writing, and cats.
Paul Oostenbrug (He/Him) is a retirement specialist who helps people develop strategies for their use of Medicare and long term care services. He has master’s degrees in Regional Planning and Health Care Administration from long ago and far away. He was a government proposal and grant writer for 20 years. He is the SAGE Albuquerque representative on the EQNMF board. Paul previously served on the EQNMF board. He has long volunteered with the Federation Gay Games (he’s an honorary life member and Founders Award winner), as well as AIDS/HIV service organizations in Chicago, Boston, and Washington, DC.. He enjoys running, cycling, and swimming and is definitely not a triathlete.
Kat Sanchez (She/Her) - Equality New Mexico Foundation Board Chair
Pamm Meyers (she/her) Equality New Mexico Foundation Board Member
Pamm meyers, storyteller, dynamic leader and advocate dedicated to fostering prosperity
within the LGBTQIA community through business innovation and social advocacy. With a
multifaceted background, Pamm has become a trailblazer in various fields, leaving an indelible
mark on New Mexico’s LGBTQIA and business communities. As CEO of Go Social, Pamm Meyers Social Media. https://www.pammmeyerssocialmedia.com/ Pamm is at the forefront of digital marketing and podcasting solutions for business owners and organizations. Her visionary approach has empowered countless ventures to harness the potential of social media, unlocking new avenues for growth and engagement and is a driving force behind her client’s success, leveraging the power of connectivity to elevate their brand through digital marketing and podcasting. Pamm is the managing partner of Two Flower Productions, https://www.twoflowerproductions.com/, a podcasting company that produces “Lip Service, the podcast of Our Coming Out stories”, https://lipservice.media, (4800+ subscribers in 39 countries), 3Q, New Mexico’s Business Podcast, https://3qnm.com (4439+ subscribers in New Mexico). Previously the Executive Director of the New Mexico Out Business Alliance, currently, Board Advisor for the Way Out West Film Fest, https://wayoutwestilmfest.com/, Board Advisor for the Albuquerque Community Foundation Pride Circle, https://abqcf.org/pride-circle/ supporting the LGBTQIA community through philanthropy.
Justin Garoutte (they/he), Equality New Mexico Foundation Board Member
Justin is a gay, genderqueer, Latine public health leader from Antonito, Colorado. With over eight years of experience in public health, they are passionate about promoting health equity and social justice with marginalized communities across New Mexico. In 2019, they received their Master of Public Health with distinction from the University of New Mexico College of Population Health with a focus on sexual and gender minority health. Justin has served as Policy Chair to the LGBTQ Health Caucus of the American Public Health Association and Policy Committee Co-Chair of the New Mexico Public Health Association. In 2021, they were named 40 Under 40 in Public Health by the de Beaumont Foundation. Currently, they are pursuing their Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree in health equity and social justice from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Justin aspires to continue breaking down barriers for health and building power through community organizing and policy advocacy. They reside in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with their husband and cats Mochi and Zucca. When they are not breaking down barriers for health, you can find them on the local trails, camping, and kayaking the Río Grande.
Katalina Hadfield (she/her) Equality New Mexico Board Member
Katalina Hadfield (she/her) was born and raised in the Las Cruces area, and is thrilled to be at home serving the community that she loves so dearly. Katalina is an attorney at New Mexico Legal Aid in Las Cruces, where she performs housing, public benefits, and other legal services for lower-income New Mexicans.
Katalina earned her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Psychology from Duke University in North Carolina, followed by stints as a social work researcher in Seattle, and as a writer and project manager for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C. Katalina then earned her J.D. from Berkeley Law in California, where she specialized in Environmental Law and Public Interest & Social Justice Law.
Katalina is deeply devoted to serving her fellow LGBTQIA community. At the Human Rights Campaign, she was the lead researcher on anti-transgender violence, and led the Trans and Gender-Expansive Employee Resource Group. In law school, she served as co-chair of Queer Caucus, and led initiatives to improve the lives of transgender and gender non-conforming students, faculty, and staff. As an undergraduate, she served on the Presidential Task Force on Hate and Bias Issues. She's also a seasoned drag queen, and may be coming to a drag show near you!
In her spare time, Katalina enjoys stargazing, crafting, watching movies, making music, watering her plants, and spending time with her kitties, Algernon and Onion.
Daniel Williams (he/him) Equality New Mexico Board Member
Daniel Williams currently serves as the Policing Policy Advocate at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico. He previously served the ACLU-NM as the communications organizer working toward the freedom to marry in 2013. A lifelong New Mexican, Daniel grew up in Raton and Albuquerque. Prior to returning to New Mexico, Daniel spent six years serving as a minister to a progressive, social justice-oriented Presbyterian congregation in Austin, TX.
Daniel’s experience as an organizer and advocate began in his teenage years and has covered issues including LGBTQIA+ liberation, economic justice, reproductive freedom, immigrant justice, and more. He is a former board member of More Light Presbyterians and a past contributing writer for The Resistance Prays. Daniel spends his free time at the yarn store, the gym, or listening to yet another audiobook when not working to create a future characterized by justice, liberation, and solidarity.