Board of Directors
Lowell Overby, Chair
Lowell Overby is one of four YMCA of the USA (National Office) Senior Resource Directors. He is responsible for the delivery of management consulting services to over 250 YMCAs in eight mid-western states, through the supervision and management of 11 Resource Directors. Lowell has worked in the youth development and non-profit fields for over 25 years, and has been involved with the Forum since its inception.
Antonia Montoya,Vice Chair
Antonia Montoya is a nationally certified health educator and owner of Sendero Wellness LLC offering management training and development to businesses in Albuquerque, NM. She has many years experience working with youth in Albuquerque and surrounding native communities as a health educator. Through her business, she successfully applies many of the principles of Positive Youth Development to adult personal/professional development.
Flora Sánchez, TreasurerFlora is a consultant, presenter and trainer, facilitator, nationally certified counselor, and educator with extensive knowledge and experience in the Developmental Assets model advanced by Search Institute. Other expertise lies in the areas of: Community mobilization, Youth development, Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth Initiatives, Conflict resolution and mediation, and Cultural diversity.
Maria Sánchez, Member
Maria has been involved with the Forum since the Forum began. First as an intern, then as a Youth Alliance member for two years, Maria was instrumental in setting the tone for youth engagement and youth involvement through the Forum. After her service as an alliance member, Maria joined the Board of Directors as a youth member in 2007. Since then, she has provided invaluable leadership to the Board and the organization.
Arika is currently the project specialist for the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, United Way of Central New Mexico, a capacity building organization for nonprofits. Prior to joining the Center she was a graduate fellow at the Justice Action Center in New York where she developed and expanded student volunteer programs, conducted a study on subprime lending in New York City, and coordinated the law school's first annual immigrant naturalization clinic. Arika was an intern with The Legal Aid Society's immigration unit in New York and the nonprofit coordinator at Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii in Honolulu. She is a member of the New Mexico Bar and volunteers at the Homeless Legal Clinic in Albuquerque.
Rachel Weber, Member
Rachel Weber is a Career Development Specialist for the Workforce Investment Act. As a youth provider, she works with and mentors youth, offering opportunities to learn life skills, set and obtain educational and life goals, and to prepare for a successful transition into the workforce. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from ENMU in University Studies with an emphasis on Psychology and Sociology. Rachel teaches Community Education classes and facilitates professional development workshops at ENMU-Ruidoso Community College. A New Mexico native, she has two sons and lives in Ruidoso with her husband Keith.
Brittany Espinoza, Member
Brittany Espinoza is a case manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico, where she implements Positive Youth Development principles to encourage beneficial mentoring relationships, specifically with youth 12 to 18. Brittany received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with a minor in Social Welfare from the University of New Mexico. Brittany has many years of professional and volunteer experience working with youth from many different backgrounds and cultures on capacity building and is excited to be working with New Mexico Forum for Youth in Community.