Quinn Donnay holds expertise in the fields of training & implementation, housing & homelessness and mental health, with a central focus on youth, older young people, and adult professionals. Quinn has been working in these fields for more than a decade and has extensive knowledge of trauma-informed care and the unique challenges that young people face due to structural barriers that impact their well-being. Quinn is well-versed in coaching and building compassionate professionals who function well together in open and transparent team settings.

Charlene works with the Quality Service Review as the Fiscal Program Coordinator. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology, minoring in counseling and educational psychology, and her Master's degree in Business Administration. She has an in-depth background working in the administrative sector. Charlene supports the QSR team by monitoring and maintaining the Fiscal responsibilities.

Nicole has been working with children and families in New Mexico for over 15 years. After earning her degree in Psychology from the University of New Mexico in 2010, she began her career in case management at TeamBuilders Counseling Services and then transitioned to child welfare through NM CYFD. After 5 years in Protective Services, she continued to serve families as a New Mexico High Fidelity Wraparound Coordinator and Trainer with Behavioral Health Services for 3 years. Nicole also worked with the Family Services Division of CYFD as a Field Project Coordinator before joining the Center of Innovation in November 2024. She graduated from LSU-Shreveport campus with her master's degree in health administration in May 2025 and looks forward to utilizing that knowledge in her position.

Ida works with the Quality Service Review team as a Program Specialist, Sr., providing logistical support. She has over 20 years of experience in the domestic violence (DV) field, including 14 years working directly with DV offenders. Ida earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from New Mexico State University in 2011, along with minors in Spanish and Security Intelligence & Technology. She completed her Master of Arts in Communication Studies, with a concentration in Leadership Communication, in December 2025, also from NMSU. In addition, Ida facilitates Batterers Intervention Prevention groups and conducts assessments with Halley Counseling Services’ Family Peace Initiative in Kansas.

Sophia works with the Quality Service Review team as a Program Specialist. She has a degree in Business Administration and Marketing from New Mexico State University and a background in project management. Sophia supports the QSR team by coordinating logistics and helping maintain clear communication with team members and community partners. She’s dedicated to improving programs across New Mexico and making a positive difference for its citizens.

Trinidad is a graduate of New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Public Health and is currently working toward a Master’s Degree in Public Health. Trinidad previously interned at the Office of Health Promotion at NMSU where she had the opportunity to practice delivering health education to the NMSU community. In her spare time, Trinidad enjoys gardening and taking care of her houseplants.

Katie graduated from New Mexico State University with her Bachelor's Degree in English in 2022 and her Master's Degree in Professional and Technical Communication in 2025. Upon graduation, Katie is now getting to apply the skills she has learned in her program toward marketing projects for the COI. Having grown up in New Mexico, she has seen how needed mental health resources and support are for the community. She is very grateful that her work can contribute to the community that she was raised in and cherishes. When Katie is not busy with coursework, she spends time with her pets (a dog, cat, and fish) and does one of her many hobbies such as reading, gardening, crocheting, and baking, among many others.

Gabrielle Manchego-Sanchez is a Program Specialist for the New Mexico Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Expansion Initiative at the Center of Innovation. Originally from a small town in northwest Mississippi, Gabrielle spent much of her childhood traveling to New Mexico to visit family. Her connection to the state deepened when she accepted an athletic scholarship to swim for New Mexico State University. There, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health, followed by a Master’s in Public Health focused on Health Behavior and Health Promotion. She now lives in Albuquerque, NM, and frequently travels across the state to attend community events and visit friends.

Caitlin works with the Center of Innovation as a Contract Coach, providing coaching and support to High-Fidelity Wraparound providers across the State of New Mexico. Caitlin is currently working towards her Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Psychology at UNM, however, she began working in behavioral health in 2002. Since her start, Caitlin has had a range of experience working in direct care at residential care settings, group homes, and youth shelters. She has a passion for working with adolescents and young adults, having focused on individuals with ASD, conduct disorders, and housing instability. Most recently, Caitlin was the Program Manager of a transitional living program in Albuquerque. Caitlin became a certified High-Fidelity Wraparound facilitator in 2018 and earned her coaching endorsement in 2019.

Steve works with the Center of Innovation as a lead trainer and Master Coach, with a primary focus on supporting the growth of High-Fidelity Wraparound across the state of New Mexico. Steve holds significant experience as he has been involved with New Mexico Wraparound since its inception. He has been serving at-risk youth and their families for nearly 40 years, and he is a Licensed Clinical Counselor. Steve is the past Executive Director of New Day Youth and Family Services, All Faiths and the New Mexico Behavioral Health Collaborative. Steve’s professional focus has been on the holistic issues facing high-needs youth and their families, including both clinical and systemic issues.

Marceline (Marcy) graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a focus on Abnormal Psychology, along with a minor in Sociology. After moving to Las Cruces, Marcy began working as a Family Service Coordinator, providing in-home services to families in need all throughout Doña Ana County. Marcy joined the Center of Innovation team in 2024 as a Program Specialist and provides training coordination and program management to the New Mexico High-Fidelity Wraparound Program.

Spence joined the Center of Innovation team in 2024 as a Program Manager, overseeing all program efforts for Family Peer Support and Family Engagement. Prior to working at the COI, Spence has worked in social services for over 18 years. Their prior experience includes Youth Mental Health, classroom and special education support, High-Fidelity Wraparound, Adult Mental Health, and supported adults on the DD waiver. Spence received their Master's Degree of Public Administration with a concentration in Health and Disability Management from the University of New Mexico.

Jessica graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. She first joined the Center of Innovation in 2019 as a certified Wraparound Facilitator. Then, in 2020 Jessica continued on to become an endorsed Wraparound Coach. Jessica now serves as a High Fidelity Wraparound Coach and Trainer where she, along with the Center of Innovation Wraparound Team, work to bring High Fidelity Wraparound to youth and families across the State of New Mexico.

Maricella works at the Center of Innovation as a Youth Programs Specialist, Sr. where she oversees all training coordination efforts. Prior to her role, Maricella graduated in 2020 from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Studies with a Concentration in Birth through Pre-K, as well as a Minor in Public Health and a Minor in Counseling and Educational Psychology. Maricella is passionate about being an advocate and empowering those in the community to raise their voices.

Renee dedicates her efforts to the Center of Innovation as a High Fidelity Wraparound Coach and Trainer. In this role, Renee works along with the COI Wraparound Team to bring high fidelity wraparound to families across the state of New Mexico. Having received her undergraduate degree from University of New Mexico, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Minor in Sociology. Currently, she is pursuing her Master of Social Work degree at New Mexico State University. Renee brings with her several years of experience to the COI Wraparound Team. In the past, Renee has worked in mental and behavioral health with newcomers, youth, and families in the Albuquerque area, giving her experience and knowledge for the needs of New Mexico children and families.

Sarah graduated from New Mexico State University with a Master of Arts in Communication Studies in 2025 after earning her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies in 2023. Sarah has experience as a social media intern for the HUG Project and as a Marketing Communications Graduate Assistant for the Center of Innovation. She now continues to apply her knowledge and skillset as a part of the Marketing & Communications team.

Kate is the Director of Continuous Quality Improvement and Learning and the Quality Service Review (QSR) Program. She has over 25 years of national experience and knowledge in the processes of QSR in logistics and organization of reviews, conducting trainings and development of training materials, leading and conducting reviews, training of reviewers, analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, and developing methodologies to use QSR for measurement and practice development. Kate works with numerous state agencies and non-profit entities in New Mexico providing leadership and organizational development, coaching and mentoring, implementation of change initiatives, strategic planning, and developing qualitative measures and methods of evaluation.

Bob is a Program Manager at the Center of Innovation, working with and leading many programs including New Mexico High-Fidelity Wraparound and Child & Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS). Bob also author’s and regularly maintains website content and assists with conference preparations. He brings with him 20 years of experience with New Mexico State University and the NMSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Department, working in various departments such as the Strengthening Families Initiative (SFI) and the Family Preservation Institute (FPI), before joining the COI. Bob also serves as a designated liaison to the New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals (NMCBBHP).

After graduating with her B.A. in Music, Arwen served as a special education Peace Corps Volunteer in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan where she learned that teaching music to children with disabilities is one of her many passions. She proceeded to obtain and M.Ed in Special Education from the University of Washington in Seattle. Arwen recently moved to New Mexico and completed a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Arwen is delighted to join the COI team post graduation and has fun exploring the natural beauty of southern New Mexico in her spare time.

Jessica earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from New Mexico State University in 2013. She has over 10 years experience with the Child Welfare System. As a resource and adoptive parent, Jessica uses her professional skills and lived experience to oversee the development of the Foster Care Connect program, support the development and implementation of trainings specific to resource/foster families, and provide logistical support and training coordination across all program areas.

Claudia received a Master of Arts Degree in Communication Studies with a focus on Marketing and Advertising from New Mexico State University in May 2020. She completed two marketing internships, worked as a freelance Marketing Manager, and discovered her second passion as a communication adjunct instructor for NMSU before joining the COI in 2022. Claudia oversees all marketing, communications, and outreach efforts for the Center of Innovation. This includes all training and event promotion, social media management, newsletter authorship, website design, and community outreach. Additionally, Claudia provides mentorship and supervision to graduate students and marketing interns at the COI. Through her leadership, the COI is continuously expanding its reach and impact, connecting behavioral health providers with training, resources, and opportunities that drive meaningful change in New Mexico.

Linda works with the Quality Service Review team as a Program Manager. In her role, Linda conducts case-based reviews to providing a point-in-time qualitative evaluation and analysis of the status and wellbeing of clients and the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of an agency’s practice.

Lorretta oversees all grant fund accounts for the Center of Innovation. Her responsibilities include approving fund requests and vendor invoices and reconciling monthly accounting invoices for each grant and submitting to CYFD for payment. Lorretta holds an Associate’s Degree in Business Office Technology. Lorretta brings with her over 20 years of office and administrative experience, as well as experience managing and overseeing multiple grant budgets to her position at the COI. Lorretta continuously demonstrates dedication and strong adaptability skills that help to meet the particular needs and demands for the COI programs.

Sandra serves as a Program Manager, Sr. at the Center of Innovation. In her role, Sandra leads curriculum development for New Mexico High-Fidelity Wraparound and eLearning course development for various behavioral-health programs. Sandra brings over 20 years of hands-on experience of working with the children and families of New Mexico. After earning her degree in Social Work from New Mexico State University in 1995, Sandra began her career in child welfare. After 8 years in Protective Services, she continued to serve families as a contract trainer and home study investigator, helping to better prepare families for their roles as resource parents. Sandra has also provided mediation services for system involved families through the Children’s Court Mediation Program since 2012.

Alana is a Program Specialist at the Center of Innovation primarily working with the Family Peer Support program. Alana has been involved with the Center of Innovation since 2018 when she joined the team as a student employee. Alana continued to work with the COI after graduation and now dedicates herself to working on program implementation and training coordination. Alana graduated in 2021 from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree with a focus on Juvenile Justice.

Lynda works with the Quality Service Review team as a Senior Program Manager and is an independently licensed clinical mental health counselor with over 30 years of experience in the New Mexico Behavioral Health System. Lynda has experience in program development, quality oversight, and is certified to provide training and supervision in multiple evidenced-based practices. She has held several positions in her career including Clinical Director and Quality Assurance Director, allowing her to create an internal QSR process and clinical services that are based on QSR philosophy. Lynda has used QSR for the past 15 years as a quality benchmark, participated in CSA peer reviews, and has provided QSR training across the State.

Mary brings over 25 years of experience in bookkeeping and administration. In her role, Mary serves as the liaison to the Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences Human Resources Department, manages multiple contract budgets, and processes all fiscal-related requests. Along with this, Mary also dedicates herself to the Center of Innovation’s outreach and promotional events across the state. Mary’s experience and work ethic help her to lead the COI team to accomplish their shared goals and improve efficiency in providing high quality training and program implementation to support the behavioral health system.

Jesus co-manages the Center of Innovation Data and Operations Team and oversees training operations to support efficient, high-quality program delivery. He leads the daily development and maintenance of Smartsheet registration systems and supports its data system implementation for the Center of Innovation’s Core Programs. His work emphasizes process improvement, data integrity, and user-centered solutions. He holds a Master’s degree in Leadership Communication (2025) and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences (2019) from New Mexico State University. As a proud New Mexico native, Jesus is committed to expanding access to quality behavioral health trainings that support the well-being of children and families statewide.

Priscila oversees all training coordination, manages CEU applications, creates functional links to training registrations and events, and ensures that accessibility standards of content are met. Priscila also develops, implements, and oversees the Smartsheet data collection system that gathers, accumulates, and analyzes all program participant activity. Priscila has experience from working as an Infant Mental Health Program Coordinator and serving as the primary liaison, fiscal liaison, and training coordinator to New Mexico’s CYFD Infant Mental Health Director, California’s UCSF Child-Parent Psychotherapy Founders, and other nationwide Infant Mental Health Specialists. Priscila takes great pride in the positive impact made on the system of care for the lives of children and families in New Mexico.

Sarahi graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Minor in Women’s and Gender Studies and is currently a 2026 MSW candidate. Sarahi’s work has always been centered around collective liberation and community care. Sarahi joined the Center of Innovation in 2022 as a Program Coordinator and primarily assists with the coordination of registration and logistics for the Children’s Law Institute Conference as well as other events hosted through the COI. Additionally, Sarahi provides support for various COI trainings such as Question Persuade Refer (QPR) and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA).

Melissa is a Program Specialist, Sr. specifically for the Infant Mental Health Program through the Center of Innovation. Melissa earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in 2018 from New Mexico State University. She oversees all training coordination for the New Mexico IMH Program and is the primary liaison to the New Mexico CYFD IMH Program Director.  She provides training coordination for several Infant Mental Health trainers across the nation, which includes creating meeting invites, facilitating/moderating events, providing fiscal assistance, and tracking participation in trainings.  Melissa enjoys being a part of the Center of Innovation team where everyone is dedicated to making a difference in New Mexico’s behavioral health system.

Rebecca earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Administration of Justice and has since accumulated 17+ years of Quality Service Review experience-implementation, protocol design, scheduling, reviewing, leading, and organizing QSR within the State of New Mexico. After retiring from her successful careers as a CYFD-BHSD Community Service Manager, Investigator for Protective Services, and Juvenile Probation Officer, Rebecca now works with the Quality Service Review team as a Program Manager, Sr. where she pours her knowledge and expertise into training staff as well as organizing and coordinating QSR reviews in partnership with behavioral health agencies and the State of New Mexico.

As Director of the Center of Innovation for Behavioral Health and Wellbeing at New Mexico State University, Brooke guides a team of dedicated individuals that strives toward the COI’s mission of improving child, youth, and family wellbeing and resilience by promoting a high-quality System of Care in New Mexico that is accessible, effective, and responsive. Brooke directly supports State of New Mexico partners and administratively oversees all grants and contracts. Brooke helps lead the development and implementation of the New Mexico System of Care including Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services, Family Peer Support, Youth Peer Support, New Mexico High-Fidelity Wraparound, and Evidence Based Practices in Community Behavioral Health. Brooke has worked in the field of behavioral health, child welfare, and system renovation since 2005, applying years of knowledge to her role at the COI.

Dawn is a Program Manager, Sr. at the Center of Innovation for the New Mexico Evidence Based Practice (EBP) Expansion Initiative. In this role, Dawn works toward expanding the access to quality mental health services and support for vulnerable populations in New Mexico. Dawn graduated in 2007 with a Master of Social Work from New Mexico State University. She has 14 years of experience in providing clinical mental health treatment in rural areas with a special interest in trauma-informed care and mindfulness that she brings with her. Dawn has worked to advocate for and support individuals and families in child welfare and community behavioral health. Dawn is committed to empowering others using an authentic and holistic approach.

Stephanie works as a Program Specialist, Sr. at the Center of Innovation specializing in conference and event planning. In her role, Stephanie works specifically with planning the annual Children’s Law Institute Conference. Stephanie graduated from New Mexico State University in 2021 with her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology. She then continued on and in 2022 graduated with her Master of Public Health, and a concentration in health behavior and health promotion. Stephanie is passionate about health behavior and working with the youth of New Mexico.