Our Board

Patricia Trujillo, Ph.D. is the deputy cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department. She is a state leader and advocate focused on expanding access and affordability, advancing social justice, and supporting historically underserved communities in higher education. Dr. Trujillo was on the leadership team that secured tuition-free college and the Higher Education Trust Fund for New Mexico – the most comprehensive college promise program in the United States. Once tuition-free college became law, her work focused on the everyday realities students face beyond tuition—food, housing, mental and behavioral health, transportation, and family responsibilities. She has helped direct over $5 million toward basic needs supports statewide and built shared infrastructure, including a basic needs survey across 27 institutions and the co-founding of the New Mexico Basic Needs Consortium. A native of the Española Valley, she is a tenured professor, was the founding director of the Office of Equity and Diversity at Northern New Mexico College, and a published scholar. She sits on the boards of Tewa Women United, NewMexicoWomen.org, and is a board member emerita of the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area.

Jacqueline was born and raised in Albuquerque. She attended Mills College, Oakland, CA and graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, with a degree in English Literature and Comparative Literature. She worked in Washington, D.C. from 1971 to 1975, where she worked as a press secretary for Sen. Clinton P. Anderson (D-NM) followed by her work as Press Secretary for the Senate Interior Committee. She moved to Denver, where she established a magazine publishing company. For 25 years, she served as Chairman of the Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute.

Kate is an attorney practicing in the areas of civil and business litigation, civil rights, catastrophic injury / wrongful death, constitutional law (election and first amendment), class actions and professional license defense. Her practice takes her throughout the state of New Mexico and all over the United States. She is motivated by the belief that the law is powerful tool for change, whether it be exposing misconduct and corruption or enforcing a client’s rights. Prior to founding Egolf + Ferlic + Harwood, Kate served as special counsel to Governor Bill Richardson during his administration. She also has worked as a lawyer for the New Mexico Legislature and as General Counsel of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, the New Mexico Film Office and Spaceport America. She brings her prior experience as a facilitator, policy advocate and journalist to her practice.

After retiring from consulting work with corporations and nonprofits, Elaine has dedicated over 25 years to volunteering on issues of social and economic justice in New Mexico. A founding member of WeArePeopleHere – established in 2011 and later evolving into the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity (AFLEP) – Elaine served as board chair for five years, until June 2023. She welcomes the opportunity with NMW.O to continue working for social and economic justice in our state. Hiking, reading fiction and staying connected with family and friends are among her favorite pastimes.

Felice is an original founder of NewMexicoWomen.Org. She worked for over 30+ years with international and national NGOs in the field of women’s reproductive health and social justice, and she continues this emphasis in her home state of New Mexico. Having worked as a lawyer, in real estate, and in other entrepreneurial endeavors, Felice now continues to enjoy her world travels, hiking, dancing, writing, and spending time with loved ones.

Aspen was born and raised in northern New Mexico and carries a deep connection to the area. Growing up with a single mom shaped their commitment to gender justice. A lifelong learner, they hold an AA in Liberal Arts and a BA in Feminist Studies and Anthropology. Aspen has previously worked in education and art access, youth empowerment, and environmental justice in their community. In their current role, they draw on prior experiences to advocate for New Mexico’s rural libraries. Aspen’s free time is spent crafting, reading, or connecting with family.

Karen is Navajo/Diné and is Kinyaa’áanii, born for Naasht’ézhi Dine’é. Her maternal grandparents are Áshįįhí, and her paternal grandparents are Tł’ááshchí’í. She currently works in philanthropy and with nonprofit organizations across northern New Mexico to address social drivers of health. She holds a Master of Public Health (MPH), and she firmly believes in the power of collaboration to nurture strong, healthy communities.

Throughout her career, she has built partnerships to improve health and wellness through community engagement, strategic planning, leadership development, and Diné cultural programs and workshops. Karen and her husband live in an intergenerational home with their teenage daughter and nonagenarian mother, where they enjoy quality time with their older children and pets, as well as their youngest daughter’s sports activities and travel.

Claire is a native New Mexican. She has a keen passion for justice and fairness in education and has dedicated her educational career to working with students, their families, and teachers. On the national level, Claire trained classroom teachers to assure that diverse students find success in school. Claire loves to sing, hike, garden, travel, and read. She joined the board of NMW.org because she values the positive impact this fund has on the lives of women and children across New Mexico. Claire brings her experience in education to support the organization’s mission.