ABOUT
Our Mission
To prevent adverse childhood experiences, family trauma, and social adversity.
Our Vision
To ensure all county residents have access to the ten vital services for surviving and thriving services shown to create safe childhoods, resilient families, successful students and job-ready adults who can participate in New Mexico’s workforce and economy.
SPRING 2017
2018
Resilience Leaders Established
In the spring of 2017, Resilience leaders was established after a series of facilitated public events called "Great Conversations"
DACRL LAUNCHED
Doña Ana County Resilience Leaders is LAUNCHED!
BOOK CLUB
Started book club event with community members
LEADERSHIP
Kasandra A. Gandara
Doña Ana Resilience Leaders Founder
Kasandra was born in Silver City, NM where she began her social work career after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from New Mexico State University in 1989. She has spent the last 30 years living and working in the Las Cruces community with both the State of New Mexico’s Department of Health and its Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD). During her service with CYFD, Kasandra returned to NMSU for her graduate degree in Social Work that she received in 2013. Kasandra is now retired from the State of New Mexico. In her 27 plus years serving the State of New Mexico, she has served in many social work roles including case worker, medical case manager, social work supervisor and manager, community leader, program specialist, and agency administrator. Kasandra was elected as councilor for City Council District 1 in November 2015. In the last year, she has organized several district meetings to educate and inform her constituents about the City’s activities as it relates to family health, safety and resilience. In 2018 she launched the Doña Ana County Resilience Leaders program to mobilize agency leadership and stakeholders around the promotion of child safety, family health and improving the county’s capacity to ensure ten vital services.
Sylvia Soto-Chavez
Communication Coordinator
Sylvia was born and raised in the Mesilla Valley. She has lived in the village of Doña Ana for over 30 years and her indigenous ancestors have been in the Mesilla Valley for hundreds of years. After high school Sylvia and her husband Israel Chávez of 32 years began raising 3 children, running a small trucking business, all while she also worked as an Educational Assistant. She eventually graduated from NMSU with a Bachelor’s in Bilingual Elementary Education and a master’s in educational administration. She was an educator for 14 years, connecting with bilingual families in the classroom and helping support the needs of the whole family. Her professional experience also includes leading the first Community School initiative in Las Cruces, supporting student success, and responding to the unique needs of the community. Today, she is an Early Childhood Instructional Coach coaching preschool teachers across the state and serves as the Communication Coordinator for the Dona Ana Resilience Leaders (DACRL). She is also a founding member of the Dona Ana Village Association (DAVA), chair commissioner for the Mesilla Valley Public Housing Authority and uses the rest of her free time to uplift her community’s voice. She is an active and passionate voice for vulnerable families throughout Doña Ana County.