New Mexico Child Advocacy Networks (NMCAN) is a visionary champion for New Mexico’s vulnerable children.  Originally incorporated in 1990 as the New Mexico CASA Network, the organization for many years was committed solely to the development, growth, training and quality assurance of local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) programs.  CASA programs train community volunteers to speak up in court for the best interests of children that have been abused or neglected. 

In 2005, we were approached to become the contractual stewards of the New Mexico Child Abuse and Neglect Citizens Review Board project (CRB), a volunteer-driven case review program that makes recommendations to improve the child welfare system statewide.  In taking on the CRB, our organization also took advantage of the opportunity to broaden our mission and change our name to NMCAN. 

In 2006 NMCAN created the New Mexico Access and Visitation Network to provide training and technical support for community based organizations that provide safe exchanges and supervised visitation for children in abuse/neglect or divorce/custody cases.  Our growth has continued, and in 2010 NMCAN began developing programming to to meet the needs of young people approaching age 18 that will be transitioning from the foster care system into the community at large.

Brian O'Connell	Executive Director	brian.oconnell@nmcan.org
Ezra Spitzer	Director of Programs	ezra.spitzer@nmcan.org
Patricia Briggs	NM CRB Project Director	pbriggs@nmcrb.org
Farra Fong	Building Futures and Foundations Project Director	farra.fong@nmcan.org
Ellen Genne	NM CASA Network Project Director	nmcasa@nmcan.org
Bonnie Schermerhorn	NM AVN Project Director	bosch@cybermesa.com

Michelle Ostrye	President
Antoinette Pacheco	Vice President
Joe Chambers	Treasurer
Sandy Garcia	Secretary
Carrie-Leigh Cloutier	CASA Rep
Jack Carpenter	CRB Rep
Anita Braun	A/V Rep
Leona Chavez	Building Futures Rep
Peggy Neff	Community Rep
Zella Kay Cox	Community Rep
Paul Guerin	Community Rep
Angela Adams	Community Rep

Support NMCAN's work for vulnerable children by making a donation today.

• New Mexico CASA Network

• NM Child Abuse & Neglect
  Citizen Review Board

• NM Access & Visitation Network

• Building Futures & Foundations