Short Biography: Kristin Carmichael a licensed Independent Social Worker in New Mexico, holds Master’s degrees in social work, and business administration.  She is Domestic Violence Specialist at CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. In this role, Carmichael consults, trains, and collects data to develop the Southwest’s first medical-advocacy program dedicated to the safety of abuse survivors.

The former manager at Esperanza Shelter for Battered Families, she’s an expert in the dynamics of unhealthy relationships advocating for and counseling more than a thousand domestic violence survivors.

She has, since 2001 trained teens, law enforcement, judicial system officials, healthcare and business professionals, on issues related to domestic violence.  She has presented seminars to behavioral health professionals at conferences, shared her original research and theory at statewide and national conferences, and has given multiple interviews for both newspapers and radio.

Kristin is on the cutting edge of theory and effective practice and has attended more than 50 trainings supporting her goal of helping women find and maintain healthy relationships.

She is also the co-facilitator of Santa Fe’s Medical Action Team of the Coordinated Community Response Council, a member of New Mexico’s Domestic Violence Homicide Review Team, a co-founder of Santa Fe’s Safety First Team, a steering committee member for Santa Fe’s Coordinated Community Response Council, and a member of New Mexico’s Network to End Domestic Violence.

Perry is the Community Education and Outreach Director for COPE (Center for Protective Environment) in Alamogordo, NM.  At COPE he provides consultation, community outreach, education, training, and technical assistance related to domestic violence and other forms of relationship violence. He also administers and conducts orientations, workshops, and training seminars to civic groups, schools, business, law enforcement, medical personnel, and United States government.  Perry holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Psychology from Park College and a Master of Science Degree in Counseling and Psychology from Troy State University. Prior to his current position he served as an Equal Opportunity and Treatment/Human Relations Education Instructor for the US Air Force before retiring in 1992 after 20 years of service.

Kay completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Family Studies as a single parent of three young children and a survivor of domestic violence.  She has over twenty five years of work experience meeting the needs of family systems.  She is currently the Legal Advocate for Valencia Shelter Services in Los Lunas, NM, and has been employed with them for seven years. She trains local agencies, including law enforcement, on the impact of domestic abuse, orders of protection, victim’s rights, and on responding appropriately to victims of domestic abuse. She started the local Coordinated Community Response Team for Valencia County and is actively involved in the Valencia County Sexual Assault Response Team. Aspiring to be the best advocate and service provider possible, she attends as many training opportunities as she can.  Kay is now remarried with four grown children and a very proud grandmother of her first grandchild.

Alberto is currently the Education and Outreach Advocate for La Casa Inc. in Las Cruces, NM.  He has been working for over four years in the domestic violence field providing training and education to rural communities and several organizations. Alberto has more than seven years of experience working with rural communities. He worked as the Program Coordinator for the New Mexico Teen Pregnancy Coalition, and also served as the Hispanic Outreach liaison for New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.  While working as a case manager for the Family Unity Program, he obtained experience working with Latino immigrant issues under the auspices of the Diocese of Las Cruces, which provided services to 10 counties in southern NM. Alberto has a law degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Cuidad Juarez and has provided more than eight years of private practice to individuals needing legal services and living in the border region.