About The New Mexico Coalition for Literacy

Supporting adult and family literacy programs statewide over 20 years...Thanks to Americorp VISTA, Hastings, KOAT-TV, Sandia Labs/Lockheed Martin, and the Sulica Fund for their generous support this year!

General Information

The NMCL encourages and supports community-based literacy programs and is the New Mexico affiliate and coordinator for the national program of ProLiteracy America, overseeing certification and coordination of its volunteer, tutor trainers.

The NMCL's core projects include operation of a statewide, toll-free referral, recruitment, and information hotline sponsored by New Mexico's ABC affiliate, KOAT-TV; administration of the State of New Mexico Literacy Program Appropriation; operation of the New Mexico Literacy Resource Center, as designated by the U.S. Department of Education; and operation of a Literacy Training and Technical Assistance Program providing development opportunities to community-based literacy projects in a wide range of program areas.

Since its inception in 1987, more than twenty new literacy projects have been established in New Mexico. The NMCL conducts an annual survey of literacy programs to assess program needs and trends and maintains a statewide directory of adult education and literacy programs. Currently, the NMCL is serving the following communities.

The NMCL depends upon private donations as well as government funding to conduct its wide ranging development activities. A Board of Directors serves to keep the NMCL in the forefront of literacy program development. The NMCL enjoys the bipartisan support of state's Governor and Legislature. The NMCL works with the New Mexico Departments of Labor and Corrections, the Higher Education Department , and the Public Education Department. The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and State Library have designated the NMCL as the sole provider of statewide literacy coordination and program enhancement activities.

NMCL Staff

Heather Heunermund
Executive Director

Heather joined the NMCL in May of 2001 and has served in many capacities within the organization throughout the years. She follows in the footsteps of the fearless leaders who came before her, carrying forth the mission, stewardship, and accountability of these predecessors. An advocate for student-centered program management and service, she demonstrates this belief by having served on boards and with student leadership groups at the collegiate level. Heather holds a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from St. John's College (the "Great Books Program") and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the College of Santa Fe (CSF). She also holds a Master's degree in Education with an emphasis in Community Counseling from CSF. Heather completed her clinical work with at-risk youth and their families and is in the process of obtaining her state counseling license. Heather currently volunteers as a grief facilitator for youth. While at the NMCL, she continues her work in service to at-risk youth, grown-up. Heather spends what little free time she has with her four beloved felines, baby Chihuahua, and sometimes her husband, Jonathan Haack - devoted 7th grade Math teacher at DeVargas Middle School and head varsity coach of Boys' Basketball at Monte del Sol Charter School.

Arlene Kinart
Business and Financial Manager

Like Heather, Arlene has served in many roles within the organization. She is a proud mother, and has over fourteen years of experience in nonprofit organizations, including human resources, accounting, payroll, and database management. She holds an Associate's Degree from the Institute of American Indian Arts and dabbles in the arts every now and then. Arlene has been with the NMCL over eleven years and is happy to serve the organization as your vigilant protector of the NMCL's public and private funds. We are proud to say that Arlene has maintained clean audits for the NMCL since assuming her role as the Business and Financial manager many moons ago.

Michael Schneider
Resource Developer

Michael Schneider is the NMCL’s Resource Developer, as of August 2008. Previously, he collaborated on a variety of socially conscious private-sector projects, both for- and non-profit, focusing on domestic and international women’s issues, creation of sustainable globally integrated income generation in post-conflict and -disaster areas, theatrical production, and publishing. He also worked in public library and retail organizations. Michael has lived in Santa Fe for seventeen years. He holds an bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, has done postgraduate work in rabbinics, and is active in Jewish study and practice.

Zara Raab
Administrative Assistant

Zara Raab arrived in Santa Fe in a snowstorm in January 2008 from the San Francisco Bay Area, where she raised a family and belonged to the Northern California Book Reviews Association, publishing her reviews in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Poetry Flash, and elsewhere, and her poems in Arts & Letters and other small reviews. She has also worked as an editor for New Republic Books and National Geographic, as well as an advertising copywriter. Zara was born in rural California not far from the town her great-great-grandparents settled, where her mother, aunts and uncles attended a one-room school house with the Sinkyone and Wailaki. In 1932, in a similar schoolhouse on the Yuba River, her thirteen-year-old father had his last day of formal education; the next morning, he expelled for wearing logging boots; he never went back. Thanks in part to the welfare provided by U.S. Postal Service jobs in small rural communities, and to 1956 Federal Highway Act, which provided funding for roads in rural areas, Zara was able to earn a B.A. in English and Philosophy from Mills College and an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Her daughter studies classical music composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and her son is a sophomore at St. John’s College in Santa Fe.

NMCL Volunteers

Mariana Bornholdt
VISTA Volunteer

Mariana is an amazing woman who brings a wealth of experience and skills to her position as a VISTA member with the NMCL. In her role with the NMCL, she plans to enhance agency capacity by updating its roster of donors, developing new funding initiatives, and formulating a survey instrument that will support recruitment of literacy volunteers and students. Mariana is a Santa Fe resident who saw Peace Corps service twenty years ago, training the first ever group of high school counselors-to-be in Ghana, West Africa. Born and raised in California, she received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Institutions and English from the University of California, Berkley, as well as an M.A. in Counseling Psychology. While teaching in the California state university system, she also had a private practice as a licensed Marriage, Family and Child counselor. Moving to Oregon in 1970, where she remained for more than 30 years, she taught family life education and sociology in local community colleges, also earning a Master of Education in Gerontology from Oregon State University in Corvallis.

Virginia Pulver
VISTA Volunteer

Virginia is working with our local staff and statewide literacy organizations to enhance our outreach efforts. She is using her skills and experience to strengthen our recruitment and retention of students and volunteers. Virginia’s unique background has prepared her well for this position. She breaks the stereotype when she admits to being a military veteran: yes, Virginia is a retired US Air Force Master Sergeant. She also worked for several years in the demanding world of military recruiting, including a successful stint as a health-professions recruiter in Boston, MA. Virginia ended her active duty career working at the Air Force Personnel Center where she developed and interpreted procedures for on-the-job training programs Air Force wide. While serving in the Air Force she completed an Associates degree (AA) in Instructor Technology, a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology and a Master’s degree (MA) in Organizational Management. Just back to the US from a 27 month stint on the shores of the Black Sea on the isolated, easternmost tip of the Crimean Peninsula where the two served as Peace Corps Volunteers.

Board Members

Board Members

Joseph Badal, Sr. Executive Vice President, Chief Lending Officer, Thornburg Mortgage (Retired, Santa Fe)
Rosina Boyd, Retired (Santa Fe)
Richard Cervantes, Higher Education Administrator (Socorro)
Col. Clarence Culbert, Retired (Corrales)
Bruce Donisthorpe, President, Business Consultant (Albuquerque)
Elba Garcia-Burke, Consultant (Las Cruces)
Dr. A. Elizabeth Gordon, Vice President, Environmental Consultant/Principal Research Scientist (Albuquerque)
Brenda Gray, Literacy Consultant (Albuquerque)
Alma Green, Board Member, Literacy Volunteers of Socorro & Retired
Ellen Harbaugh, Carlsbad Public Library (Retired)

Sally Harper, Volunteer (Las Cruces)
Charley Long, Sr., Navajo Nation Board of Election, Supervisor - Thoreau Chapter & DNA Board of Directors, Legal Services (Continental Divide)
Dr. David O'Brien, Educator (Las Cruces)
Betty Miller, Board Member, Read "Write," Moriarty (Tijeras)
Ernest Padilla, Treasurer, Attorney (Santa Fe)
Harry Pearson, Retired (Las Cruces)
Gary Pierson, Real Estate (Albuquerque)
J. Phillip Preston, Secretary, Minister (Socorro)
Dorothy Redd, Retired (Roswell)
Shelly Ribando, Albuquerque
Ex-officio Member:
First Lady Barbara Richardson

Back to front, Left to right:
Phil Preston (Secretary), Harry Pearson, David O'Brien, Liz Gordon (Vice President), Richard Cervantes, Rosina Boyd, Bruce Donisthorpe (President), Brenda Gray.

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For information contact:
Heather Heunermund, Executive Director
New Mexico Coalition for Literacy
3209 Mercantile Ct., Suite B
Santa Fe, NM 87507
Tel: 505-982-3997
Toll Free: 1-800-233-7587
Fax.: 505-982-4095

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