Staff

Staff

Photo of Linda Candelaria-Dodd
Linda Candelaria-Dodd
Executive Director

Linda, raised in the rural community of Los Brazos, has gained valuable insight living and working within a tapestry of small communities spanning New Mexico and Arizona. Her experience includes living on the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico and the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Cibecue, Arizona.

At the heart of Linda’s commitment lies a profound focus on fostering robust connections and implementing impactful strategies to address health inequities. Having grown up in rural Northern New Mexico, she intimately understands the health disparities that challenge these communities, often impeding the pursuit of healthy and prosperous lives. As the Executive Director, Linda passionately advocates for and champions the most vulnerable populations in the state.

Linda firmly believes in a holistic approach to health that embraces the interconnected realms of mind, body, and spirit. Her moments of solace are found in the expansive landscapes of the Guadalupe Mountains, where she immerses herself in hiking to clear her mind, relishing the stillness of the crisp air, and encountering occasional small wildlife along the way. Her love for baking extends to sharing the goodness with family, friends, and neighbors. However, her greatest joy comes from witnessing the healthy successes of her three children.

Photo of Amy Donafrio
Amy Donafrio
Associate Director since 2006

Amy is a key part of Con Alma’s management team and is responsible for operations, budget oversight and project management. Before joining Con Alma in 2006, she gained experience in various fields, including social work for a long-term care facility, research at Binghamton University, and legal advocacy for a domestic violence organization. She stays healthy by eating NM grown vegetables and fruits, soaking in sunny days, and squeezing in moments of stillness and quiet in her busy life. She loves cooking, baking, and traveling with her family as well as watching her garden shift and grow through the beautiful seasons here. She enjoys working for an organization that values community-led solutions and the diverse cultures of New Mexico’s people. Amy likes hiking through our state’s varying landscapes, and has a special appreciation for the dry air, mountains and rivers. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Binghamton University and a master’s in Accounting from the University of New Mexico.

Photo of Cecile LaBore
Cecile LaBore
Information Manager since 2008

Cecile has worked part-time for Con Alma since 2008 managing the foundation’s external and internal information systems and grants data base. Being Information Manager is a little like being an inventory manager or an interior designer – a lot of her success depends on putting things people will need where they will look for them first, or maybe second. Cecile chooses to work at Con Alma because she likes what the Foundation does; she has a great community of colleagues, volunteers, and grantees to work with; and she loves helping people use Con Alma’s grant making tools. To her, health is about balance – the feeling that each part of being alive has the right level of importance, attention, and well-being.

Photo of Dennis J. McCutcheon
Dennis J. McCutcheon
Program Officer

Dennis provides coordination and leadership for Con Alma’s communications and program work. He assists our applicants and partners, and supports the Foundation’s communications, and grant portal processes. As a first-generation college graduate, Dennis identifies with many of the excluded communities Con Alma supports. He likes to learn about the incredible work grantees and partners do across New Mexico and looks for opportunities to spread their messages. He focuses on his health by walking daily, and eating as fresh and local as possible. Both at Con Alma and personally, he loves learning new things and has numerous interests, including reading, drawing, writing, and movement. Dennis is a fan of road trips, where he can revel in our state’s abundant open spaces, and rich cultural diversity. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s in Social Work, and an associate’s in Human Services, areas of study that foster an ethic of life long learning and service to our communities and people.

Con Alma Health Foundation - The Heart and Soul of Health in New Mexico

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Con Alma Health Foundation - The Heart and Soul of Health in New Mexico

Keep Up to Date!

To ensure you are receiving the latest grant cycle information sign up here for email updates and select “Grant Cycle Information”. Check back to our website often and follow us on social media for important news and announcements.