About

Board of Trustees

Bosque School’s Board of Trustees is the guardian of the school’s mission. It is the board’s responsibility to ensure that the mission is appropriate, relevant, and vital to the community. The board of trustees is currently comprised of 13 individuals, elected for two consecutive four-year terms, all of whom monitor the success of the school in fulfilling its mission. Each trustee participates in and supports the mission of the school and serves on at least one of the board’s committees: Philanthropy, Executive, Facilities, Finance, Investment, and Trustee.

Dear Bosque School Community,

Over this past school year, the Bosque School Board of Trustees has engaged in a strategic planning process intended to chart the school’s future in partnership with school leadership. Using our mission statement as a guidepost, we have reflected upon our strategic priorities–financial strength and stability; manifestation of our equity, community, and culture values; and philanthropic engagement and partnerships–and have established policies that will allow Bosque School to be agile in times of change, while also remaining focused on its long term success.

The financial strength and stability of Bosque School is a critical organizational objective. After an exhaustive process that considered multiple financial models, we have settled upon an approach that continues to support personalized instruction, ensures access for mission-aligned students in need of financial aid, and prioritizes the ability to recruit and retain the highest quality of educators.

As a manifestation of our equity, community, and culture values, the board has formally endorsed the school’s Equity, Community, and Culture (ECC) Principles and Best Practices (formerly known as our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Principles & Best Practices). The board of trustees is committed to participating in annual professional development experiences related to supporting and advancing equity, community, and culture (ECC) best practices, and we will actively seek prospective committee and board members who also support these principles. We also pledge to ongoing engagement with Bosque School community members who lead ECC work to ensure a shared understanding of such values.

In alignment with our newly adopted financial model and affirmation of ECC best practices, the strategic priority of philanthropic engagement and partnerships will first focus on building the Bosque Fund. The newly reinvigorated Bosque Fund will emphasize the support of financial aid, academic and mission-aligned programming and opportunities. We will also look to further enrich our campus—using our updated Campus Master Plan as a guide—by raising funds earmarked specifically for capital improvements. Finally, we will endeavor to build Bosque School’s permanent endowment to ensure that the school will be capable of supporting the community that it serves in perpetuity.

Strategic planning is an iterative process and the board of trustees is committed to regularly updating the tactics and strategies necessary to ensure our school’s continued success. Thank you for being a part of our vision for Challenging Education by creating transformative learning experiences that empower a diverse community of students to lead lives of intellectual curiosity, personal integrity, and compassionate contribution to a more just world for our community.

Sincerely,

Santana Macias Fontana, MD

Chair, Board of Trustees

Santana Macías Fontana

Board Chair
Executive Committee Chair
2017–Present

Born and raised in New Mexico, Santana is a physician with Presbyterian Medical Group in Rio Rancho and specializes in family and primary care sports medicine. After receiving her BA in Kinesiology at Occidental College in California, she returned to New Mexico to receive her medical degree at the University of New Mexico’s School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio and then her Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is currently a board member with the UNM School of Medicine Alumni Association and has served as grade representative and past president for the Bosque Parents’ Association. Santana and her husband, Matt, live in Corrales and are the parents of a Bosque School student in the Class of 2022.

Marisa Barrera

Finance Committee

2020–Present

Marisa serves as executive vice president and chief strategy officer of DreamSpring, an award-winning, nonprofit organization that increases access to credit, makes loans, and provides a community of support to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams. In her role at DreamSpring, Marisa is responsible for a portfolio of priorities that includes people, culture, marketing, communications, philanthropy, and stewardship. Marisa is a recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s New Mexico Financial Services Advocate of the Year Award and is a former board member of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a national association of more than 1,000 microenterprise development programs and partners in the United States. She holds a master of public affairs degree from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and is an undergraduate alumna of UNM. Marisa, and her husband, are the parents of two Bosque School students, Class of 2026 and 2027.

Shawn L. Berman

Bosque School Trustee Designate to Board of Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP)
2018–Present

Shawn is the Associate Dean for Accreditation and Research at University of New Mexico's Anderson School of Management and has been at the school since 2007. In 2017, he served as the acting and then interim dean; he is also a professor of Business and Society at Anderson. He received his PhD in Strategic Management from the University of Washington. His three main research interests are Stakeholder Theory; the evolution of the employee-employer relationship; and issues of corporate governance. Shawn is on the editorial board of Business & Society and Business Ethics Quarterly and in 2012, he served as division chair for the Social Issues in Management Division of the Academy of Management, as well as serving previously as program chair and professional development workshop chair. He has also served as the co-chair for the SIM Doctoral Consortium and currently serves on the board of the Rio Grande Community Development Corporation.

Mark J. Fidel, MBA, JD

Philanthropy Committee Chair

2020–Present

Mark is currently a co-founder and manages all state, local and educational markets in the United States for RiskSense, Inc. Mark has been with RiskSense and its predecessor, CAaNES, LLC, since 2006, when CAaNES, LLC was formed. He has served as its finance director, in-house counsel, and head of corporate development. Before RiskSense/CAaNES, Mark owned and operated litigation support and document management consulting firm Applied Records Management. He maintains his licensure in New Mexico. In 1989, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from New Mexico State University followed by his Executive MBA from the University of New Mexico in 1994. He then went on to earn his law degree in 2002 from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Mark currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for HopeWorks, a non-profit focused on ending homelessness in Albuquerque. He is also on the Board of the New Mexico Technology Council.

Cara Chavez

Philanthropy Committee

2020–Present

Cara Chavez has been an educator for over 20 years. The majority of her career has been teaching in the primary grades. For the past seven years, she has been an elementary school physical education teacher and currently serves as an APS Wellness Ambassador, promoting wellness at her school through engaging fitness and health activities. Prior to becoming a teacher, Cara worked in state and local government in an administrative capacity. Cara has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from New Mexico State University. After deciding to pursue a career in education, she attended the University of Denver and received a teaching certificate in Elementary Education. She also has had the joy of delivering meals for Meals on Wheels over several summers. Cara served for six years on the Bosque Parents’ Association and is the parent of two Bosque School alumni, Phillip ‘16 and Noah ‘19.

Rachel Gupton

Philanthropy Committee
2019–Present

Rachel is an electrical and computer engineer at Sandia National Laboratories. She has been at Sandia since 2011, starting off as an intern, and then she was accepted into the Critical Skills Master Program in 2013 which funded her master’s degree. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees in ECE from the University of Arizona. She currently works in the satellites division. She is also a local philanthropist serving on the board of Saranam and Explora and she is active in United Way giving societies. Rachel and her husband, Billy, who is a financial advisor and philanthropic guru, were married in 2017 and live in Albuquerque with their two dogs. Rachel is a Bosque School alumna, Class of 2009, and served on the 2019-20 Head of School Search Committee.

Eric M. Herrera

Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
Executive Committee
2013–Present

Eric is the founder and President of Blueprint Consulting Group, a boutique accounting firm in Albuquerque built to design, organize and strengthen his clients’ accounting and financial posture. Eric has a broad background in both private industry and public accounting. Practicing since 1994, his experience covers real estate and construction taxation and business planning, mergers and acquisitions, tax planning for closely-held businesses and owners, and business entity selection. His passion for client service has helped many businesses and business owners achieve their financial goals. Eric holds a bachelor’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management. He and his wife, Kim, have two children, Bosque School alumni Diego ’16 and Mia ’19.

Nancy Klion

Board Secretary
Executive Committee
Governance Committee
2016–Present

Nancy is the owner of Sarabande Bed & Breakfast and Sarabande Home in Los Ranchos. Nancy has served as the board chair of Manzano Day School; she currently serves on the Board of Directors for Horizons Albuquerque, an affiliate of Horizons National, a tuition-free academic enrichment program that addresses the achievement gap and summer learning loss for public school students from low-income families. Nancy is the proud mother of Bosque School alumni—Myles '11, Madeline '14, and Bella '19.

Lee Patchell

Board Secretary
Executive Committee
Governance Committee
2019–Present

Lee has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources and is currently working at Presbyterian Healthcare Services. She is Vice President for Human Resources Partnerships and Employee Relations. Before joining Presbyterian, she served as Senior Vice President for Human Resources at Charter Bank Mortgage and Insurance, and prior to that held human resources positions with Intel Corporation. Lee holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of New Mexico in Business Administration, with a concentration in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior. She served on the board of trustees for nine years for Manzano Day School including three years as Board President. Lee’s children attend Bosque School.

Kristin Salazar-Coffman

Philanthropy Committee
2019–Present

Kristin has a strong history in communications and marketing developing high-quality, results-driven strategies in the agency, corporate and non-profit environments. She is an Albuquerque native and Bosque School 2007 alumna. Her career began in public relations at the Dallas Market Center. Kristin’s skills, passion for the Bosque School community and education led her back to campus in 2015 as the marketing coordinator. She is currently the owner of Rocky Mountain Dental Laboratory and a recent Breast Cancer Survivor. Kristin earned a Bachelor of Arts in Convergence Journalism with a minor in Elementary Education from Southern Methodist University.

Peter A. Sanchez

Board Vice Chair
Executive Committee
Finance Committee
2017–Present

Peter is the Chief Executive Officer for The Atrisco Companies. He earned an MBA in Accounting from the University of New Mexico, a doctorate in Jurisprudence from the University of Houston Law Center and holds a license as a Certified Public Accountant. Within the community, Peter serves on several boards, including the Hispano Philanthropic Society of the United Way, Golden Apple Foundation, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, and United Way of Central New Mexico. He and his wife have three children—Bosque School alumnus Max '17 and Sofia '21, and a student in the Class of 2023.

Patrick Wilkins, CPA

Finance Committee
2018–Present

A dare from Pat’s father put him on the path to accounting. Pat’s father, a high school guidance counselor, challenged his then-aimless son to earn an accounting degree as a way to prove he could accomplish a goal. Pat accepted the challenge and earned a BBA from UNM. With that degree, he found his true calling as an accountant and storyteller. Pat is the partner in charge of the audit department at Ricci & Company, LLC, where he applies his extensive experience with not-for-profit organizations to help passionate leaders transition to long-term sustainable businesses. He currently serves on the board for Nonprofit Back Office Resources and is former Board Treasurer for United Way of Central New Mexico and Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and former president of the board for Alta Mira Specialized Family Services. Outside of accounting, his greatest pleasure is being a husband and a father to his two daughters, Bosque School alums Claire '16 and Grace '21.

Kelly Smyer

Bosque Parents' Association Representative to Bosque School Board of Trustees
Facilities Committee
2021–Present

A native of Deming, New Mexico, Kelly graduated from the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in journalism. Kelly has had two career paths—one in government and the other as an educator. In her career in government, Kelly worked for Senator Jeff Bingaman, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Attorney General Hector Balderas. In her career in education, she worked as an Albuquerque Public School elementary school teacher for eight years. She has served on the boards of La Puerta de los Niños, the Tennis Club of Albuquerque, and the Independent Community Foundation. She and her husband, Bruce, are the parents of a Class of 2026 Bosque School student, and Kelly is an active member of the Bosque Parents’ Association.

José Viramontes

Governance Committee Chair
Executive Committee
2021–Present

José’s career is centered at the intersection of the social, public, and private sectors. He is the chief executive officer at MediaDesk, an award-winning creative agency that deploys solutions to power positive change for nonprofits and government agencies across the United States. As a proud "sector-hopper," he previously spent nearly two decades with the U.S. Department of the Interior. With a strong commitment to the community, José has served on several boards and has a strong interest in cultivating equity and representation in any organization he is a part of. In addition to Bosque School, he is currently a sitting trustee with the Albuquerque Community Foundation and is vice chairman of the National Institute of Flamenco Board of Directors. José lives in the North Valley with his two children, Ella and Miguel.

Lisa Kruger, CPA, MBA

Finance Committee
2021–Present

Lisa grew up as the fifth-generation on a cattle ranch in south central New Mexico, went to college at the University of Wisconsin, and returned to New Mexico in 1999. Lisa’s career spans a variety of industries and includes leading finance teams in real estate, construction, records management, advertising, and nonprofits. She recently earned her certification as an associate real estate broker. She and her husband, Todd, own Rio Grande Realty & Investments, LLC. as well as several other real estate investment companies. Lisa has a heart for non-profits and has served on the boards of United Way of Central New Mexico, New Mexico Ethics Alliance, Peopleworks, New Mexico Project for Financial Literacy, and on the finance committee of the New Mexico Society of CPAs. She has served on the finance committee at Bosque School since January 2020. Lisa and Todd live in Corrales with their son and a boxer named Wrigley. Lisa enjoys sports, running, cooking, traveling, and is active in her church.

Peggie Ann Findlay

Founder of Bosque School
Trustee Emeritus

Peggie is a physician and cancer researcher. She also serves on the Symphony Board, is a member of the Order of St. John, and a founder of Bosque School. Peggie’s children, Alexandra '03 and Brendan '06, are Bosque School alumni.

GRADES 6-12
(505) 898-6388
4000 Bosque School Road NW
Albuquerque, NM 87120