About the Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation
At any given moment, there are over 2,000 children and youth in the custody of the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) due to abuse and neglect. In hundreds of cases, the courts decide they cannot safely return home. If there is no adoptive family identified, they stay in foster care until CYFD finds a family for them or they "age out" of the system at age 18. The Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation (HGNMF) focuses on these "hard-to-place" and at-risk foster children.
Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation Mission Statement
The Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation was created to raise and manage funds to support the efforts of The Heart Gallery of New Mexico and other related programs and events. An additional purpose of the Foundation is to educate the public and raise awareness of the need for adoptive and foster care families for New Mexico's foster children. The Foundation promotes private and public partnerships and encourages community efforts to fund, support and facilitate The Heart Gallery and similar programs for New Mexico's children in protective custody as well as empowering youth aging out of foster care with out a family, who are typically low income individuals, through educational assistance, immediate personal needs and life skills training to aid in the successful transition into productive citizens.The Heart Gallery Portraits: Finding families for foster children for 10 years
HGNMF was founded in 2006 to support The Heart Gallery of New Mexico, a successful but then-unfunded CYFD program in which talented photographers donate portraits which capture the true spirit of New Mexico foster children dreaming of finding a "forever family." Thanks to HGNMF support, these stirring portraits now appear in exhibits around the state and on adoption websites (see http://www.heartgallerynm.org/child_search). Since its birth in New Mexico in 2001, The Heart Gallery program has received national acclaim and media coverage, and has become a model for nearly every state and Canada (see heartgalleryofamerica.org). Thousands of foster children, including many in New Mexico, have been adopted through The Heart Gallery.Adoption Events
HGNMF partners with CYFD to host four themed annual events where foster children enjoy enriching experiences while spending the day with approved, unmatched adoptive parents. Dozens of NM children and teens have met their forever families at these events. New teen-only workshops focus on providing foster teens who still want to be adopted with skills and learning experiences such as music, cooking and photography, while they spend time with families interested in adopting teens. The teens keep their equipment and instructions so they can continue to develop their talent and skills on their own.Helping Foster Teens "Age Out"
Hundreds of New Mexico foster teens "age out" of the system without being adopted each year. HGNMF provides crucial support to them, including helping with life skills training and providing furniture and household goods. Children and youth still in foster care can also apply for things like tutoring, musical instruments, and computers.How You Can Help
HGNMF fills a void that exists in New Mexico—assisting marginalized, at-risk foster children. Your support goes directly to help them find families or to offer them a chance at a brighter future on their own. The Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation is a registered 501c3 organization. Please consider donating or sponsoring today to help our deserving foster youth and children.HGNMF BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2011
Gerald Peters, President
Renowned authority on 19th and early 20th century American art and owner of the 44,000 square foot Gerald Peters Gallery in Santa Fe, Mr. Peters is the founder of the Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation and a founding member of the Santa Fe Art Foundation. He was co-chairman of the Governor's Commission on Higher Educaiton, has served on the Federal Reserve Small Business Advisory Board, the New Mexico Board of Finance and is chairman of Century Financial Services. He is the controlling shareholder of Century Bank and has been a board member in good standing at St. John's College, Santa Fe Prep, The Millicent Rogers Museum, the Wheelwright Museum and the Bank of Santa Fe.
Jeffrey Branch, Vice President
Native New Mexican and commercial real estate developer Jeffrey Branch owns Columbus Capital Corporation, a brokerage, asset managment and leasing firm, and Branch Design and Development, a design, planning, construction management and development company. In addition to his role on the Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation, Jeffrey has previously served as President of the Santa Fe Commercial Council, the Santa Fe Metropolitan Redevelopment Commision and on the City of Santa Fe Historic Design Review Board. With his wife, Michelle, he co-founded the the Adoption Means Love Foundation which is now part of Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation.
Julie Kennelly, Treasurer/Secretary
Ms. Kennelly is Vice President – Commercial Banking Relationship Manager at Bank of the West. She has been in the financial services industry for 29 years and recently moved to New Mexico from Rockford, IL. Ms. Kennelly recently joined the board as treasurer of the Heart Gallery of New Mexico and is an active board member of New Mexico Chapter of the Risk Management Association. Prior board positions include treasurer of the Rockford Art Guild, and board member of the Zoning and Planning Committee in Davis Junction, IL.
Sandy Cunningham, member
Sandy Cunningham is Vice President of Uncharted Outposts, an international luxury travel company, and Managing Partner of EcoNewMexico which has overseen a statewide campaign designed to highlight and promote eco-tourism in the State of New Mexico. Sandy has been activley involved in the setting up of TUSK USA an affiliate of TUSK.ORG a UK based Wildlife Foundation. She has been an active community member in fundraising and outreach in New Mexico since moving here over 6 years ago.
Marjori Krebs, member
An Assistant Professor in the College of Eduction at UNM, Ms. Krebs also serves on the United Way's Women In Philanthropy board of directors and is the Honorary Chair of the Coaches versus Cancer Gala.
Paul Krebs, member
Mr. Krebs is Vice President for Athletics at UNM and, in addition to sitting on the board of the Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation, also serves on the board of the United Way of Central New Mexico. Prior board positions have included First Community Bank and Young Life of Albuquerque.
Michelle Madrid-Branch, member
Author ("The Tummy Mummy," "Adoption Means Love: Triumph of the Heart") and former television news journalist Michelle Madrid-Branch was the founder of New Mexico's The AML (Adoption Means Love) Foundation which recently merged with Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation.
Cathy McCorkle, member
In addition to her role on the Heart Gallery of New Mexico's board, Ms. McCorkle served for three years on the board of Women in Philanthropy, chaired the fundraising gala for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and was a founding board member of Wesley Kids Childcare and Preschool.
Sherman McCorkle, member
Mr. McCorkle has been the Chairman and CEO of Sandia Science and Technology Park Development Corporation since 1998, served as Vice-Chair of Sandia Corporation's Investment Committee from 1994 until 2011 and served as President and CEO of Technology Ventures Corporation from 1993 until 2011. He was Co-founder of New Mexico Bank and Trust, a Co-Founder of First State Bank Corporation and was a Senior Vice President at Albuquerque National Bank from 1976 to 1988.
Senator George K. Munoz, member
A Gallup, New Mexico native, Senator Munoz was a State Commissioner for the New Mexico Department of Economic Development, was Vice Chair of the Rules Committee and has served on the Corporations and Transportation committees. Senator Munoz was the Chair of the Investment Oversight Committee for the State and serves as a member on the Indian Affairs, Tax and Revenue, Public School Outlay and Water and Natural Resources Committees. Besides the Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation, Senator Munoz also is a member of the Gallup Rotary Club, Gallup McKinley Chamber of Commerce, Elks Lodge and is currently the New Mexico Junior High School National Director for the state.
Sharmyn Munoz, member
An educator and principal/administrator with Gallup McKinley County Schools for fourteen years, Gallup resident Sharmyn Munoz is wife of Senator George K. Munoz and holds two Master's degrees in Education. A specialist in working with at-risk youth, Ms. Munoz is a long-time member of Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation's board of directors and also sits on the board of Las Amigas and the McKinley County Democratic Central Committee.
Karen Westall, member
Carlsbad, New Mexico resident Karen Westall is a long-time member of Heart Gallery of New Mexico's board of directors.
Honorary
Val KilmerSusan Meredith
Elizabeth Travis
Ex Officio
Diane GranitoFounder of Heart Gallery, Special Events Coordinator, State of New Mexico CYFD
Cathy Maier Callanan
Co-founder of Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. The Heart Gallery was based, in part, upon a suggetion by Ms. Maier Callanan.
Executive Director
Candace GouldCandace Gould transitioned from being a board member of Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation from 2006 to 2011 to its Executive Director in Spring, 2011. Ms. Gould has been a photographer of foster youth for the Heart Gallery portraits and exhibitions and is the owner of INVU Portraits. She volunteers time with Adelante, a foster teen advocacy program, and mentors teens from within the Adelante program.