About New Mexico Thrives

Our Organization

New Mexico Thrives is the state nonprofit association providing research, advocacy, and services for the state’s nonprofit sector. This includes information and guidance on state and federal issues affecting nonprofits as well as education and support for nonprofit staff and boards. New Mexico Thrives also educates policy makers about the vital role of nonprofits in New Mexico and engages with legislators and administrators to increase understanding and promote effective partnering.

Our Mission

New Mexico Thrives is dedicated to supporting nonprofits, dismantling systemic barriers, and encouraging collaboration to enhance the quality of life for all New Mexicans. We are committed to ensuring nonprofits have the tools and information they need to make an impact and effect change.

Our Values

Respectful: Active listening, appreciating diversity, and recognizing experience and expertise from multiple cultural contexts.
Collaborative: Transparent sharing of information and ideas to accelerate learning and improve outcomes
Adaptive and nimble: The organization is constantly evolving, and we recognize that our future is shaped by the actions we take today.
Accountability and integrity: how results are accomplished is as important as the result.
Proactive: reaching beyond the status quo, anticipating needs, and identifying opportunities.
New Mexico Thrives honors the land and cultural traditions of New Mexico, recognizing the multiplicity of our communities and the nonprofits serving them. Grounded in the history of this land and its peoples, New Mexico Thrives is committed to transformative ways of working that honor relationships to bring healing and flourishing.

History & Impact

2024

NM Nonprofit Compensation Report
NM Nonprofit Voter Engagement Guide, created in partnership with the National Council of Nonprofits and NonprofitVOTE
Organized and co-hosted federal grant information events, New Guidelines, Expanded Possibilities in Espanola, Albuquerque and Las Cruces. Partners included Representative Leger Fernandez; Representative Stansbury; Secretary Monette (NM Indian Affairs Dept); Federal Grants Coordinator, Senator Heinrich's office; DFA, Federal Grants Bureau; representative of a group of funders; Community Foundation on Southern NM, United Way of Southwest NM

2022

Partnered with Congresswoman Stansbury’s office on grant writing event
Created County Nonprofit information sheets
NM Thrives provided county lists of nonprofits to the Regional Recovery Coordinator with the North Central NM Economic Development Department, and introduced her to SHARE NM, and Roanhorse Consulting for additional resource information. The Regional Recovery Coordinator wanted lists of services and service providers to help northern communities recover after the wildfires of 2022.

2021

NM Thrives reached out to Secretary Romero, Department of Finance and Administration, because the department was having difficulty distributing New Mexico’s allotment of Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds. NM Thrives met with the Deputy Secretary and another person managing the ERAP program and provided suggestions and contact information for nonprofits to help promote the program. Nonprofits were able to help community members complete the application forms. New Mexico went from being at risk of losing the federal assistance to being among the top five states for distribution.

2020

Shared need to know information regarding the pandemic and available resources
Conducting trainings for nonprofits on how to apply for PPP loans and emergency grants

2019 & 2020

Partnered with Congresswoman Haaland and Senator Heinrich’s offices on grant writing events

2017-2019

Successfully advocated to protect nonprofits’ state level tax exemption on revenues

Staff

Tsiporah Nephesh

Tsiporah Nephesh founded New Mexico Thrives to uplift the vital role of nonprofits in New Mexico’s communities. Leveraging extensive experience in capacity building, she supports nonprofits in their growth. Tsiporah leads New Mexico Thrives in advocating for legislative policies that strengthen nonprofit efforts and positively impact communities.

Advisory Board

New Mexico Thrives is fiscally sponsored by the Center of Southwest Culture. The Advisory Board guides and informs the work of New Mexico Thrives.

Dr. Stacey Cox

Dr. Cox is the CEO of the Center for Health Innovation. She brings her distinguished history as a nonprofit visionary to leading organizations into the national spotlight. A native New Mexican, she has spent years working to bridge the urban and rural divides that lead to health inequities in the state. Her approach is to build community resilience while working to dismantle systemic barriers, with the ultimate goal of creating thriving, healthy communities. Dr. Cox combines her deep industry knowledge as a consultant with her vast practical experience as CEO of large social justice organizations. She excels at high impact strategic and systems thinking and implementation, vision, relationship building, and national leadership. She received her doctorate in psychology from Saybrook University.

Dr. Patty Emord

Dr. Patty Emord is Collaborative Solutions Consulting's principal consultant, has many years’ experience working with community organizations, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and private corporations. Her practice is guided by a philosophy of building capacity and empowerment, providing her clients with new perspectives and insights into their strengths and possibilities for growth and development. Empowered with new capacities and knowledge, organizations can move forward effectively. Dr. Emord is a member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and American Educational Research Association (AERA) and a charter member of the New Mexico Evaluators.

Jeff Hoehn

Jeff Hoehn is a nonprofit professional with a decade of experience working at social services organizations. He is a double graduate of the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Public Administration. Jeff is very active in community issues and is committed to making Albuquerque and all of New Mexico a place where we all can thrive. In his current role as Director of Development for the University of New Mexico College of Arts and Sciences he raised money for student scholarships.

Dawn Hommer

Dawn Z. Hommer, MBA, CCAP is the Chief Executive Officer at the Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico (CAASNM), a statewide nonprofit that works with people facing adversity since 2011. Dawn is a Certified Community Action Professional and a graduate of the Paso Del Norte REALIZE leadership program. Dawn holds a Master of Business Administration from NMSU where is also received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, with Distinction in University Honors. She serves on Community boards and advisory groups including as Chair for the New Mexico Association of Community Partners, Vice President for Region VI Community Action Partnership, CAPLAW, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Community Advisory Council and NM Thrives Advisory team. Dawn has brought a wealth of leadership experience to CAASNM and has worked tirelessly to build capacity, support family wellness, and expand programming throughout the state.

Catherine Hummel

Catherine Hummel is the Executive Director of DreamTree Project, Inc. The agency covers five counties across northern and northeastern New Mexico. It operates an emergency youth shelter, multiple housing programs, street outreach, and two social enterprise ventures, DreamTree Farms and Ziggy's Frozen Yogurt. Catherine is a board member of the Ventana Fund, a community development financial institution creating affordable housing statewide, a member of the Taos Milagro Rotary Club, and volunteers weekly at the Taos Food Coop.

Olivia Roanhorse

I am Diné ("the people" in Navajo) and grew up in Window Rock, Arizona, the capital of the Navajo Nation, with my twin sister. Our maternal clan is Near to Water (To'ahaní) and our paternal clan is Bitter Water (To'dichiiníí). The Diné recognize and ground ourselves in our connectedness through our clans and we greet one another as relatives, recognizing our places in the world. I currently reside in unceded Tewa territory, also known as Albuquerque, New Mexico, with my daughter and partner. As a twin, my sister and I were blessed into our community. Twins are prominent in Diné creation stories and were unique in their journey to kill Monsters plaguing the Navajo people. I honor those stories and regularly reflect on the gifts I bring and the learning I can do with others. I have over 25 years of lived experience navigating, learning, and unlearning the complexities and processes in public health, academia, and nonprofits. These are all Western-based institutions and ways of learning. While I appreciate some of what I learned from them, they each have their own systemic barriers they have created in how they serve communities, especially Indigenous people. I am committed to working in true partnership with Native communities who center their lived experiences, culture, and language to strengthen the health and wealth needs of their communities.