Micaela Briggs was born and raised in a farming community located in the beautiful Yakima Valley area, in Washington State. She attended Sheldon Jackson College, majoring in Biology, and it was here that she met and married her wonderful husband, Spencer. Micaela continued her education at Cedar Valley College, completing an additional degree in Veterinary Technology.
She and Spencer relocated to Albuquerque in 1999 to be closer to family, and welcomed their son Soren, a current Menaul School student, in 2008. Their sweet daughter Remi joined the Briggs family in 2018. Micaela is a long-time member of the medical staff at Desert Hills Veterinary Clinic, having joined the practice in 2003. She has previously been a deacon at First Presbyterian Church and is a current Ruling Elder and is also active in the associated Presbyterian Women’s Group.
Micaela also volunteers her time to A Child’s Garden Preschool, where she sits on the Board of Directors. She believes that it is her calling to contribute her energy, time, and effort where she can be the most benefit to her community. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her extended family, both here in Albuquerque and in Yakima, Washington, enjoys camping and nature, reading, and socializing with her dear friends.
After Menaul, Lillian attended UNM and then later worked with UNM Research and Development and the Mental Health Center developing day care centers and youth development centers throughout the City of Albuquerque. Lillian retired in 2000 as a manager with Citibank Corp.
Lillian has always been active with many associations for the purpose of fund raising and recruiting productive participation of others. She is a previous president of the Menaul Board of Trustees and is currently on the Advisory Board for the Menaul Historical Library.
Mr. Tony A. Hale, is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and a business owner with over 20 years of business development including construction relations and execution. As a business consultant, Mr. Hale dedicated many years to paving a path for Native American-owned companies to be successful on and off the Navajo Nation. With a keen business sense, Mr. Hale has a knack for seeking out smart investment opportunities in various areas of economic development, including oil and gas production, data center development, broadband infrastructure, and land management. Mr. Hale is a Board Director of the Dineh Chamber of Commerce and owns seven businesses on and off the Great Navajo Nation.
Mr. Hale is a member of the Navajo People (Dine’). Clans: Water’s Edge (Tábąąhá); Paternal clan: Salt (Ashįįhí); Maternal grandfather’s clan: Towering House (Kinyaa’áanii); Paternal grandfather’s clan: Bitter Water (Tó’dich’ii’níí).
Tony is the proud father of three Menaul School community members: Bryan Jones, class of 2020, Sophomore Dylan Jones and sixth grader Isabelle Hale and is excited for the opportunity to serve this dynamic community. Tony’s wife and partner, Vanessa Tso, is also an enthusiastic volunteer and supporter of Menaul School.
Theresa Sherman has been privileged to follow a career journey centered in Higher Education, combining her expertise in marketing and communications with her passion to see students succeed.
A 1987 graduate of Menaul School, Theresa received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM, and her master’s degree in Public Administration at New Mexico Highlands University.
A lifelong resident of Albuquerque, she has also traveled the State of New Mexico, meeting students from all backgrounds, as a marketing associate for New Mexico Educational Assistance Foundation and public relations coordinator for the New Mexico Higher Education GEAR UP program.
Theresa is currently with The University of New Mexico where she is the Communications & Projects Specialist for the Vice President of UNM Human Resources. Prior to this position she was senior marketing rep. for UNM’s Student Housing.
Theresa is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and is a Professional Certified Marketer® – Content Marketing with the American Marketing Association.
Rich Adam began his teaching career in the public schools of Michigan, followed by 12 years in an Ohio Boarding School. After additional graduate school training, he moved to Albuquerque to join the faculty of Albuquerque Academy, where he spent 43 years.
During his school career he has been a teacher, counselor, coach and administrator, almost entirely at the secondary level. Outside of his school duties he also served as a member and officer of statewide and regional organizations like New Mexico Association of Nonpublic Schools, the National, and Rocky Mountain, Association for College Admission Counseling, and the New Mexico Commission of Nonpublic Schools.
Rich has also served as a member of the visiting committees for accreditation of a dozen nonpublic schools, and was a trustee of Manzano Day School for seven years.
Bob Bellemare has held CEO, COO, and CFO positions in utility and renewable energy related companies. For the past 5-years he has worked for Albuquerque-based Array Technologies Inc. that recently IPO on NASDAQ in a variety of senior executive roles including being the former COO and CFO. He holds a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, is a licensed Professional Engineer, and is a Certified Valuation Analyst and Certified Business Analyst. Bob also serves on the Board of Directors for Popejoy and volunteers as an assistant coach for FLL (First Lego League Robotics) grades 4-8 that has for two years in a row qualified for world competitions.
Brooke Baker is an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Baker joined the faculty at UNM in 2007 after completing her medical training at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston Texas. Dr. Baker is active in medical student and resident education, and director of the fellowship program in regional anesthesia and perioperative pain medicine for the UNM department of anesthesiology. Dr. Baker is also active at the national level as a board examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiology. Dr. Baker sought further education in the field of health policy and obtained her law degree in 2018. She is a licensed attorney in New Mexico. Dr. Baker is a Menaul school parent and she looks forward to using her expertise, energy, and resources to ensure the school’s continued success.
Bryan Brock earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico in 1989 and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1992. Mr. Brock is licensed to practice law before all Courts in the state of New Mexico. Mr. Brock has devoted his professional career to public service; and has been a lawyer and a manager in state government for over twenty-six years. Mr. Brock has regulated different industries in NM through appointments as State Liquor Control Director, Highway Department Personnel Director, and PRC Transportation Director. Mr. Brock is currently Chief Counsel at the NM Office of Superintendent of Insurance, providing advice and counsel to and litigating on behalf of the agency charged with regulating insurance in New Mexico. Mr. Brock and his wife, Anna, are the parents of two boys; both students at Menaul School.
Roger A. Gonzales is a seasoned professional with over twenty years of experience spanning legislative, educational, and executive management roles. His expertise includes strategic planning, advocacy, and organizational leadership across sectors such as economic development, education, healthcare, and community revitalization. While Roger’s has served in several notable executive leadership roles through his professional career, he most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer for HELP New Mexico, the state’s largest Community Action Agency serving over 200,000 New Mexicans annually, overseeing operations, budgets, and strategic initiatives before his departure. As CEO of the Gonzales Strategy Group, he provides consulting services to government and community agencies, securing millions in funding for regional projects. A dedicated advocate, Roger has serves on numerous boards and is actively engaged in regional agricultural and economic policy efforts. He holds a BBA in Finance, an MA in Educational Leadership, and is pursuing a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership.
Rev. Matthew Miller, has served as Senior Pastor to the First Presbyterian Church of Albuquerque since October of 2013. He studied Musical Theater in the prestigious Carnegie Mellon Drama program, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing from the University of Colorado, Boulder and worked for a time in the field of corporate facilities management before being called to pastoral ministry in the church. After receiving his Master of Divinity degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, TX, Matthew was called to serve churches in Tennessee and Iowa. He has been active in service to the larger church as a member of the Committee on Ministry, as a featured preacher and keynote speaker for the Presbytery of Detroit and Mo Ranch College Connection, and as a Teaching Elder Commissioner to the 220th Pittsburgh General Assembly in 2012. He currently serves as a Trustee on the board of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Among other places, his continuing education has taken him on pilgrimage to Israel and to Christ Church College in Oxford for further theological study. In addition to their daughters Miranda and Grace, Matthew and his wife Marie welcomed their son Yared into the family in the fall of 2012 from Ethiopia. Yared is a student at Menaul School.
Jane Moses represents the Women of the Presbytery. She has been involved in fundraising for Menaul School since the late 1960s when all the women of the Presbytery in the state had a fundraiser each year on the school campus. Her interest has continued partly due to having two of her grandsons attend Menaul School. Jane has been a member of First Presbyterian Church for 60 years and has been very active in many aspects. She also had a catering business for 27 years. She was born in Oklahoma and grew up in Texas. She attended Oklahoma University after a year at Mary Baldwin College. There she studied Engineering and Interior Design, and later received a certificate in Architectural Drafting. Her youngest son, Eric Moses, has been a teacher at Menaul for over 20 years.
Jennifer S. Nanez, MSW, LMSW, currently serves as a Lecturer II with the University of New Mexico, Division of Community Behavioral Health in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Ms. Nanez is an enrolled tribal member of the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico and is a daughter, sister, an auntie; and mother to two young Indigenous matriarchs in training. Ms. Nanez has been in the social work and education fields for nearly 30 years, with experience working across Tribal, Urban Indian, Federal and University Systems; all with an emphasis in being of service in the American Indian population. Ms. Nanez’s interests lie in suicide prevention and mental health treatment support. Ms. Nanez works to promote effective community engagement and clinical practice, while emphasizing cultural resilience, connection to traditions, Indigenous based knowledge, and healing in American Indian Tribes and communities.
George W. Prohaska currently serves as the Interim Stated Clerk/Executive of the Synod of the Southwest (PCUSA). He is a Commissioned Ruling Elder, having completed ministerial training in December, 2021 through the Christian Leadership Program at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. He has served three churches in the Phoenix area in interim roles.
George’s university education is in chemistry, earning a BS in 1979 from the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD in 1984 from the University of Minnesota. His former career included corporate research and development followed by 25 years managing manufacturing operations in the semiconductor equipment, aerospace and defense industries. George is married to Jayne, a retired NICU nurse. They are both originally from Pennsylvania but have lived in Phoenix since 1989. They have two adult children who live in Phoenix with their spouses and four grand-girls.
George and Jayne love to spend time at the beach, cook, hang out with family, and volunteer at St. Mary’s Food Bank. George is an avid reader; his “man cave” is a library. He loves music, with a broad range of interest spanning classical and early choral music to classic rock.
Kim Sanchez was raised in Albuquerque’s South Valley, joined the Menaul School community as a young child when her cousins and sister began attending, and was able to attend for 6th-12th grade by the grace of God and the Presbyterian Church. After graduating in 2000, she worked at Albuquerque Public Schools and then returned to Menaul School to work for two years in the Advancement Office before starting her real estate business. In her first year in real estate, Kim was recognized by Coldwell Banker Legacy as the Valencia County Rookie of the Year and among the top 25% in production in the company. She was also selected as New Mexico’s Rising Star in Top Agent Magazine. In her second year, she was recognized among the top 15% in production at Coldwell Banker Legacy, as well as #1 in production in the Valencia County office. She credits her time at Menaul School and the gratitude, persistence, and resilience she learned there for her success. Besides helping her customers, she also likes to help her community. She is actively involved with and supports the Society for Creative Anachronism, an educational nonprofit dedicated to medieval history. She is particularly proud of her connection to Menaul School’s mission and educating future leaders. She lives with her fiancé, two dogs, and two cats on their small farm in Bosque Farms, where they raise goats, chickens, and ducks.
The Sandoval family has a long and storied history with Menaul and the Presbyterian church. Stann entered Menaul as a sophomore in the fall of 1962 living in Upper Bennet then in Lower Bennet as a junior and graduating in May 1965. Stann has maintained a close relationship with Menaul for many years. Prior to entering graduate school, he took a year off from engineering and taught math and physics at Menaul. Stann met his wife, Wendy, while attending UNM and were married at the Alumni Chapel on the UNM campus, by the Reverend Jaime Quinones, former Menaul Chaplin, Dean of Students and President and current Chaplin Emeritus. Stann has a MS in Mechanical Engineering and served multiple managerial roles with GE in their aircraft engine division.
Stann’s father and all his Sandoval uncles, and one aunt all graduated from Menaul. They believe Stann’s grandfather attended Menaul School in the early years 1897-1899 but the official records were lost in the Donaldson fire of 1947. Stan is thrilled to serve his beloved Alma Mater.