The Center for Nonprofit Excellence has a small but active staff team that manages the organization's day-to-day activities. The Advisory Board Ex-Officio members include leadership staff from United Way of Central New Mexico and the Albuquerque Community Foundation.

Center for Nonprofit Excellence Team

Amy S. Duggan, Director
Amy joined the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in August 2008. Amy is responsible for working in partnership with the Advisory Board, developing alliances, financial management, fundraising, marketing, new program development, and supporting the terrific staff at CNPE with their capacity building education and outreach activities. Before joining CNPE Amy was the Program Director, Santa Fe Community Foundation and managed all grant processes and technical assistance trainings, and thoroughly enjoyed working closely with northern New Mexico nonprofit staff and volunteers; she also staffed the grantmaking activities of the Lesbian & Gay Community Funding Partnership and the Native American Advised Endowment Fund and was the lead staff with the local Hispanics in Philanthropy partnership. She also served as the Executive Director, United Way of Northern NM; Executive Director, Community Home Ownership Center in Washington state supporting first time homebuyers; and the Director, Environmental Health at the American Lung Association of Washington where she developed and ran the nationally recognized Master Home Environmentalist Program that addresses home environmental health issues and solutions. Amy has a B.A. degree in Community Health Education and Health Care Management from California State University at Chico. Contact Amy

Tsiporah Nephesh, Program Coordinator
Tsiporah oversees all of the capacity building trainings hosted by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. She identifies topics and trainers, manages e-marketing, and is responsible for the registration process, event logistics, evaluation process and website content. She also provides consultation to nonprofit staff and volunteers on a regular basis, and has been with the Center since January 2006. Prior to joining the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Tsiporah served as the Executive Director and Continuing Education Administrator of the North American College of Botanical Medicine in Albuquerque. Her other experience includes Director of Regina Modern Dance Works in Saskatchewan. She has also done community development work, coordinating workshops for survivors of childhood sexual abuse in three communities. Tsiporah holds a B.A. with Honors in Dance and a M.F.A. in Dance History and Criticism, both from York University. Contact Tsiporah

Arika Sánchez, Project Specialist
Arika's projects with the Center for Nonprofit Excellence include the New Mexico Grantmakers Directory, the New Mexico Nonprofit Directory, and the Center's database. She has been with the Center since August 2010. Prior to joining the Center she was a graduate fellow at the Justice Action Center in New York where she developed and expanded student volunteer programs, conducted a study on subprime lending in New York City, and coordinated the law school's first annual immigrant naturalization clinic. Arika was an intern with The Legal Aid Society's immigration unit in New York and the non-profit coordinator at Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii in Honolulu. She is a member of the New Mexico Bar and volunteers at the Homeless Legal Clinic in Albuquerque. Arika holds a J.D. with a concentration in Anti-Discrimination Law and Economic Justice from New York Law School, a B.B.A in Accounting from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and is currently working toward her M.P.A. at the University of New Mexico. Contact Arika

Melissa Smith, Directory Research Assistant (UNM Work Study Student)
Melissa assists the Project Specialist in maintaining the New Mexico Nonprofit Directory and the New Mexico Grantmakers Directory. In addition to her work at the Center, Melissa is an intern at Susan’s Legacy, a volunteer Girl Scout leader, and a middle-school volunteer leader at Sagebrush Community Church. She has also volunteered at Albuquerque Rescue Mission, Joy Junction, various nursing homes, and Roadrunner Food Bank. Melissa is currently a student at the University of New Mexico, from where she will graduate in May 2012 with a B.S. in Family Studies, concentration as a Family Life Educator and minor in Psychology. Upon graduation, she intends to pursue a Master's degree in Psychology. Melissa also has her Associate of Science in Nursing from the University of New Mexico. 

Lesa Young, Training Coordinator Assistant (UNM Work Study Student)
Lesa assists the Training Coordinator with post training clean-up, database clean-up as well as other assigned projects. Prior to joining the Center Lesa realized her love for volunteering at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center, providing equine-assisted activities and therapies to children and adults with disabilities. She is currently a Big Sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Before moving to Albuquerque, she was a graduate student at Gallaudet University where she earned her M.A. in Linguistics. Lesa also has a B.S. in American Sign Language-English Interpretation from Rochester Institute of Technology. Currently, she is obtaining a Ph.D. in Linguistics, focusing on American Sign Language, from the University of New Mexico.

Anne Nokes, Volunteer Extraordinaire and Honorary Staff Member
Anne has been a member of the Albuquerque community since 1960 and has been volunteering here for most of that time. While her three children were young, Anne volunteered with the school, PTA, Little League, Boy Scouts and Camp Fire. As the children grew older, Anne started volunteering throughout the community. She has served on many Boards of Directors including: All Faiths Receiving Home, PB&J Family Services, New Futures Inc., Alta Mira, United Way, Cuidando Los Niños, Barrett Foundation and the NM Zoological Society. Currently she is also serving on a Citizen's Review Board that reviews the permanency plans for children who are in Foster Care. Anne is very proud to have been honored as New Mexico's Outstanding Volunteer in Philanthropy and by receiving the Arthur H. Spiegel Lifetime Achievement Award given by United Way of Central New Mexico. Anne has been volunteering with the Center for Nonprofit Excellence since it began in October 2005. She provides technical assistance, particularly in the areas of board development and bylaws.

Advisory Board Ex-Officio members

Randy Woodcock, Vice President & Chief Strategic Officer,United Way of Central New Mexico. Randy joined the staff of United Way of Central New Mexico in 1996. He is the Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer with responsibilities for the Community Services Group which includes Community Development, Center for Nonprofit Excellence, the AFL-CIO Community Services program and 211, and the Technology Assistance Fund. Prior to coming to UWCNM, Randy held development positions with United Ways in Delaware, Michigan, Alabama and Tennessee. Randy has an A.A. in Microcomputer Management, B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Social Work from the University of Tennessee. He is a graduate of Leadership Albuquerque and a current board member of the Rotary Club of Albuquerque.

Randy Royster, Executive Director, Albuquerque Community Foundation. A fourth generation native of Albuquerque, Randy is a human resource executive and attorney with a passion for philanthropy. He is excited about leading the Albuquerque Community Foundation into its next twenty-five years as Executive Director.