Meet the Board of Directors
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President
Anita N. Bringas is the Strategic Support Manager at UNM-Taos, a role that includes community engagement, government affairs, marketing and communications, and strategic initiatives. She oversees the departments of Human Resources, Business, Institutional Research, Campus Events, and Student/Cultural Programming.
She earned her AA in Pre-Business Administration, a multidisciplinary Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts Degree in Communication & Journalism, Management, and Organizational Learning & Instruction Science, before completing her master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in Non-Profit Management.
Bringas is committed to serving the greatest good of the community is involved with several community organizations. In addition to Taos MainStreet, she serves on the boards of the Taos Entrepreneurial Network (TEN), Taos Feeds Taos, the Taos Community Foundations Women Give collaborative, and the Enchanted Circle Community Organizations Active in Disaster (EC COAD). Previously, Anita served on the Taos Fiesta Council, the national Alliance of HSI Educators (AHSIE) Council, and was deployed with the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Team to Hattiesburg, MS in 2005.
She feels fortunate to live in Taos, New Mexico for the last fifteen years, where she stays with mother in the house that her grandparents built in the 1930’s.
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Treasurer
Juniper Leherissey is a non-profit management professional with 26 years of experience in arts and environmental organizations. Focusing on fundraising and executive management, she has helped organizations raise millions of dollars and implemented large-scale, mission driven programs that take these institutions to a new level.
Juniper has dedicated her professional life to the non-profit world and has worked in almost all aspects of non-profit operations. She has held professional positions in fundraising and management since 2004, with experience at Carnegie Museum, Henry Art Gallery in Seattle, the first Development Director for the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, helping to complete the Harwood Museum’s $6.3M capital campaign, leading the community-driven master planning for the Taos Land Trusts’ Rio Fernando Park, and most recently as the Executive Director of the Harwood Museum of Art.
Juniper holds a Masters in Arts Management from the Carnegie Mellon Heinz School of Public Policy and Management, and a BA in Anthropology from Reed College. She serves on the Board of the New Mexico Humanities Council, STEMarts Lab, and the MAE Private Foundation.
“Growing up in Peñasco and Taos has given me a unique perspective on the challenges of our multi-cultural and rural communities. I returned to my home town two decades ago interested in learning how to build a better future for the people in this amazing place.”
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Board Member
Cherylin Atcitty is the owner of Atcitty’s on Taos Plaza, a gallery located in the historic district of Taos, NM. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science Degree from Oklahoma Panhandle State University and Master of Science Degree from West Texas A&M in tribal environmental management. Her experience includes project management, strategic planning, quality assurance, and small business and financial development.
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Board Member
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Board Member
Mary was Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at Northwestern University Medical School for 27 years, then relocated to Washington State University where she was an Edward R Meyer Distinguished Professor in the School of Molecular Biosciences for 11 years. She received BS and MS degrees from the University of Houston, and a PhD from the University of Illinois. She conducted research on signaling pathways in the ovary and published more than 145 papers in peer reviewed journals. She was President of the Society for the Study of Reproduction and received the Research Award from this Society, an Associate Editor of Molecular Endocrinology. She retired in 2017 and, with her husband John H. Nilson, took up permanent residence in Taos. She enjoys aerobics, golf, gardening, and growing orchids.
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Board Member
Since he arrived in Taos 27 years ago, Chris has dedicated his energy as an educator and community organizer to honor the land and cultures that make our place in Northern New Mexico so special. Chris has taught high school inTaos. He serves as a Ditch Commissioner on the Acequia del Rio Lucero y Arroyo Seco. He is an accomplished organic farmer. He is a gifted storyteller. Chris continues these efforts now through his work with Rivers & Birds as he teaches our environmental education programs for public school students, provides educational talks and workshops on soil restoration for adults and hosts Rivers & Birds’ Earthbeat weekly radio hour on KNCE.
Meet the Staff
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Executive Director
Born and raised in Taos, he brings a strong understanding of the community to this position. After graduating from Taos High School he moved to Albuquerque to attend the University of New Mexico where he studied business, astronomy, and sociology.
After his studies at UNM he started a business and family before deciding to return to Taos in 2018. He took the position as Taos MainStreet’s first Executive Director on January 1, 2020.
He is responsible for the daily operations of the organization, planning, fundraising, project implementation, as well as the management of staff, volunteers, programming, and communications. He is focused on developing and implementing projects in three main areas: physical improvements and infrastructure in the district, economic revitalization work, and capacity building.
It is critically important to him to create opportunities for younger generations who grow up in this community and those who might relocate to Taos. He strives to build partnerships across the public and private sector to help achieve MainStreet’s core objectives of engaging people, building places, and revitalizing economies.