Brian Shields, Executive Director
bshields (at) amigosbravos (dot) org

Brian has provided visionary leadership of Amigos Bravos since its inception - serving as a founding member of the Board of Directors from 1988-1990, as Projects Director from 1991-1996, and as Executive Director since 1996. While creating and sustaining an organization with influence, credibility, and staying-power, he continues to build lasting and highly productive alliances among a broad range of environmental and social justice advocates, along with decision-makers at the local, regional, and national levels. He repeatedly accepts leadership roles in the establishment of national, regional, and community-based campaigns including, most notably, the Citizens Agenda for Rivers, Westerners for Responsible Mining, the New Mexico Mining Act Network, NM-SEES (New Mexicans for Safe and Sustainable Energy), Communities for Clean Water, Alliance for Rio Grande Heritage, the Coalition for the Valle Vidal, and an unnamed network of individuals representing organizations working on water-related issues impacting poor, indigenous communities. Raised in an international family and under the Franco regime in Barcelona, Spain, Brian’s early experiences convinced him that progress in any joint endeavor is only accomplished through mutual respect and understanding, and that in diversity exists the most potent energy imaginable for creative solutions. Brian has resided in New Mexico for the past 37 years.

Sawnie Morris, Assistant to the Director

Sawnie works on a contractual basis to assist the Executive Director in all aspects of organizational development, with an
emphasis on major donors, human resource tasks, and social justice concerns. She was the founding executive director
(1989-1996) and subsequently served on the board
of directors (1997-2002). Sawnie has made Taos, New
Mexico her home since 1983.

Rachel Conn, Clean Water Circuit Rider & Policy Analyst
rconn (at) amigosbravos (dot) org

As Circuit Rider, Rachel assists communities to establish citizen-led watershed protection groups and educates those groups in how to track and understand regulatory and policy actions that effect their rivers. Rachel is a leader in the ongoing campaigns to protect the Valle Vidal, hold Los Alamos National ab accountable for pollution, restore river  otters to New Mexico, protect the Red River watershed from degradation caused by mining and unwise off-road vehicle use, oversee safe nontoxic control of noxious
weeds in our public lands, and watchdog national, state, and local policies affecting rivers. Born and raised in the Boston area, Rachel has lived for the past fourteen years in Colorado and New Mexico, earning a BA in Environmental Biology from Colorado College and working as a conservation advocate in San Luis, prior to joining Amigos Bravos.

Linda Gomez, Membership and Database Coordinator
lgomez (at) amigosbravos (dot) org

Linda is responsible for maintaining accurate member ship and financial records, and for providing support in the areas of administrative tasks and major donor relations.  Linda brings a wealth of advocacy experience to her work for Amigos Bravos, including service within the American Indian Movement (AIM), Legal Assistant and Office Manager for the Western Environmental Law Center (Taos), and Program Manager for all Native American Programs in the Taos Municipal Schools. She was a political science major at UCLA and received legal assistance training from TVI at the University of New Mexico. Linda is a member of the Cheyenne-Arapahoe Tribe of Oklahoma and is married to Daniel Gomez of Taos Pueblo, her primary residence for the past thirty years.

Carol Hardison, Bookkeeper

A native of North Carolina, Carol moved to Taos in 1990 and has been Amigos Bravos’ accountant on a contractual basis since 1994. She received a bachelor’s degree in business administration (accounting) from the University of Georgia. Carol has a number of other clients, but considers Amigos Bravos her “baby” and creative challenge. She also is a single mother of four even greater challenges – Snowflower, Fawn, Lake, and Brook Romero of Taos Pueblo.

Michael Jensen, Grants and Communication
mjensen (at) amigosbravos (dot) org

Michael is the primary grant writer for Amigos Bravos and as such maintains essential knowledge of Amigos Bravos’ many projects and activities. He represents Amigos Bravos at a range of community organizing meetings, and works on campaign messaging development and other writing for publication, including the Annual Report. He came to Amigos  Bravos in 2005 after working at UNM for almost eight years at the Alliance for Transportation Research Institute, as Outreach Coordinator for the College of Fine Arts, and as Program Coordinator for the US-Japan Center. Before moving to Albuquerque in 1990, he worked for international development management firms in Washington, DC. He has lived and worked in Norway, Germany, and
Brazil and holds a bachelors degree in American Studies from UC Santa Cruz.

Betsy Wolf, Administration and Publications
bwolf (at) amigosbravos (dot) org

Betsy has been with Amigos Bravos since 1996. She oversees the administrative functions of the organization, serves as editor of our website and publications, and is the institutional memory that keeps Amigos Bravos together. Prior to joining Amigos Bravos, she served for 10 years as Administrative Secretary for the Harwood Foundation of the University of New Mexico. A lover of horses, Betsy earned a B.A. in art from Newton College, Newton, MA, studied printmaking and stained glass in Paris for five years, is a native of New York, and has lived in New Mexico for 34 years.