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Jobs and Economy: Making it work in Southern New Mexico

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episode summary

In this episode of Pass the Sopapillas, host Manuel González visits Las Cruces to examine how organizations across Southern New Mexico are creating pathways to economic opportunity.

Mary Ulrich of Doña Ana Community College and Dr. Terra V. Winter of the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico discuss workforce development, adult education, philanthropy and the importance of connecting residents with meaningful employment and community resources. Ulrich shares stories from the Personal and Career Discovery program, including participants who moved from homelessness and instability into housing, employment and renewed confidence. Winter discusses the role philanthropy plays in supporting students, nonprofits, businesses and communities facing crises while encouraging New Mexicans to recognize the opportunities that already exist within the state.

In the second half of the episode, Teresa Madrid of Partnership for Community Action and Howard Logan of Families and Youth Innovations Plus focus on family economic security. They discuss guaranteed basic income and baby bonds as tools to create stability, dignity and long-term wealth-building opportunities. Throughout the conversation, guests emphasize resilience, community leadership and investing in people.

New Mexicans are powerful, strong, resilient and all of those things

Digging Deeper: Reflection Questions

In true New Mexico fashion, we invite you to a sobremesa — a traditional space for conversation and sharing, gathered around a table of your choice.

This conversation is an invitation.

There are no right answers — just stories, reflections and listening.

If you can, pass something around the table (a napkin, a candle, a sopapilla).

Whoever holds it speaks.

Ask around the table:

  • What job, mentor, teacher or opportunity helped change the direction of your life?

  • What makes work feel meaningful beyond earning a paycheck?

Ask around the table:

  • What barriers make it harder for people to reach their potential, even when they have talent and determination?

     

  • Can you think of a time when financial support, education or encouragement helped you move forward?

Ask around the table:

  • When you imagine New Mexico 20 years from now, what do you hope has changed for families and communities?

     

  • What investments in people, education or opportunity have the greatest potential to create lasting change?

     

  • What gives you hope about New Mexico’s future?

Episode Guests

Mary Ulrich

Executive Director of Workforce and Community Engagement, Doña Ana Community College

Mary Ulrich is executive director of the Division of Workforce and Community Engagement at Doña Ana Community College, where she leads initiatives that connect education, workforce development and economic mobility across southern New Mexico. She is passionate about helping learners discover pathways to meaningful careers by removing barriers to education and creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds to succeed. Ulrich has championed innovative programs including the Personal and Career Discovery course, which combines career exploration, financial literacy and individualized support to help learners build family-sustaining careers. She also helped launch DACC’s Career and Life Skills Academy, expanding postsecondary and workforce opportunities for neurodiverse students. Her work focuses on creating accessible pathways for first-generation students, English learners, veterans, people with disabilities and other underserved populations while strengthening the region’s workforce and economy.

Dr. Terra V. Winter

President and CEO, Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico

Terra V. Winter is president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, where she leads efforts to grow philanthropy and strengthen communities across the region. A lifelong New Mexico resident, she believes lasting community change happens when nonprofits, businesses, donors and public institutions work together toward shared goals. Winter brings more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising and community engagement. Before joining the Community Foundation, she held senior development positions with the New Mexico State University Foundation and Mesilla Valley Hospice, leading major fundraising initiatives and strategic partnerships. She is recognized for building collaborative partnerships that expand charitable giving, strengthen nonprofit organizations and help communities respond to emerging challenges while investing in long-term opportunities for children, families and the future of southern New Mexico.

Teresa Madrid

Executive Director, Partnership for Community Action

Teresa Madrid is executive director of Partnership for Community Action, where she advances economic equity and early childhood education through community-led advocacy, leadership development and systems change. Her commitment to grassroots organizing began in New Mexico’s historic Agua Fria Village, where family and neighborhood traditions shaped her belief that lasting change begins with strong relationships. Before joining Partnership for Community Action, Madrid worked in public health and community engagement, earning a master’s degree in Public Health Genetics from the University of Washington and mentoring young people through Albuquerque’s Teen Science Café. Since joining PCA in 2022, she has helped lead statewide efforts supporting early childhood education, family economic mobility and policies that expand opportunity for New Mexico families. Her leadership centers on listening to communities, building partnerships and creating solutions shaped by the people most affected.

Logan Howard

Logan Howard

Director of Community Impact and Public Policy, Families and Youth Innovations Plus

Logan Howard is director of community impact and public policy at Families and Youth Innovations Plus, where he leads initiatives that strengthen behavioral health systems and expand economic opportunity across southern New Mexico. Guided by a belief that lasting change begins with strong communities and responsive public policy, he works with nonprofit leaders, policymakers and local partners to address complex social challenges through collaboration and innovation. Howard oversees regional systems change initiatives focused on behavioral health, community violence reduction and economic mobility while helping shape statewide public policy efforts. He also serves as an adjunct instructor in New Mexico State University’s School of Social Work, preparing future social workers to lead with compassion and purpose. His work is driven by a commitment to building stronger systems of care that help individuals, families and communities thrive.

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Episode Partners

CommunityFoundationofSouthernNewMexico
Partnership for Community Action
Families and Youth Innovations Plus
Dona Ana Community College

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