Christie Baca
NMDHA President 2024-2025
"Team Work"
President's Message
I have been a dental hygienist for 33 years. My career as a hygienist incudes locations such as Mora, Las Vegas, Santa Fe , Albuquerque, and now my current employment in Tijeras, NM. I was a successful collaborative hygienist in Santa Fe and Las Vegas and co-owned a dental practice for over 20 years.
I have a loving and supportive family with 6 children , 4 grandkids and one more on the way. My husband Alex and I have a saying, “Better Together” or in other words, teamwork. The words “team work” were also a constant when I coached cheer leaders in the past and the words still hold true as I serve as your NMDHA President.
As your president for 2024-2025, I am committed to listening to your concerns as well as helping you achieve your goals. Building a strong NM dental hygiene team will enhance our ability to be the loudest voice at the highest levels. Together, our combined efforts will build momentum for the future.
I will work toward NMDHA’s mission statement of representing dental hygienists in continuing to improve the oral health of our community by being innovative in increasing access to quality oral healthcare. I will work toward our vision statement to elevate the dental hygiene profession by promoting education and expanding the opportunities for practice. For example, NMDHA supports ADHA’s goal of license portability for all states. During my term as president, I will focus on license portability in New Mexico and will also work with my colleagues in supporting legislation to expand the scope of practice for New Mexico-licensed dental hygienists.
As a team we will share new ideas and create opportunities for dental hygienists to get to know their colleagues. As your president, I will build on the past successes and lead from the middle, creating a favorable environment for dental hygienists to work together and make a difference, helping dental hygienists be their best selves and live their best lives.
Remember….. “Team work makes the dream work” .
Thank you and I look forward to an amazing year!
Christie Baca BSDH
The following is a list of the current Board of Trustees for the NMDHA. NMDHA represents the interests of over 1,300 dental hygienists in New Mexico. This board is elected in the fall of each year and serves a one-year term in most offices. The position of Secretary, Treasurer, and Delegate is a two-year commitment.
The Councils are appointed or re-appointed by the current President. If you are interested in serving your profession, please contact the current President. We are always happy to see new faces and get input on keeping our profession at the forefront of oral healthcare in New Mexico.
Questions or comments for any Board member can be directed to the President, who will forward your email to the intended Board member.
| President | Christie Baca |
|---|---|
| Immediate Past-president | Jaimie Meihaus |
| Vice-president | Andrew Margarit |
| Secretary | Marcella Naranjo |
| Treasurer | Lexy Maurer |
| President Elect |
Lindsey Lee |
| Delegate Chair | Janaya Bunker |
|---|---|
| Delegate | Jaimie Meihaus |
| Alternate Delegate | Christie Baca |
| High Desert | Cathy Sovereign |
|---|---|
| Southern | Jody Doyle |
| Tres Rios | Valoree Althoff |
| ADHA District IX Director | Joanna Allaire |
| Administration | Jaimie Meihaus |
|---|---|
| Education and Research | Kayla Gallegos |
| General Membership Meetings | Mary Kaye Vigil |
| Member Services | Justine Ponce |
| Public Relations | Jaimie Meihaus |
| Regulation and Practice | Barbara Posler |
| Nominating Committee | Kayla Gallegos |
| Committee Member | Vacant |
|---|
Regulation & Practice Committee
| Committee Member | Kelly Valdez-Ayres |
|---|---|
| Committee Member | Cathy Sovereign |
Nominating Committee
| Committee Member | vacant |
|---|---|
| Committee Member | vacant |
| Committee Member | vacant |
| Newsletter/E-news | Kelly Valdez-Ayres |
|---|---|
| Social Media Manager | Cindy Vigil |
| Website Manager | Cindy Vigil |
| Committee Member | vacant |
| Committee Member | Barbara Poser |
|---|---|
| Committee Member | vacant |
| HYPAC Chair | Sandy Johnston |
|---|---|
| HYPAC Treasurer | Valoree Althoff |
| HYPAC Director | Angela Cook |
| HYPAC Director | vacant |
| HYPAC Director | vacant |
| NMDHA ADHA IOH Liaison | Kelly Valdez-Ayres |
| Parliamentarian | Barbara Posler |
| Volunteer Coordinator | Kitty Rivera |
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To represent dental hygienists in continuing to improve the oral health of our community by being innovative in increasing access to quality oral healthcare.
To elevate the dental hygiene profession by promoting education, expanding the opportunities for practice, and enhancing access to quality oral healthcare.