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YCC Commission and Public Meetings

  1. New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps
  2. YCC Commission and Public Meetings

Meet the NMYCC Commission

The YCC is governed by a nine member commission. Five commissioners are appointed by the Governor and four are state agency designees. The Commission meets quarterly or as needed. All meetings conform to the Open Meetings Act.

Next Commission Meeting: Tuesday, June 18 at 9:30 am, location to be announced. Members of the public may attend virtually. Final agenda, location and how to join online will be posted by Thursday, June 13, 2024. 

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Amanda Getchell Stevenson, Commission Chair & Governor Appointee – Amanda is a New Mexico native, who graduated from the New Mexico State University Journalism and Communications Department. Amanda is a Director of Marketing of Terra Vera, a New Mexico-based Agriculture Technology company with a focus on sustainability.  She is an expert on social media strategy, compliance, and community management for various industries.

Carmen Austin, Vice-Chair and Governor Appointee –Carmen is Diné (Navajo Nation) from northern Arizona. She is the Climate Change Specialist for the New Mexico Forestry Division where she is responsible for implementing strategies of the Forest Action Plan that incorporate climate change science and adaptation and mitigation measures into forestry practices. She collaborates with private forest landowners on watershed protection. Previously she was the Woody Biomass Program Manager in Santa Fe and the District Forester on the Las Vegas District. Carmen also served as YCC Interim Director in 2019.  She is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, School of Forestry and lives in Glorieta Pass with retired NM State Park Ranger Rick.

Alicia Littlebear, Governor Appointee – Alicia Littlebear is from Tamaya (Santa Ana Pueblo), Mvskoke Creek, Absentee Shawnee, and Euchee Nations. She has resided in New Mexico her whole life. Alicia believes we can connect back to the land by running. She has been a part of Bears Ears Prayer Run Alliance, Run to Chaco and other prayer runs to protect, pray, and bring awareness to these sacred sites. She is happy to serve on the YCC Board.

Marlene Yanez, Governor Appointee – Marlene is a Fronteriza, a woman from the border, and good food advocate who lives in Sunland Park, NM. She has worked in the non-profit sector for over a decade and currently works at La Semilla Food Center as a Program Director for the Community Education Program. Her work endeavors to create innovative and culturally inclusive food justice programs for youth and adults in the Paso del Region in Dona Ana County and El Paso, TX.

Ron Hannan, Governor Appointee – Ron received a formal education in natural resource management from Ohio State and Utah State Universities, providing the background for a satisfying 31 1/2 year careeer with the US Forest Service. As a child, he gained an informal outdoor education by roaming the hills and woodlots of south-central Ohio. Ron spent a summer on a YCC crew improving many Ohio State Parks. His crew ranged from Cleveland inner-city youth to Appalachian farm kids. His YCC experience helped him develop leadership and personal relationship skills, and guided him to pursue his education and career choices in natural resources. He is honored to be part of providing these same opportunities to the youth of New Mexico.

Cassie Ruiz, Children, Youth and Families Department Designee –Cassie has worked with Children, Youth and Families Department for seven years, both with Protective Services and Juvenile Justice. She is currently a Transition Services Coordinator with Juvenile Justice and is based in Carlsbad. She has worked with youth in various capacities the majority of her adulthood. She practices and teaches yoga and runs, hikes, and paddle boards all over New Mexico.

Dana Vackar Strang, State Land Office Designee –Dana oversees the Surface Resources Division which manages watershed health, site remediation, illegal dumping, biological and cultural resources, investigations and compliance across 9 million acres of state trust land. The Division also manages over 3,500 active agricultural leases. She was Director of Education for Audubon New Mexico and the Randall Davey Audubon Center for six years. She is a former President and board member of the Environmental Education Association of New Mexico, a former Chair of the Youth Conservation Corps Commission, and is the statewide coordinator and teacher trainer for the national Leopold Education Project (LEP). She has a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College and an M.A. from the University of New Mexico in Parks, Recreation and Environmental Education.Dana is a mother and wife, and enjoys horses, birding, hiking, and mountain biking.

Meeting Minutes

 

       

2023

March 30, 2023

June 22, 2023

2022

December 13, 2022

November 3, 2022

April 12, 2022

2021

July 22, 2021

January 5, 2021

April 22, 2021

2020

August 21, 2020

June 26, 2020

May 13, 2020

January 17, 2020

2018

November 15, 2018

July 19, 2018

January 4, 2018

                                                                                            Back to top

2017

October 30, 2017

August 30, 2017

March 30, 2017

2019

December 3, 2019

November 22, 2019

October 18, 2019

September 13, 2019

August 16, 2019

June 14, 2019

May 16, 2019

March 28, 2019

March 7, 2019

2016

November 9, 2016

August 10, 2016

February 25, 2016