BOARD OF DIRECTORS- Executive Committee

Danielle Cossett, LCSW, CPC is a clinical social worker with over 30 years’ experience working with adults, youth and families in a variety of settings. She is a graduate of Smith College School for Social Work (1990), a Nurtured Heart Approach® Advanced Trainer (2008) and a Certified Parent Coach (2010). She most recently worked as the Clinical Director at New Mexico Solutions, a Community Mental Health Center in Albuquerque/Santa Fe, from 2005-2021 building and supervising a strong clinical team, and is now the Division Director for CYFD-Behavioral Health Services since January 2021. She takes a developmental, humanistic approach in the treatment of trauma, addiction, grief & loss, parenting, as well as clinical supervision.

Danielle is committed to the field of social work and enjoys mentoring and training clinical staff, at all levels, to find compassion in their work with vulnerable people using a clinically informed, person-centered framework. She has a solid understanding of policy and systems, provides the New Mexico Social Work Board-approved training on Clinical Social Work Supervision and now offers strong leadership as the President on NASW-NM’s Board of Directors

I am a licensed clinical social worker in both New Mexico and California and have recently relocated back to Albuquerque. I have over twenty years’ experience working with social service agencies in various capacities and received my MSW in 2015. In my prior time with NASW-NM, I was an MSW intern, Student Board Representative (NMSU), past member of the Legislative Issues Committee, and previous Co-chair of the Supervision Sub-committee, all of which helped provide me with a good understanding of NASW-NM’s mission and operations. I am currently in the process of establishing my private practice here in Albuquerque, where my focus will continue to be providing services to parents and children in child welfare cases in order to support successful family reunification. From my time supporting adults on the DD Waiver, promoting reproductive rights with Planned Parenthood, joining NASW to provide advocacy and transparency during New Mexico’s Behavioral Health Crisis, to spending the last several years advocating for families in the child welfare system through the development of the New Mexico Family Advocacy Program, I have spent my career committed to advancing rights and opportunities for underserved populations. I look forward to continued participation with NASW-NM and hope to use my skills and experience to advocate for the social work profession and the advancement of well-being in our community.

Jose Luis Valdiviezo, LCSW was born and raised in Southern New Mexico. Jose is a first-generation Mexican American whom is bilingual and a proud father of three boys. Jose graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice in 2004 from New Mexico State University (NMSU). Jose continued his education and received a Master’s of Social Work from NMSU in 2011. 

Jose has been honored in serving southern New Mexico populations in the field of behavioral health for over 20 years. More recently Jose has been serving his communities in Southern New Mexico, employed at a local Federally Qualified Health Center as the Senior Clinical Director at La Clinica De Familia, inc. for the past seven years where he has been working in an interdisciplinary team approach towards quality improvement processes, clinical supervision, patient care and operations of the organization. 

Jose is looking forward to collaborating with the NASW Board towards the continued professional development of social workers in New Mexico communities

My name is M. Vanessa Ragsdale, LCSW, ACSW and I joined NASW in 1982. I received my MSW from the Ohio State University. I am currently employed as a Social Worker at the Raymond G. Murphy Veterans Administration Medical Center, Albuquerque and work with homeless veterans in the HUD VASH Department. Previously, I worked for 20 plus years as a School Social Worker in St. Louis Missouri where I also held several other part time positions in my “spare time.” 

I have been a member of the New Mexico National Association for Social Workers since moving here from St. Louis, Missouri. My career has allowed me to experience a wide variety of rich opportunities where I have worked as a Clinical Social Worker, Medical Social Worker, School Social Worker, Residential Recovery Specialist and Military Family Life Counselor to name a few. In addition to the various positions I have held, during my career, I have also worked in various states with the first being in my native East Coast, the mid-west and now in my new western home state of New Mexico. I feel that having lived in various places has helped me to continue to grow in my understanding and empathy to the differences that we as social workers see in others who we have the honor to serve. In addition to my professional work life, I have also been privileged to have been chosen to serve in numerous leadership roles in a variety of civic, community and professional organizations.