Regional AREA CHAIRS

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Regina Gonzales, MSW, LCSW is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s degree in Social Work from New Mexico State University. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in social work at New Mexico State University. After completing her studies, she returned to her hometown in Northwest NM and has worked on and off the reservation for the last 24 years in the areas of protective services, developmental disabilities, school social work, clinical therapeutic work and case management in several areas, such as behavior health, justice, recovery and transition from medical setting. 

She is trained in trauma and crisis response as a trained EMDR provider and has focused on counseling first responders as a contracted provider. She also mentors Master-level social work candidates pursuing their clinical license. In addition, she is active in her community and has served in many roles, including President and Treasurer of the Community Pantry and Hope Garden, and presently participates in the Four Corners Community Consortium and McKinley County Health Alliance. She currently serves as co-chair in the NASW-NM Conference Planning Committee and is a member of the NASW-NM Indigenousness Committee. 

Throughout her career, Regina has leaned on the ethical principles of Social Workers as found in the NASW Code of Ethics. Service: Social worker’s primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems. Social Justice: Social workers challenge social injustice. Dignity and Worth of the Person: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person. Importance of Human Relationships: Social workers recognize the central importance of Human relationships. Integrity: Social Workers behave in a trustworthy manner. Competence: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise. 

 Vanessa was born and raised in Taos, NM. She was adopted at age 11 after being in foster care, living in a rural town in Northern New Mexico with limited resources. This led to her passion to pursue a career to help serve families and children and inspired her to become a social worker. Vanessa attended New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM, where she received a Bachelor of Political Science: Law Emphasis; a Bachelor of Social Work and went on to pursue a clinical graduate degree, Master of Social Work, where she graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors. Vanessa’s work experience is in the field of child welfare where she has served families for over 8 years. Vanessa’s approach as a social worker is very holistic and person-centered. Vanessa hopes to be an agent of change in her role as a social worker and in her community where she resides in Albuquerque, NM. 

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