Meet the Staff

Linda Atkinson
Executive Director
Linda has been active in DWI prevention since she began as a volunteer in 1987. She is the co-founder and the Executive Director of the DWI Resource Center and Victims Rights Project. As one of the foremost experts on the DWI issues in New Mexico, she has held two Governor-appointed positions and published a community guide on DWI prevention. In 1994 she conducted and subsequently published a study (the Metro Court Project) on DWI dismissals and missing disposition information. Ms. Atkinson is involved in public policy and legislative advocacy, victim advocacy training court monitors, and also serves as a technical consultant to local businesses regarding workplace DWI, alcohol and drug abuse prevention.

Valerie Arbogast
Office Manager/Bookeeper
Valerie received her B.A. from the University of New Mexico and has worked as an office manager/bookkeeper for the last 10 years. While furthering her education at TVI she volunteered for the DWI Resource Center's service learning program as a court monitor. A few months later she became one of the Center's newest staff members.

Rick Sandoval
DWI Project Manager
Rick Sandoval graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1992 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Rick has worked in the criminal justice system, public education, private non-profit and the private sector for the past nineteen years. He is an Advisory Board member of the Albuquerque Police Department’s Party Patrol and works closely with law enforcement to provide data and resource allocation tools to reduce DWI death and injury. Rick has a strong commitment to improving the quality of life for New Mexico.

Barbara Romo
Lead Project Attorney, NM Victims' Rights Project
Barbara Romo is currently the Lead Project attorney for the New Mexico Victims Rights Legal Assistance project – providing services statewide and based in Albuquerque, NM.Ms. Romo was formerly a Deputy District Attorney in the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and headed up the Crimes Against Children Unit in that office. She graduated from the University of Nebraska Law School, receiving her J.D. “with distinction” in 1995. In her twelve years as a prosecutor, she prosecuted every type of felony including over 75 jury trials. Since 2002, she exclusively prosecuted felony crimes against children and homicide cases. She formerly served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Prosecutor’s Section of the New Mexico State Bar Association.

Abigail Rodges
Victim Advocate, NM Victims' Rights Project
Abigail Rodges is currently the Victims Advocate for the New Mexico Victims Rights Project. She was formerly a Paralegal and Intake Specialist for Ron Bell and Associates, assisting victims with various personal injury and DWI claims for several years. She graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1994 with a Bachelors Degree in Legal History and Minor in Criminal Justice. She joined the Victims Rights project in February 2009.

Contractors

Thomas Beretich
Data Analyst
Thomas received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from NCSU, and holds an MBA from Tulane. He comes to the Center with a broad background in international marketing and data analysis, specializing in data-modeling and GIS mapping. Prior to joining the Center, Thomas worked in Italy and Croatia before returning to the United States and serving as a Vice-President of Strategic Marketing at the Hartford Insurance Company in Conneticut. He is fluent in Italian, French, Croatian and English.

Volunteers

The Center utilizes volunteers and student interns. The Center is a service learning agency for the Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). All programs and services are provided by the Center's Staff (listed above) and volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering for the DWI Resource Center or the New Mexico Victims' Rights Project, please email us at info@dwiresourcecenter.org.