Staff

Sandy Buffett, Executive Director

Sandy Buffett serves as our Executive Director. Sandy, who grew up in Albuquerque, previously worked for the International affairs office of the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C where she helped to build an international network of activists campaigning against environmentally destructive projects by multinational corporations in developing countries. She has consulted with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the World Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Environment Program (UNEP), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the Colorado College and a M.A. in International environmental policy from American University and speaks Japanese and French. Sandy serves on the Board of Directors of the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and served as an appointee of Governor Bill Richardson to the NM State Game & Fish Commission.

Leanne Leith, Political and Programs Director

Leanne Leith serves as our Political and Programs Director.  Leanne has worked in a variety of advocacy roles in different issue areas, but has dedicated most of her professional work to environmental advocacy.  Most recently, she served as the Environmental Program Advocate for New Mexico Public Interest Research Group (NMPIRG), where she led successful issue campaigns on water conservation and transfers of development rights for preservation of open space.  She has also worked collaboratively with other constituencies on issue campaigns for regulation of domestic wells, protection and restoration of the Rio Grande, and planned growth in Albuquerque.  Prior to coming to New Mexico in 2002, Leanne established a diverse coalition in support of watershed restoration efforts in a large urban/rural fringe community outside of Vancouver, British Columbia.  She also developed a successful pilot project for a municipal wildlife habitat strategy for urban/rural areas, working with federal and provincial government agencies, local governments, First Nations, and grassroots and community-based groups and individuals.  She graduated from the University of British Columbia with a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations, before pursuing graduate studies in Forestry and Conservation Biology at the University of Toronto.

Thomas Lawley, Business Administrator

Thomas is our Business Administrator. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Carbondale (CO) Council on Arts & Humanities (CCAH), as well as being the Director of the Carbondale Mountain Fair, a 3-day extravaganza of arts/crafts/music & international food. During his tenure of 17 years CCAH received the prestigious Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and the Carbondale Mountain Fair was selected as one of the top 200 Arts & Crafts Fairs in the U.S. Thomas has actively confronted and defeated proposals to build huge power lines and an enormous coal-fired power plant in Colorado. He also successfully worked to rein in the local electric cooperative’s plans to expand unneeded facilities in Delta County, CO.

Molly Brook, Global Warming Program Associate

Molly Brook is our "Heat Is On " Global Warming Program Associate . Previously, she was the Global Warming Program Associate for Environment New Mexico, where she worked to mobilize public and grasstops support for clean and renewable energy in New Mexico. During her time there, she also worked with local groups on urban sprawl issues, and directed a canvassing operation during the 2008 Presidential Election. Prior to coming to New Mexico in 2008, Molly received her Bachelors degree from the University of Minnesota in Geography with a concentration in Environmental Systems, and Sustainability. During her undergraduate studies, she also collaborated with several professors, organizations, and the City of Minneapolis conducting research on the public's attitudes and perceptions of environmental action to help shape the city's growing sustainability program. In her spare time, Molly enjoys camping, hiking and skiing.

Jennifer Biedscheid, President

Jennifer Biedscheid is an environmental scientist with 15 years of experience in consulting for private corporations in the areas of regulatory compliance; hazardous site cleanup; and waste management, transportation, characterization, and disposition.  She currently is an advisory engineer for the management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, managing the cleanup of small quantities of radioactive waste at numerous sites across the U.S. Jennifer is an active participant in national and international technical forums and has served as technical program chair, program committee member, peer reviewer, and associate editor for conferences and journals.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a Master of Science degree in environmental technology management.  Jennifer lives in Santa Fe, where she and her husband have renovated two historic adobe homes, and pursues interests such as hiking, gardening, running, and practicing yoga. Jennifer has strong personal core beliefs in the importance of environmental protection, education and appreciation. It is with these convictions that she aims to fulfill her commitment to CVNM.

John Wertheim, Vice-Pres & Treasurer

John Wertheim, former Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, has served on the Executive Committees of the Democratic National Committee and the Association of State Democratic Chairs. He has served as the NM Director of the Clinton for President campaign in 1992, Campaign Manager for Bruce King for Governor in 1994 and President of the Young Democrats of New Mexico from 1994 to 1996. He was the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives in 1996 in the 1st Congressional District-NM.

Mr. Wertheim is a practicing trial lawyer specializing in complex civil litigation including consumer protection, finance, securities and antitrust. Before becoming a lawyer,. Mr. Wertheim and a partner won the 1990 World Debating Championship at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. He has been a guest political commentator for KANW Public Radio, guest lecturer in ethics and politics at the University of New Mexico (Anderson School of Business and Department of Political Science) and the College of Santa Fe. He is a member of the State Bar of New Mexico, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, Sierra Club, the World Wildlife Federation and the League of Conservation Voters.

Michael B. Casaus, Director

A native of Silver City, New Mexico, Michael has been an environmental advocate, community organizer and scientific researcher for over two decades. He studied Biology and Anthropology at New Mexico State University and Cornell University, where his graduate research in Mexico and Venezuela investigated the current state of traditional botanical and medical knowledge in a globalized world. While at Cornell, Michael was a Gates Foundation Millennium Scholar, served on the Graduate School Minority Council and was President of the Latino/a Graduate Student Coalition. He has received numerous awards including the prestigious Anne Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany. He has a strong commitment to public service and currently serves as Co-chair of the Recuerda a César Chávez Committee and Board member of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center and Conservation Voters New Mexico. Michael has held key positions on several political campaigns and is the former Senior Field Organizing Manager with the Sierra Club. Michael is currently the New Mexico State Director for The Wilderness Society and resides in Albuquerque. On his spare time, he enjoys camping, backpacking, fishing and playing soccer.

Karen S. Mendenhall , Director

Karen Mendenhall is an attorney in private practice. Her practice includes class action litigation, employment matters, mediation, and litigating business disputes. She is also proud to work as a cooperating attorney for the New Mexico ACLU. She moved to New Mexico in 1997, after time in Austin and El Paso, Texas. Prior to her tenure in Texas, she lived in Washington, D.C., for 25 years, which probably goes a long way to explaining her keen interest in politics. Since 1998 she has been very involved in voter protection efforts, including developing a training program for poll watchers and challengers. Karen’s other prior non-profit efforts include grassroots organizing for Planned Parenthood and serving on the Board of the Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico. In addition to her law degree from the University of Texas, Karen earned a Master of Arts degree in communication. She lives in Albuquerque, where she looks after a small flock of urban chickens, a cat and a dog.

Seth T. Cohen, Director

Seth T. Cohen is currently an Assistant Attorney General in the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, where he focuses on environmental litigation. In this capacity, Seth served as lead counsel in the State’s successful challenge to the Clean Air Act permit issued by EPA for the proposed coal-fired power plant known as Desert Rock. Prior to his work for the State, Seth spent several years in private practice doing complex civil litigation, including a stint at Morrison & Foerster, a major international law firm based in San Francisco. Before becoming an attorney, Seth held a variety of positions in the public affairs arena, including working as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., and working for two successful congressional campaigns. Seth earned his BA at Amherst College and his JD at Stanford Law School. He lives in Santa Fe with his wife and daughter. Seth finds great satisfaction and solace in the natural world and is honored to have opportunities to work to protect it.

Chris Catechis, Director

Chris Catechis is a Senior Environmental Consultant to Sandia National Laboratories, specializing in both Environmental Restoration and Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Chris was instilled with a love of the natural environment and its conservation at a young age from participation in the Boy Scouts of America. Having grown up in Houston, Chris has seen first hand the effects of urban sprawl as Interstate 10 in Houston has gone from 6 lanes to a planned 24 lanes of traffic. Chris moved to Albuquerque in 1997 and has never looked back. He is a strong advocate for the preservation of open spaces and wildlife as being conducive to the human spirit. In the struggle for preservation of out natural spaces, Chris identifies best with David Brower who said “All our victories are temporary. All our defeats are permanent”.

Sarah Cottrell Propst, Director

Sarah Cottrell Propst is the founder of Propst Consulting, LLC, a firm specializing in energy and environmental policy. She has recently served as the Deputy Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department. Previously, she served as the Energy & Environmental Policy Advisor to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson from July 2006 until March 2010. She joined the Governor’s team after earning a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs with a concentration in Science, Technology & Environmental Policy. Before entering graduate school, she worked as a Research Fellow for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change in Arlington, VA. She graduated magna cum laude with Honors in Political Science from Davidson College, and studied abroad at University College Dublin. Past internships include President Clinton’s White House Climate Change Task Force and the Grand Canyon Trust.

Jennifer Marshall, Director

Jennifer Marshall is President of The Marshall Plan, a leading marketing and communications firm in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has worked on environmental and social justice issues throughout her 20 year career. In the 1990s she worked at the Smithsonian Institution for Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, a tropical biologist who helped shed light on deforestation in the Amazon and who initiated the debt-for-nature swap program. From 1999 to 2005, Marshall worked at the Department of Cultural Affairs creating the branding and marketing strategies for the New Mexico Museum of Art, Museum of International Folk Art, Palace of the Governors, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and the State Monuments. She was the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum from 2005 to 2007.

The Marshall Plan has effectively represented many organizations on communications and marketing strategies including the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, Trust for Public Land, Forest Guild, Keep Santa Fe Beautiful, New Energy Economy and the Nature Conservancy. Her front-line experience with the press has resulted in features in top media outlets including USA Today, Associated Press, Forbes, New York Times, “O” The Oprah Magazine, Town & Country, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Denver Post, CNN and ABC. Jennifer Marshall was raised in Florence, Italy, and completed her secondary education at The Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. She received her BA at Boston University and her MA at Georgetown University. www.jmarshallplan.com