ABOUT
Heading Home
OUR VISION
A community where every person has a home, support is readily available, and everyone belongs.
Our Mission
To empower individuals experiencing homelessness through compassionate outreach, comprehensive support services, and community partnerships, creating pathways to stable housing and the opportunity to thrive.
MEET OUR TEAM
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Executive Team
Connie Chavez
Chief Executive Officer
Debbie Brickman
Chief Financial Officer
Melissa Kaminsky
Director of Operations
Patricia Gonzales
Director of Human Resources
Program Directors
Arias Foster
Program Director
Albuquerque Opportunity Center
Dorothee Otero
Program Director
Housing
Marlene Cabrera
Program Manager
StreetConnect
Robert Houtman
Program Director
Gateway Medical Respite
“Bug” Carlson
Program Director
SOAR
Kat Sotelo
Program Director
JobConnect
Ken Jones - Board Chair
Ken Jones has been on the Board of Heading Home off and on since 2006. A retired commercial banker, Ken lives with his wife Patty of nearly forty-four years. His personal interests include hiking, hunting, fishing, gardening and finding mushrooms in the mountains near his home. In addition to his work at Heading Home, Ken is also involved in environmental stewardship efforts through New Mexico Wild and the La Mesa Presbyterian Church. Ken is proud to be affiliated with Heading Home and believes that housing should be available to all. He feels strongly that the work of the professional and caring Heading Home employees helps to promote a more compassionate and just society.
Tony Weaver - Vice President
Tony Weaver is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in behavioral health, homelessness, and housing services. Currently a New Mexico resident, he remotely serves as the Vice President of Clinical and Housing Services at Wayfinder Family Services in Los Angeles, CA. In this role since May 2022, Tony has been instrumental in developing and implementing strategic initiatives, including new program development serving unaccompanied minors and child-welfare involved families. Prior to his current position, Tony held several key roles at St. Anne’s in Los Angeles, including Vice President of Housing Programs and Director of Supportive Housing Programs. Tony holds a Master of Social Work from Hunter College, City University of New York, and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of North Alabama. His is licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in both California and New Mexico. In his personal time, he has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and currently volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) with New Mexico Kids Matter. Tony is dedicated to leveraging his extensive experience to make a positive impact on Albuquerque’s unhoused population and advancing the mission of Heading Home.
Michael Bowen - Secretary
Marcus Albonico - Treasurer
Marcus Albonico is a product designer, engineer, and business owner who believes in developing a deep understanding of problems, creative thinking about solutions, and collaborative approaches to implementation. He is a BernCo native (with a decade hiatus while living and working in the Bay Area) who cares deeply about Albuquerque and its surrounding communities. Marcus is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Heading Home Board alongside a dedicated group of peers, in support of the phenomenal team working tirelessly to house and uplift clients throughout Albuquerque.
Lesley Nash - Member
Lesley Nash is a local attorney who joined the Heading Home Board in 2021. She is from Chicago, but has lived in Albuquerque for 15 years and loves the land and people of New Mexico. She serves on the Board because she believes that housing is a human right and that the work being done at Heading Home is critical in our community.
Christina Pacheco - Member
Christina Pacheco is the Director of Business Development at Haven Behavioral Hospital, and she has worked as a social worker for over a decade in various fields supporting families across New Mexico. Her journey in behavioral health has been shaped by a deep passion for community wellness and a commitment to bridging the gaps in mental health and homelessness services. When she isn’t working, you can find her traveling, exploring new places, or spending time with her dog. She believes in the power of connection – both personally and professionally – and she is proud to be part of a mission that uplifts lives and strengthens communities.
Nicholas Hamm - Member
Ken Jones - Board Chair
Ken Jones has been on the Board of Heading Home off and on since 2006. A retired commercial banker, Ken lives with his wife Patty of nearly forty-four years. His personal interests include hiking, hunting, fishing, gardening and finding mushrooms in the mountains near his home. In addition to his work at Heading Home, Ken is also involved in environmental stewardship efforts through New Mexico Wild and the La Mesa Presbyterian Church. Ken is proud to be affiliated with Heading Home and believes that housing should be available to all. He feels strongly that the work of the professional and caring Heading Home employees helps to promote a more compassionate and just society.
Tony Weaver - Vice President
Tony Weaver is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in behavioral health, homelessness, and housing services. Currently a New Mexico resident, he remotely serves as the Vice President of Clinical and Housing Services at Wayfinder Family Services in Los Angeles, CA. In this role since May 2022, Tony has been instrumental in developing and implementing strategic initiatives, including new program development serving unaccompanied minors and child-welfare involved families. Prior to his current position, Tony held several key roles at St. Anne’s in Los Angeles, including Vice President of Housing Programs and Director of Supportive Housing Programs. Tony holds a Master of Social Work from Hunter College, City University of New York, and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of North Alabama. His is licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in both California and New Mexico. In his personal time, he has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and currently volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) with New Mexico Kids Matter. Tony is dedicated to leveraging his extensive experience to make a positive impact on Albuquerque’s unhoused population and advancing the mission of Heading Home.
Michael Bowen - Secretary
Marcus Albonico - Treasurer
Marcus Albonico is a product designer, engineer, and business owner who believes in developing a deep understanding of problems, creative thinking about solutions, and collaborative approaches to implementation. He is a BernCo native (with a decade hiatus while living and working in the Bay Area) who cares deeply about Albuquerque and its surrounding communities. Marcus is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Heading Home Board alongside a dedicated group of peers, in support of the phenomenal team working tirelessly to house and uplift clients throughout Albuquerque.
Lesley Nash - Member
Lesley Nash is a local attorney who joined the Heading Home Board in 2021. She is from Chicago, but has lived in Albuquerque for 15 years and loves the land and people of New Mexico. She serves on the Board because she believes that housing is a human right and that the work being done at Heading Home is critical in our community.
Christina Pacheco - Member
Christina Pacheco is the Director of Business Development at Haven Behavioral Hospital, and she has worked as a social worker for over a decade in various fields supporting families across New Mexico. Her journey in behavioral health has been shaped by a deep passion for community wellness and a commitment to bridging the gaps in mental health and homelessness services. When she isn’t working, you can find her traveling, exploring new places, or spending time with her dog. She believes in the power of connection – both personally and professionally – and she is proud to be part of a mission that uplifts lives and strengthens communities.
Join OUR Team
We’re on a mission to reduce homelessness and empower individuals to build stable lives. We need your help to make a positive difference in our community. Apply now and become a part of something bigger. Together, we can shape a better future.
We have the following positions open. Select the APPLY NOW button for more information about each position.
– Case Manager
– Program Manager
– Social Services Assistant
2025-2030 Strategic Plan
Over the past two years, Heading Home has made significant progress in stabilizing its finances and programs. The board of directors, with input from Heading Home staff, developed a new five-year strategic plan providing a framework for agency growth that capitalizes on the changes that have already begun.
The strategic plan refocuses on the agency’s roots and what it has done best over the past 20 plus years – shelter, support services, and housing.
Housing
Development
- Obtain an Affordable
Housing Development
Organization (AHDO) designation - Eligibility for Low
Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) - Identify property to build
- 30-50 units owned by Heading Home
- AHDO with 60+ units
AOC Impact
- Full utilization of the Albuquerque Opportunity Center
- Expand client served eligibility
- Expand services
and hours of service - Upgrade facility
- Include services
for women - Operate 24/7
Programming
and Funding
- Build robust processes to assess programmatic quantitative impacts
- Increase agility to diversify and expand resilient funding sources
- Additional shelter for sub populations – i.e. seniors
- Quality wraparound services
Organization
- Create cohesive staff and culture
- Increase compensation
- Improve program metrics
- Expand and diversify board members
- Employer of choice
- Diverse, strong, connected Board
Health
- Ensure annual clean audits
- Capitalization of agency
- Maintaining operating reserves
- Diverse funding between funders and contracts
- Fleet of vehicles and well-maintained facilities
the Table
- Greater involvement in legislative policy discussions at various levels of influence
- Increased advocacy at local and state levels
- Voice for clients and community
Heading Home Board meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month at 11 a.m. at the Annex main office.