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Executive Director
After twenty-five years of impressive growth and progress, the Faith Roots Reproductive Action Board of Directors announces that Executive Director Joan Lamunyon Sanford will be retiring early 2025, pending the successful search for a new Executive Director.
The Faith Roots Board is pleased that Joan will stay-on during the leadership transition as Senior Advisor, to ensure a smooth and effective transition of leadership and institutional knowledge by providing support as needed to the New Executive Director, that will enable Faith Roots to continue to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing and uncertain future of reproductive health rights and justice.
Delta Management Group, a woman-owned management company offering strategic solutions for professional associations and nonprofit organizations, will manage the search for the new Executive Director.
Born and raised in New Mexico, Joan attended New Mexico State University before she transferred to and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1984. She worked as an educator for fifteen years before serving as the fourth Executive Director and the first and only full-time non-volunteer Executive Director in the organization’s 46-year history.
During Joan’s 25-year tenure, Faith Root’s has expanded from a local, all volunteer education and advocacy organization to an essential abortion fund caring for thousands of abortion seekers across the country. Annual revenue grew to a projected $1.7 million, its team grew to eleven staff members. Faith Roots (as NM RCRC) led the efforts to organize clergy, lay leaders and congregations as part of the successful 2013 Respect Albuquerque Women campaign to defeat an abortion ban referendum in the city of Albuquerque. They repeated this success in 2021, leading the efforts to organize clergy, lay leaders and congregations when the NM legislature passed the Respect New Mexico Women and Families Act to repeal New Mexico’s 1969 abortion ban.
“Joan Lamunyon Sandford is a woman who has given everything of her wisdom, time and resources in the effort to get every New Mexican to treat all women with respect and dignity, and especially those who face decisions that affect how they will live the rest of their lives. She did it by her example, by her persuasive and factual presentations of the reasons to trust women’s decisions regarding their personal health care. She helped me become a more effective advocate for laws and conditions that will improve all people’s lives. I am forever grateful to her for her effective leadership, her sparkling enthusiasm, and her unending compassion for all humanity. Thank you, Joan, for the gifts you have given to us all throughout your whole career.”, Rev. Carl Boaz, Presbyterian(USA), retired.
“New Mexico is truly the beneficiary of the years Joan Lamunyon Sanford spent advocating for reproductive rights and healthcare justice. Joan played a significant role in making sure that women across New Mexico, and beyond, were the ones who remain in control of making the deeply personal decision about when to become a parent. Joan, you came into our lives, you succeeded, and now you are retiring. Best wishes to you as you enter the next chapter of your life.” Representative Pamelya Herndon, House District 28 – Albuquerque, NM.
Apply to be the next Executive Director at Faith Roots Reproductive Action! To be considered for this position, please send a resume and cover letter with the email subject “Faith Roots ED” to Carson Hounshell at admin@deltanewmexico.com, making sure to attach your documents as PDFs. Please note that Delta Management Group is assisting with the hiring process for this position, and the person hired to be the Executive Director will be an employee of Faith Roots and not Delta Management Group. Questions about the hiring process should be sent to admin@deltanewmexico.com; no phone calls to Faith Roots please.