Meet Our Team

Brittany Defeo (she/her)

Program Director

Samantha Ellingsen (she/her)

Donor Engagement Manager

I was born and raised in Albuquerque NM and graduated from New Mexico Highlands University's Social Work Program in 2016. I am a single parent to an 11 year old daughter who lives full time with me in Albuquerque. I have been working with this organization since 2015 in many different roles while simultaneously building our abortion fund to what it is now. My degree in Social Work has given me many opportunities to work closely with community organizations such as EQNM and NM NASW. I also interned for Senator Ortiz Y Pino. My catholic upbringing, love for community, and passion for social justice has helped me grow into the person and advocate I am today. 

Hi! My name is Samantha, and I am the Donor Engagement Manager at Faith Roots Reproductive Action. I have lived in Albuquerque since 2006, and having moved frequently  for most of my childhood, it is so nice to have a place to call home.  I am blessed with  two boys, ages 6 and 10.  I graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2014 with a dual license in General and Special Education. While this position is unlike any other job that I’ve  had, my passion has always been to help people  and I feel this is the perfect fit for me.  My strong faith is what got me to this point, and my passion is what continues to  help me succeed! I look forward to getting to know all the beautiful faces I am sure to encounter  with this organization and within this movement. “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation...” -Audre Lorde  

Mónica Girón (she/her/ella)

Bilingual Case Manager Lead

Mónica (نادرة) is a Mexican-Palestinian liberation advocate born and raised on the US/Mexico border. She advocates by bringing to light our interconnected struggles in the border region, Palestine and abortion rights. She's also an artist who creates as an act of resistance and to process the injustice of being part of the Palestinian diaspora. In her free time, she's either gardening, bird watching or working on her tiny house.  

 

Las Cruces Community Engagement Manager (they/she)

Our Las Cruces Community Engagement Manager has been advocating and educating around abortion for over ten years. They are passionate about expanding the options for quality health care in ways that align with personal beliefs and values. She sees integrated community care and increasing body literacy and autonomy as a way to collective liberation. They enjoy connecting with the plants and birds of Southern New Mexico and the smell of creosote after the rain.

 

Noël Lum (she/they)

Public Relations Manager

noël is a mother, organizer, and cultural care worker with a devotion to protecting self-determination. Supporting Faith Roots with media relations and narrative shift, she believes in mindful communication as a means of realizing collective liberation. noël earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Washington where their studies focused on the intersections of health, environment, internationalism, colonial resistance, and social justice. She brings expertise in base-building and political education from years organizing for food sovereignty, trade justice and workers’ rights, and currently co-facilitates community-building opportunities for people of color in northern New Mexico. Woven into their labor is an underlying intention towards the paths of service, truth, compassion, forgiveness, simplicity and nonviolence. Media & collaborative inquiries can be directed to noel@faithrootsrepro.org  

 

Janeth Orozco (she/her/ella)

Communications Director

Janeth is the Communications Director at Faith Roots Reproductive Action. She is a proud Mexican American with immigrant parents from Chihuahua and Zacatecas, Mexico. She is a native Spanish speaker, and was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Spanish. Janeth developed a passion for social justice growing up, witnessing her parents’ struggles as undocumented immigrants and having a disabled brother eight years younger than her. These experiences opened her eyes to social injustice early on and inspired her to drive change.

 

Joan Lamunyon Sanford (she/her)

Executive Director

Joan Lamunyon Sanford is the executive director of Faith Roots Reproductive Action. Joan was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in education and worked as a teacher for 15 years prior to her work with Faith Roots. Joan grew up in the Methodist church and first heard about Faith Roots Reproductive Action back when it was the New Mexico Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (NM RCRC) from the Methodist Church in Downtown Albuquerque women’s circle. Joan started as a phone bank volunteer and her passion and commitment to reproductive justice is what led her to become the executive director and expand the organization’s impact. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her partner of over 25 years and is the parent of three adult children and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. She has won several awards at the local GLSEN queer bake-off fundraiser. 

 

Stephanie Tarin (she/her)

Operations Manager

Stephanie Tarin is a dynamic guest experience professional with a proven track record in optimizing operations across diverse hospitality sectors, ranging from fine dining to high-volume nightclubs to community-driven events. A skilled manager, she excels in identifying operational deficiencies and implementing innovative standards to drive success. As the Operations Manager for Faith Roots Reproductive Action, she is excited to bring her spirit of hospitality to her team and community. 
 
Having relocated to Albuquerque in 2019, Stephanie is a dedicated learner, currently pursuing her BBA at UNM Anderson School of Management and an alumnus of CNM Culinary Arts Program. With a belief in the enriching power of travel and exposure to diverse cultures, she brings a unique perspective to her professional endeavors.