Community and Scientific Advisory Committee
The Community and Scientific Advisory Committee (CSAC) is the same as the AASTEC Executive Council. The CSAC and Executive Council is comprised of representatives from the nine Indian Health Service (IHS) service units within Albuquerque Area and one representative each from the AAIHB and the All Indian Pueblo Council (AIPC). In addition a University of New Mexico Faculty member sits on the CSAC. The CSAC/Executive Council members include:
Bennie Cohoe (Navajo) serves as the Albuquerque Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center Executive Council Chairman and represents the Zuni/Ramah Service Unit. Mr. Cohoe also serves as the Executive Director of the Ramah Navajo School Board.
Carleton Albert Sr. (Zuni Pueblo) represents the Zuni/Ramah Service Unit. Mr. Albert also represents the All Indian Pueblo Council Health Council on the CSAC and the Albuquerque Area on the national Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee for the Indian Health Service.
Marjorie Borst (Southern Ute) represents the Southern Colorado Service Unit. She is a former Southern Ute Tribal Council Member.
Rosario Olivera, represents the Ysleta del Sur Service Unit and serves as the Director of the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Community Health Center.
Councilman Gary Hayes (Ute Mountain Ute) is the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Chairman and represents the Southern Colorado Service Unit. Chairman Hayes is a member of the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Board of Directors.
Edna Kidwell (Laguna Pueblo) represents the Acoma-Canoncito-Laguna Service Unit. Ms. Kidwell is a registered nurse and serves on the ACL Health Board.
Venus Montoya-Felter (Nambe Pueblo) is one of several Santa Clara Health Board members who have attended Executive Council meetings representing Santa Fe Service Unit tribes.
Michelle Gomez, M.S. (Jicarilla Apache) and Derwin Velarde, share CSAC responsibilities and serve as representatives for the Jicarilla Service Unit. Ms. Gomez is the Director of the Jicarilla Community Health and Fitness Center and is a member of the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Board of Directors. Mr. Velarde works with the Jicarilla Health and Wellness Department.
Pam Cordova (Mescalero Apache) represents the Mescalero Service Unit. Ms. Cordova is a Mescalero Apache Tribal councilwoman.
Pat Renfro represents the Albuquerque Service Unit and serves as Director of the Health Clinic at Alamo Navajo.
Scott Apachito (Tóhajiilee) serves as the Alamo Navajo representative for the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board and represents the AAIHB on the CSAC.
Linda Yardley (Taos Pueblo) represents the Taos/Picuris Service Unit and serves as the Vice-Chair to the Taos/Picuris Health Board.
Charles Wiggins, PhD, became the Principal Investigator of the New Mexico Tumor Registry in August 2003. Dr. Wiggins earned his PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, and most recently, he served as the Medical Director of the Utah Cancer Registry in Salt Lake City, UT. Dr. Wiggins has previous experience with the NMTR; he was a research assistant and epidemiologist before becoming the Medical Director of the Utah Registry.