RFK Charter School Board

President:  Mark Walch
mdwalch@aol.com

Mark received his BA from Williams college with a double major in Biology and Psychology.  He then taught for 2 years in a private high school and then received a MA in Counseling from Michigan State.  Mark has been involved in mental health treatment for over 40 years.  He has lived in NM for the last 35 years and been involved in many educational initiatives to improve the education of NM youth.  Mark’s primary intervention when working with clients is experiential and wilderness therapy.  He has built and facilitated several challenge programs ropes courses for APS, and initiated the first Experiential Training program for APS.  Mark has a variety of other professional interests and experiences including a Leader Mentor, professor, teacher/coach, Mental Game Coach, executive director of a not for profit organization, as well as many other community involvements ranging from business and industry and mental health work to alternative medical treatment.  He is excited to be a part of RFK’s mission and to be involved in a more effective educational program.

Vice President:  Angel Garcia
garciaangel@cabq.gov

Angel Garcia is the Social Services Manager for the City of Albuquerque’s Violence Intervention Program. It is a public health approach to reducing gun violence in our communities by providing resources to victim/offenders and their families. Angel understands the pain and suffering that people are dealing with and wants to help in anyway he can. After 20 + years as an active gang member in the streets of Los Angeles and 12 years of incarceration, Angel has now dedicated his life to saving lives by intervening in the vicious cycles of violence, some in our community experience. He’s using his negative past to foster positive futures.

Secretary: April Gallegos
gallegosa7@gmail.com

Treasurer: Sylvia A. McCleary
sylmccle@hotmail.com

Members:

Lawrence Barela
barela162@yahoo.com

Mr. Lawrence Barela is a native New Mexican from Albuquerque’s south valley.  He graduated from Rio Grande high school and then went to the University of New Mexico and earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and a Master of Science in environmental engineering.  He worked for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for 33 years and managed an annual budget of $56M and lead engineering activities at eight NNSA sites throughout the United States.  He retired in 2021.  His primary focus while working for NNSA was providing leadership and management of the Nation’s nuclear deterrent.  He has extensive experience working with senior military and civilians working highly complex technical and political issues with nuclear weapons.  His new focus is understanding how young adults learn and how he can help them on their learning journey. In his free time, he enjoys walking, fly fishing, building remote control airplanes, and snow skiing.

Michele Coleman
michele@nrguide.com

Michele is a Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with families who are raising youth that have experienced early childhood trauma. Michele is the Founder and CEO of Attachment Healing Center, an outpatient mental health clinic headquartered in Albuquerque. Michele has her Bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, with a major in Psychology. After a twenty-year career as a Business Manager in the Aerospace Industry she went back to school to pursue a Master’s Degree in Child and Human Development in order to become a Marriage and Family Therapist. Michele has served as a family therapist working with youth in the foster care system as well as in residential treatment. Through her agency Michele and her team have served youth and families in the Albuquerque Public School System for fifteen years. Michele is thrilled to be a part of the RFK Governance Council as she learns all that is needed to open her own elementary school serving youth with trauma in their backgrounds.

Carlos Caballero 
caballero4scc@gmail.com

If you would like to email all the RFKCS Council:
GCmembers@rfkcharter.netGC Angel Garcia is the Social Services Manager for the City of Albuquerque’s Violence Intervention Program. It is a public health approach to reducing gun violence in our communities by providing resources to victim/offenders and their families. Angel understands the pain and suffering that people are dealing with and wants to help in anyway he can. After 20 + years as an active gang member in the streets of Los Angeles and 12 years of incarceration, Angel has now dedicated his life to saving lives by intervening in the vicious cycles of violence, some in our community experience. He’s using his negative past to foster positive futures

Robert F. Kennedy Charter School Governance Council Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month.  The Governance Council meetings are held at 4:30pm at the Middle School. Parents and other stakeholders are welcome to attend.