NUEVALIGHT ENTERPRISES

VITA
for
W. Azul La Luz B.
December 2001

Ph.D. Student
University of New Mexico 604 Vassar Dr., SE
Department of Sociology Albuquerque, NM 87106-2930
Albuquerque, NM 87131 azul@unm.edu
(505) 277-2501 (505) 268-1084, 505-235-7275
http://www.unm.edu/~socdept/index.html http://www.unm.edu/~azul/Index.html

EDUCATION

Ph.D. (in progress): Sociology - Medical Sociology and Race and Ethnicity. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 2000 - present.
Principal Research Topics: Inter-generational Heroin Use: Mythology or Actuality. Latinas' epidemiological paradox of health outcomes. Mental health status of Latinas and Latinos in Enclaves.

Master of Arts: Sociology - Race and Ethnicity and Gender. Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois, 1996 - 1998. Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society.
Thesis: Latinas' Disproportionate Representation in United States Prison: A Culture of Protectiveness. Demonstrated a contradictory link between high risk factors for incarceration and disproportionately low numbers of Latinas in United States Prisons which indicated a cultural correlation as mediator.

Master of Arts: Geography - Urban and Regional Planning and Human Geography. Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois 1995 - 1997. Inducted into Gamma Theta Epsilon, National Geographic Honor Society.
Thesis: Public Administration As Represented By City and County Governments. The emphasis was on the landscape of professional management in public administration; its current practices and future development.

Bachelor of Arts - Board of Governor; concentrations: Administration, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Psychology 1995 - 1996. Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois.

Certificates

Bilateral Effects of NAFTA On México and the United State, Universidad Autonómica De Querétaro, Facultad de Contaduria y Administración, Querétaro, México
Contracting for Performance. National Alliance of Business, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Employment and Economic Development. National Alliance of Business, Lincoln, Nebraska
Basic Risk Management and Insurance. Public Risk Management Associations, Washington, D.C.
S.T.A.R. Probation, Parole, Police Training. San Diego Probation Department, California
IBM's AS400 and PC Connectivity. IBM, Moline, Illinois
Master tailor. New York Institute for Boys, West Coxsackie, New York.

PUBLISHED AND PRESENTED WRITINGS

The Epidemiological Paradox in Latinas, Low Rates of Low Birth Weight Births as Evidence: Or Confirmation of a Historical Contradiction. November 2001. Quantitative research paper demonstrating through nested pair regressing, and ethnography, that despite high risk factors - drug use, smoking, low SES, low educational attainment, low rates of health insurance, and high unemployment - in a comparison to European Americans and African Americans within the same risk pool, Latinas give birth to normal birth weight babies. The paper has been accepted for publication in the Sociology Graduate Student Association's "Southwest Working Paper Series."

The Cebolleta Land Grant, Cebolleta, New Mexico. June 2001. Qualitative, historical research paper which depicts the loss of land in New Mexico generally, and the Cebolleta Land grant in particular, by Native American and Mexican, through chicanery, deception and trickery. The paper was presented at the "Who Owns America Conference III," at the University of Wisconsin's Land Tenure Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Day JFK Died. November 23, 1993. A retrospective examination of the existential meaning of John Fitzgerald Kennedy's death to a young, ignorant, ghetto boy in prison, on the very day of the president's assassination. A guest editorial printed in the Davenport, Iowa, "Quad-City Times." It was also picked up by a number of other newspapers.

From My Side of the Hill. November 1990. An essay on the need to energize economic development through action research and multilateral political and community involvement and investment. Printed in "Developing: the Magazine of Economic Growth," v1(2).

Freedom. February 1978. A short story about a young boy's stint in solitary confinement - naked in a cell exposed to the wintery elements - in which insanity and freedom appear to be interchangeable realities explored through biological stimulii. Printed in "The JOVE Journal," San Diego, California."

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS Drug Users' Access to and Use of Treatment Services: Ethnographic Research.
The purpose of the research project is to provide the New Mexico (NM) Department of Health with ethnographic research that will examine the treatment-seeking behavior of illicit drug users in Rio Arriba County, NM. This will lead to in-depth description, analysis and policy recommendations to optimize drug users' access to, and use of, treatment services. The ethnographic research includes in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key informants and observations in the field. The Primary Investigator is Cathleen E. Willging, Ph.D. with the University of New Mexico Medical School, Division of Community Health.
There are two other important aspect to this research: 1, Rio Arriba County is reported to have the highest per capita rate of heroin overdoses of anywhere in the United States, and 2, Rio Arriba County is also reported to have, current and active, inter-generational heroin addiction amongst male family members. This appears to be a phenomenon unique to this area.

Epidemiological Contradiction in Latinas' Mental and Physical Health Outcomes.
        I am attempting to prove, or disprove, conclusively that the Epidemiological Paradox (EP) exist. The basic premise is that Latinas' are at similar, or greater, risk of poor mental and physical health outcomes as are other minority women in the United States, but Latinas appear to exhibit mental and physical health outcomes similar to, and in some cases such as depression and cancer, better than EuroAmerican women. In particularly, Latinas should evidence the same, or similar, outcomes as AfroAmerican women because Latinas have similar or lower socioeconomic status as AfroAmerican women, and both tend to be co-location and share similar settlement patterns. There is a great deal of literature for and against the existence of EP of Latina health outcomes.
        I am also exploring a newly created hypotheses based on historical materialism and collective medicine methodologies. This new hypothesis looks at the collective meaning of community status amongst Latinas vis a vis the EP, particularly in ethnic enclaves and unacculturated life situations. Viewed from the Latinas' communal status perspective the EP may be a moot point.
        I have generated two papers on the topic: one has been accepted for publication in this years Sociology Graduate Student Association's "Southwest Working Paper Series." The second paper is being edited for submission to a medical journal such as Lancet or JAMA. The research is currently unfunded.

Diversity Institute.
I am part of a group attempting create a research institute which would concentrate on Action Research methodologies. The first project is research to assist homeless women in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is our belief that, given the opportunity and appropriate tools, homeless women will design interventions that will assist them in permanently escaping the cycle of poverty. The specific research aims are to group think with homeless women in a self-directed approach facilitate by women for women . The current project is based on extensive research done by the Chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of New Mexico, Susan Tiano, Ph.D.

LISTING OF ALL RESEARCH PROJECTS
With Supervisor or Mentor 2000e. Successful Pregnancy Outcomes: Evidence the Epidemiological Paradox in Latinas. John M. Roberts, PhD., UNM.

2001d. Community Access Program, Evaluation Reseach. Summesr Kalishman, Ph.D., UNM Medical

2001c. The Epidemiological Contradiction in Latinas' Health Outcomes: Fact or Fiction? Howard Waitzkin, M.D., Ph.D. Celia Iriart
Ph.D. MPH

2001b. The Epidemiological Paradox in Latinas, Low Rates of Low Birth Weight Births as Evidence: Or Confirmation of a Historical
Contradiction. Ray Liedka, Ph.D., UNM.

2001a. The Cebolleta Land Grant, Cebolleta, New Mexico. Felipe Gonzales, Ph.D., UNM.

2000. Preventing HIV/AIDS: A Look at Latinas and Latinos. John Bock, Ph.D., UNM Medical

1998. Public Administration As Represented By City and County Governments. Siyoung Park, Ph.D., Western Illinois University (WIU).

1997. Latinas' Disproportionate Representation in United States Prison: A Culture of Protectiveness. Mary F. Radosh, Ph.D., WIU.

PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

I designed and implemented a self-esteem and customer relations training program designed specifically for the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico, entitled "The Citizen as Customer and Boss." The main trust of the program was to promote better interaction between line-staff and the citizenry by increasing the line-staffers sense of self-worth relative to their employment. Two departments that dealt directly with the public - Public Utilities and Customer Services - were trained in this manner.

Based on grounded research, I wrote the proposal, and created the curriculum for an employment training program (New Chances). The program was funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the auspices of the Taylor Street Residential Council of the Housing Authority of the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico. New Chances was predicated on the projected needs of the people involved, and prepared residents of the public housing development, primarily women, to transition from Welfare to self-sufficiency. At New Chances training was provided in mental health skills (self-esteem, active listening, dress for success, and financial management), Community First Aid and CPR, World of Work skills, and computer operations or state certified day care operations. Employment placement, monitoring, and followup were also provided: New Chances had an 85 percent success rate.

I created the project concept, and submitted a proposal to create a resident-own cooperative which would operate a child daycare facility. The project was funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the auspices of the Taylor Street Residential Council of the Housing Authority of the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico. When I left Las Cruces to begin the Ph.D. program the project was going out to bid.

I created "Project New Start," a data processing training and employment placement program for poor and minority people. The program was funded by the Federal Department of Labor and implemented in San Diego, California, and Lincoln, Nebraska.

I designed and created the first Risk Management and Insurance Program for Woodbury County, Iowa. As the County's first Administrator, I proposed a complete overhaul of the risk the county transferred to underwriters and reinsurance markets. I designed a program where the county would retain much of the risk and cover it in a self-insurance pool, and underwrite the larger ricks directly through reinsurance sources. When I left, the program had been successfully in place for two years.

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

Instructor
Starting in 1997, I have experience in curriculum development and classroom teaching. I have taught for the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM), New Mexico State University(Las Cruces, NM), Carl Sandburg Community College (Galesburg, IL), and Spoon River Community College (Macomb, IL). In this capacity the classes I have taught include:

American National Government
Computer hardware operations
Dynamics of Prejudice
Introduction to Sociology
Marriage and Family
Motorcycle Safety, Basic and Advanced Rider Courses
Political Research Methods
Introduction to Computers
Keyboarding
dBASE,
Other Software application usage: NOVELL x.x, Lotus 123, Excel, MS Word, Word Perfect, and Windows X.x).

Research Assistant
I assisted the staff of the Program Evaluation, Education and Research program of the University of New Mexico Medical School, in providing evaluation of the Central New Mexico Community Access Program (CAP-NM) that aims to achieve 100% access for all uninsured in Central New Mexico to a primary care home. CAP-NM evaluation is by measuring health outcomes of the uninsured population served. The goal of the program was that Health Status will be improved through collaboration and integration amongst the seven safety net provider systems in a four-county target area. Particular attention was focused on reducing health disparities among vulnerable populations in these counties. The target population is the estimated 125,000 rural and urban uninsured and under-insured individuals approximately 56,000 Hispanic, 50,000 Anglo, 13,000 Native American, and 6,000 Vietnamese, African-American, and other) in central New Mexico''s four-counties with incomes below 235 percent of the poverty level.

Research Assistant
For more than a year, I did research on New Mexico Land Grants given by the Spanish and Mexican governments, between 1600 and 1835, to settlers of the northern most provinces Mexico, which are now part of the United States. I did the research under the auspices of the Southwestern Hispanic Research Institute. The research culminated in presenting an original research paper on the Cebolleta land grant at the Who Owns America Conference III, held at the University of Wisconsin's Land Tenure Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

Technical Assistant
For three years during the completion of two masters' degrees, I provided training and technical assistance related to computers and computer programs for the staff and students of the entire Student Residential Services Department of Western Illinois University - Student Residential Program Administration, Student Residential Program Conference Center, Student Residential Programs Graduate and Family Housing, and Student Residential Programs Resident Halls. I maintained all the computers for all the programs from the mother boards up, and including the Novell networks LANS, and interface with the Universities mainframes. I worked on developing and implementing the University's first electronic student identification system.

Executive Management
As an upper-level executive in the private and public sectors for more than 15 years (in the positions of City Manager, County Administrator, Executive Vice President, and Executive Director) I directly managed annual budgets of $225,000 to $27,000,000, directly supervised more than 15 department heads, and had direct management responsibility for workforces of from 100 to 450 full time equivalent employees. The major duties and responsibilities of these positions were:

Bid specification development, implementation, and monitoring
Budget and finance development, automation, and administration
Contract administration
Comprehensive, strategic and tactical planning
Computer department management and operations
Grant writing, lobbying, and administration
Lobbying at local, regional, state, and federal levels
Privatization and program monitoring
Program evaluation
Regenerative funding development
Risk Management
Community and governmental liaison
Infrastructure planning and administration
Community and economic development
Volunteer coordination

Principal Consultant
I owned and operated a private consulting firm (NuevaLight Enterprises). I provided management and computer related consulting services to businesses, governments, and non-profits organizations. Our services were as management generalists providing solutions for fund raising, staff training, automated budgeting, data processing including systems analysis and installation, business, financial and strategic planning, personnel surveys, and risk management, including risk auditing. My diverse background, both occupationally and culturally made me uniquely qualified to provide creative solutions on a wide range of management issues, with particular emphasis on minority business development. Recent projects were:

"Mi Nombre es Alícia" (My Name Is Alice), a DWI prevention Video sponsored by Doña Ana County, NM.
International Mariachi Conference management and organizational assistance, Las Cruces, New Mexico
City of Las Cruces, NM, Sesquicentennial Celebration, assistance to the Cultural Society of the Mesilla Valley, the corporation formed to coordinate all the events for the sesquicentennial celebration.
Installation of NT Server and Network for Stahmann Farms, Las Cruces, NM.
Upgrade and technical assistance to Western Blends, a Solopek Farm subsidiary, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Del Valle Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Service, Las Cruces, NM, management consultation on growth related issues.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE PROGRAM INVOLVEMENT:
Diversity Institute, Albuquerque, NM - Fund Raising, Grant Writing and Program Development
Taylor Street Residential Council, Las Cruses, NM - Fund Raising and Grant Writing.
American Red Cross, Las Cruces, New Mexico - Taught Community First Aid and CPR
American Red Cross, Galesburg, IL - Taught Community First Aid and CPR
Sioux City Indian Center, Sioux City, IA - Fund Raising and Grant Writing
United Way Special Allocation Committee, Sioux City, IA - Worked on allocation and distribution of funds to community Agencies.

ADVISORY BOARD:
New Mexico Motorcycle Safety Board, Sante Fe, NM
New Mexico State University Masters In Public Administration Advisory Board, Las Cruces, NM
New Mexico State University Hispanic Caucus, Las Cruces, NM
Northern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, Morrison, IL
Sterling/RockFalls Latin American Social Club Sterling/RockFalls Fall Fiesta, Inc.
Volunteers in Probation, Morrison, IL
Minority Economic Development Board, Sioux City, IA
Sioux City Board Of Education, Equity Advisory Board, Sioux City, IA
Iowa Area Agency on Aging , Des Moines, IA
Siouxland Economic Development Council
Siouxland Energy Conservation Finance Authority
Siouxland Regional Marketing Council
Iowa Spanish Speaking Peoples Commission, Des Moines, IA
Casa Latina of Lincoln, Nebraska (Charter Member)
Chicano Federation of San Diego County, Northern Division, San Marcos
Farm Worker Health Demonstration Project Advisory Committee
Nebraska Refugee Assistance Task Force
Operation SER, Migrant Workers Assistant Program
Minority Business Development Association
Economic Development Corporation
Sioux City Arts Council
Sioux City Junior League Community Advisory Council

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Sterling/RockFalls Latin American Social Club, Sterling, IL
Proteus, Migrant Worker's Assistance Program, Sioux City, IA
Woodbury County Public Health Board, Sioux City, IA
Iowa/Illinois County Administrators Association
Lincoln Employers United, Subcommittee on Minority Special Events, Lincoln, NE
Lincoln-Lancaster Indian Center Employment Development Board, Lincoln, NE
Lincoln/Lancaster Private Industry Council, Lincoln, NE
Nebraska Offenders Assistance Program, Lincoln, NE
San Diego County Community Action Board, San Diego
Project JOVE, Ex-offender Assistance Program, San Diego, CA
Northern San Diego County Social Service Advisory Board, San Diego, CA
Escondido Youth Encounter, Escondido, CA
Project OZ, Run-Away-Youth Program, San Diego, CA

OTHER SKILLS

Language and Culture
I read, speak and write Spanish fluently. I have studied Spanish at an undergraduate and graduate level, as well as studied in Mexico. I have professionally translated manuscripts and other documents into Spanish from English. I have traveled extensively throughout Mexico and the rest of Latin America.
I draw, paint and have written fiction and non-fictions stories and articles. As an administrator, I a number of editorials and economic development pieces I wrote were published by newspapers and magazines.

Computers
Ten years cumulative experience in most aspects of computer operations, including:

Personal computers - Widows NT x, Novell x.x, Windows 3.1 to Millennium editions.
Data processing - WordPerfect, Microsoft Word and Excel, Lotus 1-2-3.
Use of the Internet as a research and fund raising tool.
Maintained many types of computer hardware from the motherboard up.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Outstanding Service Awards

Listed in Who"s Who in Local Government Management, 1987-2001
Listed in Who's Who in the Midwest, 1994-1997
Saint Luke's Gordon Recovery Centers Minority Outreach Program, Sioux City, Iowa, 1989
Kiwanis Club, Sioux City, Iowa, 1989
Education Equity Office, Iowa, 1988
Kiwanis Club, Onawa, Iowa, 1986
Kiwanis Club, Sioux City, Iowa, 1986
Mexican Awareness Through Association, Nebraska, 1985
United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1980
Cal-Neva Executive Directors and Board Chairpersons Association, 1980
Chicano Federation of San Diego County, 1979
San Diego Community Action Board, 1979
Project JOVE, San Diego California, 1979
Lions Club International, 1978

Current Professional Affiliations

American Sociological Association
Raza Graduate Student Association
Gamma Theta Upsilon, National Geographic Honor Society
Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society
International City/County Management Association
International City and County Management Association Hispanic Network
National Council of La Raza
New Mexico State University Master in Public Administration Advisory Board
New Mexico State University Hispanic Faculty and Professional Staff Caucus

Former Professional Affiliations

American Society for Public Administration
Illinois City and County Managers Association
Illinois County Administrators Association
Iowa City Management Association
Iowa/Illinois County Administrators Association
Inner City Development Consortium of Lincoln
Lincoln Employers United, Subcommittee on Minority Special Events
Lincoln Personnel Management Association

EMPLOYMENT CHRONOLOGY BY SECTOR

ACADEMIC SECTOR
Instructor: University of New Mexico (2000 - to present)
Research Assistant: Office of Program Evaluation, Education, & Research (2001)
Research Assistant: Southwestern Hispanic Research Institute, UNM, (2000)
Instructor: New Mexico State University (1999, Las Cruces)
Instructor: Spoon River Community College (1997, Macomb, Illinois)
Instructor: Carl Sandburg College (1997-1998, Galesburg, Illinois)
Instructor: Illinois State University (1997, Dekalb, Macomb, and Morris sites)
Instructor: New Mexico State University (1999, Las Cruces, New Mexico)
Instructor: Northern Illinois University (1997, Great Lakes Naval Training Center and Rockford sites)

GOVERNMENT SECTOR
Instructor: American Red Cross (1997, Galesburg, Illinois)
City Manager: Maquoketa Iowa (May 1993 - January 1994)
County Administrator: Whiteside County, Illinois (January 1990 - July 1991)
County Board Administrator: Woodbury County, Iowa ( January 1986 - December 1989)
Administrative Aide and
Confidential Investigator Confidential Investigator San Diego County, California (January 1979 - June 1981)

PRIVATE SECTOR
Owner and Principal
Consultant: NuevaLight Enterprises, Computer and Management Consultant (1983, intermittently until present)
Data Services Supervisor: AAA Iowa Motor Club, Bettendorf, Iowa (1992-1993)
Executive Director: Lincoln Occupational Industrialization Center (1983-1986)
Executive Vice-President
and Chief Administrative
Officer: CAO, International Human Resources, Inc., La Jolla, California (1981-1982)
Regional Manager: Project JOVE, Inc., Escondido, California (1976-1979)

COMPUTER RELATED
Computer Support: Western Illinois University, Student Residential Programs (1995-1997)
Data Services Supervisor: AAA Iowa Motor Club, Bettendorf, Iowa (1992-1993)
County Board Administrator
and Data Services Supervisor: Woodbury County, Iowa (1986-1989)
County Administrator
and Data Services Supervisor: Whiteside County, Illinois (1990-1991)

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