225 6th Street, Suite B
P.O. Box 1534
Alamosa, CO 81101
719-587-3225 (phone)
719-587-0045 (fax)
irc@slvirc.org

Immigrant Advocate:
Venus Valdez

Education/Outreach Coordinator:
Jim Sanchez

Mennonite Voluntary Service Member:
Emmy Lou Helmuth

Community Coordinator: Antonio Sandoval

Cross Cultural Communication Specialist: Ren Carbutt

Staff

Flora Archuleta, Executive Director

Ms. Archuleta has been an administrator since 1990 for organizations including the SLV Mental Health Center “Community Corrections Program”, and now the SLV Immigrant Resource Center. Before becoming the director of SLVIRC in 2001, she was the organization’s coordinator, responsible for the daily management of the Por Ti Misma program for battered immigrant women and children. Ms. Archuleta is an accredited representative through the Federal Board of Immigration Appeals and has completed numerous hours of training with Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC). She is bilingual (Spanish and English).

Jim Sanchez, M.A., Education/Outreach Coordinator

Jimmie Abelino Sanchez. was born in Taos, New Mexico. He migrated to the San Luis Valley in 1958 and has lived here since then. He joined the military soon after high school graduation. After serving with the Navy and Marine Corps as a Medical Corpsman for 4 years, he left the service and attended Adams State College. He graduated from Adams State with a BA in Secondary School Education. In 1973 he took the position as middle school art teacher at Monte Vista Middle School where he taught and coached for 28 years. While working as a teacher, he found time to earn a Masters Degree at Adams State College. He worked for Head Start in Monte Vista as a bus driver and for the Center Migrant and Seasonal Headstart Center for two years as Head Teacher and Home to School Educator.

Venus J. Valdez, Immigrant Advocate

Venus was born and raised in Monte Vista, Colorado.  After graduating from high school, Venus decided to take time out to start and raise her family.  She is the mother of two great boys, ages 15 and 10 and two wonderful girls, who are now 12 and 9 years old.  As her circumstances changed, she decided to further her education and in July of 2006 she graduated Cum Laude from Adams State College where she majored in Government and minored in both Spanish and Business Administration.  Venus has previously work with SLV IRC from 2004-2006 and has recently returned to resume her responsibilities as an immigrant advocate with the organization.  Venus works with the legal assistance program as well as the Por ti Misma program.  Venus is bilingual – English and Spanish.           

Emmy Lou Helmuth, AmeriCorps Volunteer/ESL Advocate

Emmy Lou Helmuth was raised on a small farm in central Illinois. She graduated from Huntington University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cross-Cultural Ministries. During her four years at Huntington she spent a semester studying abroad in Mozambique and South Africa as well as working for seven months at Stansberry Children’s Home in Santa Cruz, Boliva. In the fall of 2005 Emmy began working in Goshen, Indiana working at a local homeless shelter for families. Currently Emmy is volunteering at the SLVIRC through the Mennonite Voluntary Service program. She will be helping around the office as well as teaching ESL classes in the evenings.

Antonio Sandoval, Community Coordinator

Antonio was born in Alamosa, Colorado but lived all his life in the Antonito, Colorado area.  He attended public school in Antonito where he graduated.  Antonio attended Adams State College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1973.  After graduation he taught Spanish and Social Studies in Antonito for 20 years.  He received his Master of Arts Degree from Adams State College in 1989 and later his principal certification from the University of Denver.  In 1993 Antonio left the San Luis Valley to become an assistant principal at Rocky Ford High School.  In 1995, Antonio returned to the SLV and became junior/senior high principal at Sargent School District.  In 1998 Antonio became Junior/high School principal at South Conejos School District.  He remained in that position until he retired from public education in 2006.  Antonio is a husband and father of 4 children.  He also has 4 grandchildren. He recently was hired for the position of Community Coordinator at the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center.    

Ren Carbutt, Cross Cultural Communication Specialist

Ren is a native of the San Luis Valley born and raised near the small town of Antonito, Colorado.  At the age of nineteen he left to New York City to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  While in New York, he lived in diverse communities among people of many different backgrounds and cultures.  He spent much of his time there conversing with people from every Spanish-speaking country and through trial and error became fluent in Spanish.  In addition to the language, he developed a deep love for the people and an abiding desire to serve them.  He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Spanish with a minor in English at Adams State College.