Pat French, Executive Director & Founder      Pat@dollars4schools.org

Pat French and her husband Michael French founded dollars4schools.org to help our public schools and raise money to support Santa Fe, New Mexico's educators and students.  In her own words, "My husband Michael French and I, have been business leaders and community activists in Santa Fe for three decades, we started Dollars4Schools after attending a public school board meeting and hearing teachers tell of funding from their own pockets various programs for their students. After finishing an international campaign of building houses and rebuilding a village in Sri Lanka, we realized that the public school down our street, and others throughout the city, also had immediate needs."

Pat is executive director of Dollars4Schools and is also a founder of the web-based program. Pat  is largely known in the  Santa Fe community for her role, with her husband Michael, in developing French&French Fine Properties and later SantaFe.com. At the same time,she became a community activist,  serving on many  boards and committees. She was instrumental in bringing the first program of Jacques D'Amboise and the National Dance Institute to Santa Fe.  Pat received her masters degree in early childhood education at Bank Street College and then started the  still flourishing Open House Early Childhood Center in Brooklyn, New York in 1970.  In the 4 years prior to creating Dollars4Schools, Pat chaired and co- founded, through the New Mexico Women's Forum, the New Mexico Women's Marker Initiative, which created roadway markers throughout the State of New Mexico for the historic women of importance to their communities, state and nation.  One of the programs funded by Dollars4Schools is a template for teachers to educate  children about the women who shaped Santa Fe's history.

Andie Manzanares, Community Outreach  & Public Relations Director  Andie@dollars4schools.org

Andie  has lived in Santa Fe for over 20 years.  Her passion is her dedication to children, community and education.  She oversees program development and coordination for all the schools.  She works directly with SFPS, the principals and teachers.  She also handles public relations and events for Dollars 4 Schools as well as community outreach services. Her experience is in Public Relations, Sales, Marketing, Special Events and Production.  She is from New York and studied at the George Washington University (BA, Marketing & Journalism).   Her interests are Education, Music, Dance, Theatre, Film, Reading and Travel. She also works in the production industry (shootnewmexico.com). She lives in Santa Fe with her husband, David and their 12 year old son, Max, who will be attending ATC (Academy of Technology & the Classics Charter School).

Julie Murray, Development & Marketing Director   Julie@dollars4schools.org

Julie Murray moved to Santa Fe 12 years ago for what she assumed would be a short stay – and found herself immersed in the culture of the city.  Raising three children here drew her deeper into the community.  She has been an advocate for students, families and parents from the beginning, whether lobbying for state funding for physical education, working to raise money for the schools or mobilizing the community to elect energetic new school board members.  She comes from a background of love for the written word (Harvard BA in English), and business and marketing (University of Virginia MBA).  Julie managed the global launch of the Swiffer brand for Procter & Gamble in her pre-Santa Fe days.

Dollars 4 Schools Advisory Committee

Terry Brewer

After studying business at Oklahoma State University, Terry Brewer owned restaurants in Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina and several other states.  He came to Santa Fe in 1993, and applies his business know-how to business consulting and working with small-business startups.   Santa Fe appeals to Terry’s love of sport and nature, and he has added to the community by taking leadership roles with several non-profits, such as the New Mexico Community Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Wild Earth Guardians, the United Way, and, of course, Dollars4Schools!  

Jenny Kimball

Jenny Kimball has been Chairman of the Board of La Fonda on the Plaza since 2007. Prior to becoming Chairman of the Board of La Fonda she was an accomplished lawyer and president of a non-profit educational foundation. In addition to her responsibilities at La Fonda she is involved with many Santa Fe nonprofits and is an avid outdoorsman as well as a supporter of contemporary artists.  Ms. Kimball is currently serving on the board of Southwestern Association of Indian Arts (SWAIA), the Santa Fe Community Foundation, and the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce.

Satya Kirsch

Satya Deborah Kirsch has been in the alternative health and wellness and the personal and spiritual growth field for over 40 years. She has sat on many boards and has been active in numerous organizations that serve those who are less fortunate. She is most passionate about helping youth at risk. Satya is also a business woman, a retired college instructor and an artist, hiker and skier. She recently moved back to Santa Fe after living in Colorado and California and is mostly retired and looks forward to serving worthy causes and organizations like Dollars4Schools.

Leslie Lujan

Leslie was born and raised in Santa Fe.  She is a graduate of New Mexico State University where she was an ambassador  and has pursued a career in Accounting and Finance.  She has spent the last seven years serving as a Senior Analyst for education finance for the Public Education Department.  Leslie spends her time committed to education , children and the community by volunteering to community organizations.  She has served as a board member and chair of the education committee for the Santa Fe 400th committee, where she founded the E.C.H.O. 400 years project.  She also has served as a cabinet member for the Big Brothers Big Sisters bowl for kids sake and is currently serving as a cabinet member for their Big Gala for a Little Cause.  Leslie is also a member of the  Santa Fe Fiesta Council.  Leslie has worked with the dollars4schools organization to help fund education projects and she continues to work with the organization to attempt to engage the community in education.

Ali MacGraw

Ali MacGraw began her work-life in the fashion industry, both as an assistant to the legendary Diane Vreeland, and later as  stylist for the photographer, Melvin Sokolsky.An unexpected turn of Fate resulted in a career as a film actress,and she made a number of films, including the cult classic, "Love Story", for which she was nominated for an Academy Award.At a certain point she decided to try other forms of expression, including writing an autobiography, which was on the major best-seller lists. Next came a video for yoga, and that has sold nearly half a million copies to date.In 1994 she moved to New Mexico, after losing her house in Malibu to one of the annual brush fires.It may have been the best move of her life. She found a community that is completely committed to its many non-profits, and a group of people who are available for each and every situation where help is needed. She has been involved in a number of these Causes, including numerous Animal issues, and ones having to do with the rich and varied, world-class cultural scene in New Mexico. Many times each year she finds herself playing the role of Vanna White to Santa Fe's beloved Paul Margetson, at auctions for a large variety of important causes; this may be her best role to date. She is passionately committed to advancing the quality of life in Santa Fe, and has recently become involved with the all-important Dollars4Schools, to help the heartbreaking situation in the public school system.

Paul Margetson

A distinguished career in hotel management spans more than four decades and has taken him to all corners of the globe.  He arrived in the USA in 1977 and he and his family moved to Santa Fe in 1986.  He subsequently had the opportunity to join forces with the Picuris Pueblo tribe to create the Hotel Santa Fe, The Hacienda and Spa where he has spent the past 16 years as  General Manager and Managing General Partner, and also more recently as Managing Partner in Las Palomas and Inn on the Paseo.

Like the legendary Robin Hood, Paul was raised in Nottingham, England, which may have prepared him for his most visible role in the community—that of skilled charity auctioneer, effectively “robbing from the rich to give to the poor.” Paul has raised millions of dollars over the past 20 years for numerous causes. Named by The New Mexican in 1996 as one of “Ten Who Made a Difference,” Paul’s tireless dedication has helped countless people and has been an inspiration to all.

Margaret Moses Branch

Margaret Moses Branch is the managing partner of the Branch Law Firm.  She is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and International Women's Forum, which named her Woman of the Year in 1995.  She serves on the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Center for Civic Values.  She was Chair of the Association of Trial Lawyers Women's Law Caucus (5,000 members), and was founding president of the New Mexico Women's Bar Association.  She has been a frequent lecturer on Continuing Legal Education programs for attorneys, and has served as Vice Chair of the Association of Trial Lawyers of the America Tobacco Litigation Group.  Margaret is also known throughout the Southwest for passion and knowledge of historical Native American art.

Jennie Reeves

Jennie Reeves, serves on the Board of Governors of Oklahoma State University, where she received her B.S. in Early Childhood Education and Speech Pathology. Formerly, a twenty-year educator and realtor in Dallas, Texas she served on numerous civic boards and chaired fundraising events supporting children as well as the arts. She co-founded La Fiesta de Las Seis Banderas, and annual event funding historical as well as educational needs in her community of Highland Park. Over the past 25 years La Fiesta has returned over six million dollars to her neighborhood. Jennie is married to Stuart Reeves, she has two children and four grandchildren. She has recently completed her first young adult novel. The Reeves have been part-time residents of Santa Fe for nearly twenty years.