Two-time College of ACES alumna Diana O’Brien has followed a passion for serving and empowering her community since graduating from NMSU.
In 2010, O’Brien received a bachelor’s degree in family and child science with a minor in counseling and educational psychology. Two years later, she earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy.
“My professors, mentors and the department staff within ACES went above and beyond to encourage me along my journey, and I was able to learn from experts within my field,” she said. “My experiences in my collegiate career have helped to shape who I am as a person, both personally and professionally.”
O’Brien now serves as the director of impact and outreach for the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico.
"My personal mission and efforts align with the foundation’s vision of working to ensure that the community is connected to the resources it needs to thrive,” she said. “I strive to foster collaboration and create access to resources and opportunities that positively impact southern New Mexico through CFSNM and its multifaceted efforts to build and strengthen communities.”
O’Brien, a licensed marriage and family therapist, has worked with children, families, couples and individuals in diverse settings. She is also an adjunct faculty member in NMSU’s College of Health, Education and Social Transformation, a co-lead ambassador for the Doña Ana County Early Childhood Education Coalition, a behavioral health co-sector leader of Doña Ana County Resilience Leaders and a member of LC3 Behavioral Health Collaborative. She also serves as a board member for the New Mexico Association for Infant Mental Health and Tierra Del Sol Housing Corporation.
Throughout her career, O’Brien has worked to help communities move forward across multiple sectors, including early childhood education, behavioral health, nonprofit and higher education.
“I am also the founder of the Random Acts of Kindtrip, which since 2015 has fostered community and connection through acts of kindness and compassion and whose impact spans 39 states within the United States and has extended into British Columbia,” she said.
O’Brien said her work centers on program development and delivery of services and interventions that create systemic and generational change from a strengths-based approach.
“I believe in working to create spaces where people feel seen, heard and valued,” she said. “My passion lies in fostering a supportive community where people feel empowered and are provided access to resources and opportunities. I am a proud New Mexican, and I am passionate about serving my community.”
A version of this story first published in the spring 2023 issue of ACES Magazine. For more stories, visit https://nmsu.news/ACES-Mag-Spring-2023.