Margaret “Peggy” Graham, Board President
“What I enjoy most about the work I do is being able to help another person understand and work through a legal problem so that he or she is able to move forward in life with confidence, peace of mind, and security.”
Margaret “Peggy” Graham began her career in Topeka, Kansas where she practiced for 15 years before returning to Albuquerque. While practicing in Kansas, Peggy tried many cases to a jury verdict while an Assistant Attorney General, represented the State in numerous child and adult abuse cases, established guardianships and conservatorships for hundreds of vulnerable adults, represented the State in Medicaid and welfare benefits appeals, and served as an Administrative Law Judge for seven years.
Upon moving back to Albuquerque with her family in 2009, Peggy has focused her practice on elder law, specifically in representing individuals and families in the appointment of guardians and conservators for the elderly or disabled as both the petitioning attorney and Guardian ad Litem, estate planning, probate, and fiduciary litigation. Peggy has tried cases in both state and federal court, and has represented clients before administrative bodies, including the Social Security Administration and New Mexico Human Services Department.
Peggy is a frequent speaker on Medicaid planning, special needs planning, guardianships & conservatorships, and special education. Peggy has a unique perspective on the representation of families who have members with developmental disabilities and special needs as she is the mother of a special needs child.
Shelly Fritz, Vice President
Shelly Fritz is a recently retired dentist who specialized in providing dentistry for geriatric, special needs, home bound , institutionalized, the chronically ill and phobic patients. She has given numerous classes teaching other dentists and their staff on how to treat these patient populations. She has been active in the dental community as editor of the New Mexico Dental Association Journal since 2002. She is a past President of the New Mexico Dental Association, The New Mexico Dental Hygienists’ Association, The New Mexico Academy of General Dentistry, and the American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists. She is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists. She was also a Co-chair for the Sandoval County Mission of Mercy, Secretary for the Penn Mont Owners Association and Chairman of the Board for Haverland Carter Lifestyle Group.
Sharlene East, CPA, Treasurer
Sharlene East has served as Executive Vice President – Chief Operating officer of Kirtland Federal Credit Union in Albuquerque, New Mexico since November 2017. She has been with the company since November of 2001 and was promoted through the accounting and finance department to her current position. The credit union has more than $954 million in assets and serves over 36 thousand members. Ms. East is responsible for the financial and operational integrity of the credit union including coordinating and complying with all federal and state regulations and generally accepted accounting principles. She is also responsible for the executing an enterprise wide strategy to support the future of the credit Union.
Prior to joining Kirtland Federal Credit Union Ms. East was Assistant Accounting Manager and Budget Coordinator for Sun Healthcare Group in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ms. East was responsible for performing financial analysis on all corporate projects greater than $250,000 and for determining project efficiency. She provided written recommendations based on the outcome of the financial analysis of the various projects, which were used by management to determine project continuation or termination. She coordinated and communicated with company and field personnel on the budget process and inputs.
Ms. East’s community involvement includes volunteer activities with Ronald McDonald House, Saint Pius X High School, Cheer Central Suns, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of New Mexico. She is a member of the New Mexico Society of CPA and she is a business representative for multiple credit union associations. Ms. East was an Examiner for Quality New Mexico.
Ms. East earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from New Mexico State University, a Master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Webster University, and she holds a New Mexico Certified Public Accountant License. She also holds an Enterprise Risk Management certification from National Association of Federal Credit Unions.
Ronald Segel, Board Secretary
Ron Segel is a lifelong resident of Albuquerque. He graduated from the UNM School of Law and practiced in Albuquerque from 1972 until retiring in 2018. In 2019 he received Emeritus Attorney certification from the New Mexico Supreme Court, and began performing volunteer services for SCLO. Although the pandemic brought those services, which involved home and hospital visits to SCLO clients, to an end, Ron continues to volunteer for other local non-profit organizations. He and his wife Meryl reside in Albuquerque, and their son Neil, a 2022 graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, works for McKinsey& Co. global consulting firm in Houston.
Feliz Angelica Rael, Board Member
Feliz Angelica Rael is a practicing attorney in the areas of elder law, and healthcare abuse and neglect. She graduated from the UNM School of Law in 2001 and has managed her own law firm since 2010. Feliz has been a member of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association since 2006 and served as the 2019 President of the New Mexico Guardianship Association. She has lectured on various topics regarding healthcare services for the elderly at seminars in New Mexico as well as nationally. Feliz has won several noteworthy jury verdicts and when her trial schedule permits, she is actively engaged in the legislative process concerning bills that impact elderly and/or disabled New Mexicans.
Marie Trigg, RN, BSN, MBA, Board Member
Marie established a long, successful history in healthcare, both clinical and administration. Starting as an RN, she earned her Bachelors in Nursing, and a Masters in Business with emphasis on healthcare. She received her BSN from West Texas State University, now known as Texas A&M, and her MBA from Wayland Baptist University. She has held many administrative positions in acute care as well as in long term care. Marie also founded and operated her own home health agency, which served several counties in West Texas. In addition, she spent several years working with the American Red Cross as a teacher in the clinical area, in course development, and working with students teaching them English as a second language. Marie was born and raised in New Mexico and has also lived in several other states. Along with being an active volunteer with Global Ties, Marie also serves as a board member for Albuquerque Sister Cities, and is part of the Development Committee for St. Martin’s Hope Works.
Stephen D. Ingram, Board Member
Stephen D. Ingram is a shareholder in Cavin & Ingram, P.A., an Albuquerque law firm, where his practice is in oil and gas law, probate and real estate law. He has tried over 45 cases in state and federal courts and arbitration tribunals in New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana. He practiced in Houston, Texas before coming to New Mexico in 1994. He is licensed to practice in state and federal courts in New Mexico and Texas, and the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Tenth Circuits. He has served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Mexico. He holds an AV Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and was recognized as a Southwest Super Lawyer in Energy and Natural Resources in 2014 and 2020. He has been a Certified Specialist in Natural Resources Law (Oil and Gas), New Mexico Board of Legal Specialization, from 2013 to 2020. He is a member of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. He obtained a B.A. in History from Southwestern University in 1983, where he was associate editor of the campus newspaper. He received his J.D. from Baylor University School of Law in 1986, where he was a member of the Order of Barristers. His community service activities include serving on the board of directors of Goodwill Industries of New Mexico since 1995, for which he has served as Chairman of the Board, and the board of directors of the Rancho Caballero Homeowners Association, of which he is currently President. He also is a writer of historical fiction novels and short stories. His wife, Mary, is in software sales. They enjoy swimming, biking, hiking, and yoga. Their orange tabby, Olive, otherwise keeps them occupied.
Howard R. Thomas, Board Member
Howard R. Thomas is an attorney. Following many years in private law practice, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney for over 21 years. He has since returned to private practice.
His private practice experience has included cases in a range of areas such as personal injury and wrongful death; insurance coverage and insurance bad faith; and real property, construction, and design professionals. During his time with the U.S. Department of Justice, his work included among other areas healthcare fraud and other false claims investigations and litigation; protecting Indian lands and public lands and resources; and in the criminal area, prosecuting violent crime, narcotics, and firearms cases.
He is licensed to practice law in New Mexico, Colorado, the District of Columbia, and Texas.
Mr. Thomas has served on the New Mexico Community Development Council, the State Personnel Board, the Board of Bar Examiners, and the Disciplinary Board.
He currently serves as a commissioner on the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission. Mr. Thomas is also the State Bar Chair for the New Mexico Medical Review Commission and continues to serve as an attorney hearing panelist.
Lora Church, Board Member
