Our Éxito Team

Dr. Lorraine O'Donnell

Director for Grants and External Funding

Dr. O’Donnell serves as Director for Grants and External Funding, as well as Project Director for the Title III STEM Grant for DACC, New Mexico State University.  

Dr. O’Donnell comes to us from our sister city, El Paso, where she served as UTEP’s Executive Director for the Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) Division and taught in the graduate school’s Principalship Preparation Program.  Dr. O’Donnell is a former principal of a Texas Recognized High School in Clint, Texas, has served on the El Paso ISD Board of Trustees as Vice-President, and was in charge of the Leadership Academy in the EPISD, preparing future principals for their leadership roles in the district’s schools.  Dr. O’Donnell served as Department Chair for the Education Department of the University of Phoenix in Okinawa, Japan, serving military personnel and their dependents.  She is currently on the doctoral faculty of Capella University, and serves as a Doctoral Mentor.  

Dr. O’Donnell earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UTEP, graduating with honors, and earned her doctorate in education from NMSU. She won commendation for her doctoral dissertation on the border principalship.   

Dr. O’Donnell’s work now with the Title III Grant has placed a focus on providing professional development for faculty members who are dealing with the considerable challenges associated with students in a post-pandemic environment.  A result of that focus is the creation of the STEM Institute of Teaching Excellence (SITE), which provides professional learning, equipment, and support for faculty who work with STEM students.

Dr. Patricia McClure

Title III Éxito Team member

Dr. Patricia McClure, a Title III Éxito Team member, is the lead DACC instructional designer and a part-time NMSU faculty member in the Teacher Preparation, Administration and Leadership (TPAL) and Education & Design with Learning Technology (EDLT) programs who leverages her expertise in online learning to support full and part-time DACC educators. She has a Ph.D. and Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from NMSU and a Bachelor of Fine Arts earned at Texas Woman’s University.  

Having lived in the Borderlands for over 30 years, she is passionate about creating equitable learning spaces. This passion stems from experiences as a former El Paso public school social studies teacher, domestic violence resource director and an executive director for a nonprofit substance abuse organization. Her ongoing commitment to higher education is to develop and promote anti-racist, culturally sustainable online pedagogy while grounding continuing scholarship in Critical Whiteness Studies.

Mark Steward

Éxito Title III team member

Mark Steward is DACC’s new instructional technologist and Canvas sub-account administrator.  

As DACC’s Canvas expert, Mark provides technical support to faculty. His responsibilities include troubleshooting gradebook and quiz issues, resolving Canvas connectivity issues with third-party tools and publisher courses, assisting with course imports and setup, and guiding faculty on using Studio for accessible video lectures and quizzes. Basically, faculty can contact Mark with any Canvas issue, great or small.   

Mark brings a unique blend of technical expertise and classroom experience to DACC. With a strong background in instructional technology and a 30-year teaching career, he is well-equipped to support our faculty. He holds a B.S. in Science Education from the University of Wyoming and an M.A. in Educational Technology from Grand Canyon University.  

Jiaqi Zhang

Title III Éxito Team member

Jiaqi Zhang is the newest Title III Éxito Team member and DACC instructional designer, intermediate. With a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and a Master’s in Educational Technology and Applied Learning Science from Carnegie Mellon University, Jiaqi brings a unique blend of technical expertise and educational passion to her role. 

Her previous experience as a Learning Designer and Game Developer at CMU’s Center for Transformational Play has equipped her with a strong foundation in creating innovative and engaging learning experiences. Jiaqi is eager to collaborate with faculty to develop effective instructional materials and resources that enhance student success at DACC.

Sarah Mendoza

Title III Éxito Team member

I am originally from El Paso, Texas. I was awarded the Presidential Excellence Scholarship by the University of Texas at El Paso. There I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. I currently am working toward obtaining my Master’s degree in Leadership Communication. I have over 15 years of experience working in training and leadership roles. I am a creative problem solver with the ability to accommodate and diffuse difficult obstacles with the intent of finding positive outcomes. My strengths lie in my approachable and empathetic nature, my collaborative leadership, and determination to find the best balance in any given situation. I believe communication and knowledge is key to success so I greatly enjoy engaging with people from all backgrounds, age groups, and life paths. Having experienced working toward a STEM degree while enduring hardships such as few resources, food insecurity, low-income, and lack of social and emotional support, I knew success coaching would be a great opportunity for students to learn how to face obstacles with confidence and continue on their path to success. I greatly look forward to collaborating with students to point them in the right direction to keep them focused on obtaining their STEM degree.

Outside of the professional field, I enjoy spending time with my husband, his son, and my beagle, Oliver. I love visiting the San Francisco Bay Area where I get to spend time with extended family. I enjoy watching classic movies and documentaries and am an avid music enthusiast.

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending” C.S. Lewis

Katie Pineda

Title III Éxito Team member

Katie Pineda holds the role of Faculty Support Specialist as a member of the Title III ID and Faculty Support Team and teaches part-time for the Math and Statistics Department. Katie is a proud first generation college graduate with a strong foundation in mathematics. Katie earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from NMSU (2020) followed by further study of mathematics at the graduate level. Dring graduate studies Katie found a passion for math education. Driven by the belief that math can become accessible to all, Katie is passionate about math education and the work to advance student success in STEM courses at DACC. Katie moved to Las Cruces in 2013 and has found a home in this community.

Melinda Wallace

Grant Manager for Project Éxito

 was born and raised in central Wisconsin, and i am a life-long science enthusiast. After graduating from UTEP with a degree in Anthropology, I spent the next fifteen years working as an archaeologist and raising my family. I have been on the move all around the southwest, but I have recently returned to southern New Mexico. I began taking classes and working at DACC, and I am now a proud DACC alum. I started with Project EXCITO Feb.1, 2024. I am the administrative assistant and grant manager for Project EXCITO.

Ivan Cadena

Title III Éxito Team member

Ivan has lived around the border his whole life. He earned his Bachelor's in Educational leadership becaude education gave him the opportunity tot ake his life in a better direction. Now, as a part of Project Exito, he enjoys working with the mentors to help others attain a brighter future. After joining the project, Ivan quickly became indispensable. Currently working to support our Mentor program, he has quickly become the resident expert on Upswing.

James C. Frederickson

Title III Éxito Team member

James C. Fredrickson is an experienced professional with over 25 years in mechanical engineering, project management, and education. He holds a B.S. in Engineering, an A.A. in HVAC, and an M.A. in Educational Learning Technologies. Currently, he serves as the STEM Internship Coordinator for the Title III Project Exito grant, focusing on enhancing student internship opportunities in STEM fields. His career includes significant roles such as the Department Chair of Architecture and Construction Technologies at Dona Ana Community College and an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Technology, where he has taught a variety of courses and developed online curricula. Fredrickson has supervised faculty, advised students, and engaged with industry partners to enhance educational opportunities, while also contributing to the design and analysis of mechanical components in aerospace applications during his tenure as a Senior Mechanical Engineer. His commitment to education and industry collaboration is evident through his extensive involvement in community outreach and curriculum development efforts.

Joe Butler

Title III Éxito Team member

Joe Butler has served as the Dean of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics at Doña Ana Community College for the past 7 years. He also served as the Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs for a year. He has worked in higher education for 34 years as a math teacher and administrator specializing in distance learning, concurrent enrollment, and transfer programs. Joe earned the BS and MS in Mathematics at the University of North Texas. Outside of work, Joe enjoys hiking and spending time with family.