Our Staff

Daniele C. Williams - Executive Director (ED):

Prior to becoming ED, in addition to raising four children to adulthood, Daniele earned a Master’s degree in Counseling and was a licensed mental heath therapist for 12 years. Daniele joined Zamir, the CA choir, in 2015, became a member of Congregation Albert in 2018, and joined the Board of Trustees in July, 2019, stepping up to become Treasurer in the first months of her first term. During this time, she learned the importance of tight financial controls and accurate documentation in our organization; fiduciary responsibility is part of the sacred responsibility the Board and administration has to the Congregation Albert community. 

Daniele became the Executive Director of Congregation Albert (CA) in early January, 2023, with the intention of supporting, promoting, and celebrating the thriving CA community which is the true heart of the Jewish community in New Mexico. Pride in the delightful CA staff and love for her CA community make every work day a pleasure for Daniele, who plans to remain ED for a long, long time.

In June 2025, Daniele completed a Master’s degree in Jewish Nonprofit Management from the HUC-JIR Zelikow School of Nonprofit Management.

Alysha Running Hawk – Accounting Specialist:

    Alysha joined the CA Staff in early 2021. She began her first year as the Clergy/Education Assistant at a time of transition, welcoming Rabbi Surget and getting CA back into a sense of normalcy post-pandemic. Soon after, the opportunity arose allowing her to step into her current role as the Accounting Specialist. Her need for organization, stability, transparency & her love for numbers made for an ideal fit.
    Prior to CA, Alysha dedicated 13 years to customer service with ten of those years working in corporate retail management. The ever-changing retail market allowed her to positively take on transition all while acquiring skills and experience in HR, payroll, budgeting & money management. 
    As a lifelong resident of NM, she is family-oriented with large families from the Laguna Pueblo & Lakota Sioux tribes. With one daughter in college and plenty of pets she enjoys time with friends, live music, & intense puzzles! 
 

Chrissy Henderson joined Congregation Albert in late 2021 as an Administrative Assistant and is currently an Accounting and Administrative Assistant. She attended a course to improve grant writing which led to 2 awards. She enjoys wreath making, reading speculative fiction, and camping.

Emily Perrone - Media and Communications Specialist and Administrative Assistant:

Emily joined the team in 2022 as an Administrative Assistant. She's taken the initiative to attend digital marketing courses to increase our online presence and streamline our publications. After three years at Congregation Albert, she has earned the title of Media and Communications Specialist. She loves her numerous pets, and is an avid fantasy nerd. 

Aron Kruchoski - Clergy and Education Assistant/Administrative Assistant:

Aron joined Congregation Albert at the very end of 2024 as an Administrative Assistant. Previously he worked extensively throughout the local food industry focusing on food safety and supporting local farmers and ranchers. He hopes the skills he has acquired managing kitchens and grocery departments can be utilized in a new and crucial way for CA.

In addition to working with Emily on food preparation for many Congregation Albert events, Aron is also the Clergy and Education Assistant, making him the primary contact for students, families, clergy, and teachers as we expand our educational offers for all ages.

Aron completed a Bachelor's Degree from UNM in Linguistics and German Language & Literature in May 2025; he hopes to be admitted to UNM’s Speech-Language Pathology Master’s Program.  In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his children, exploring the outdoors, and playing music.

Vernon Maldonado - Lead Custodian:

Vern first started working at Congregation Albert in 2016. Since that time, he has become arguably one of the most important fixtures in our community due to his work ethic, flexibility, diverse skills, and constant willingness to help office and ECC staff, volunteers, and clergy with whatever they happen to need. Beloved and respected by all who know him, Vern has proven himself to be a critical resrouce at Congregation Albert.

Ray Nieto - Custodian:

Ray has been a dedicated custodian at Congregation Albert since 2019. He is a huge movie buff, and enjoys taking beautiful pictures of the Albuquerque sunsets.