As someone born and raised in Las Cruces, Patrick Grooms has witnessed just how quickly our community has grown and evolved. His career in financial services began in 2006, shortly after graduating from New Mexico State University with undergraduate degrees in Finance and Human Resource Management. After graduation, Patrick moved away from home to work at Los Alamos National Laboratory as a financial and budget analyst while completing his MBA. While his time at the Lab was transformational and gave him the privilege of working alongside some of the most brilliant, diverse, and curious minds he had ever encountered, he felt called to a different type of service.
Patrick’s path led him back to Las Cruces to focus more directly on individuals, families, and organizations here in New Mexico through personal financial management, working with two national firms before ultimately joining local independent firm Westwind Capital (then Spence Asset Management). Patrick was able to utilize his expertise to serve households, small businesses, and nonprofits as both a CFP® and CFA® professional. It was during this time that he was first introduced to Abel Covarrubias and the Aprendamos Family of Services team. His business partner, Eric Walton, had known Abel personally for many years and believed that Patrick’s approach and values would align well with the organization. “I’m grateful he felt that way,” Patrick shared. “This relationship—now nearly eight years strong—has been deeply meaningful to me. I truly hope that Aprendamos has benefitted from my service as much as I have benefitted from being a small part of its mission.
Serving as the organization’s financial advisor for the last several years, Patrick has witnessed the growth at Aprendamos and how the expansion in services has benefited our community. “In our years together, I’ve seen the opening of multiple new locations, significant expansion of services, and a team that has grown both in size and in purpose,” he said. “What has stood out most is not simply the growth in facilities or programs—it’s the passion of the people. In working individually with team members, I have consistently seen employees who feel profoundly rewarded by the work they do and the families they serve. Their sense of purpose is genuine, rare, and inspiring.”
Patrick’s roles as a husband and father also bring a unique perspective to his relationship with Aprendamos. “I understand firsthand how challenging parenting can be and how, every single day, families face complex, often overwhelming obstacles.” Because of this, he feels like the support that Aprendamos provides to children and families in our community is nothing short of a blessing. “As parents, we experience moments where we feel helpless or uncertain. The reassurance that an organization like Aprendamos exists, ready to step in with compassion, expertise, and encouragement, is invaluable. They don’t just serve families—they lift them up, empower them, and walk alongside them. In a small community like ours, that kind of commitment is priceless.”
As someone with a finance mindset, Patrick feels that the long-term, lasting impact Aprendamos has made over two decades can be a bit difficult to quantify. “Their work doesn’t result in a stadium, a shopping center, or a monument. Instead, the evidence of their impact lives in thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of children and families whose lives are healthier, stronger, and more hopeful because of the services they’ve received.” He also understands that some outcomes children experience, like the ability to communicate with family members or reaching developmental milestones that once felt out of reach, have impactful, long-term benefits for our community. “Think about the collective benefit a community experiences when its members are healthier mentally, emotionally, and physically. You can’t easily quantify these things, but you can feel them. And our community is undeniably better because Aprendamos exists.”
Patrick is invested in the future of Aprendmos and can’t help but try to envision what the next twenty years of serving our community could look like for the organization. “Families today face challenges that are increasingly complex, and that trend will likely continue. But based on what I’ve seen, I have complete confidence that Aprendamos will evolve, innovate, and continue to meet the needs of our community with the same dedication that has defined its first two decades.” He also added, “I am incredibly grateful to play even a small role in supporting Aprendamos and its mission. The work this organization does is life-changing—not just for children and families, but for our entire community. If there is one thing I hope to convey, it is simply this: Aprendamos is not just a service provider—it is a source of hope, strength, and compassion for Southern New Mexico. And our community is better because of it.”
Thank you, Patrick, for being a trusted strategic partner in our journey and for all you do to make a meaningful difference for Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico!
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