2026 Paul Bartlett Ré Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

Sallie Downs
Sallie Downs, a distinguished 1976 graduate of the University of New Mexico, is recognized for her leadership in advancing human rights, historical remembrance, and healing through the arts. She played a pivotal role in bringing the internationally acclaimed “Violins of Hope” project to Birmingham, Alabama, helping transform instruments once carried by Jewish prisoners during the Holocaust into enduring symbols of resilience and peace. Through her efforts, the story of these restored violins reached audiences across the country in the PBS documentary Dreams of Hope, which earned two Emmy Awards, thirteen Telly Awards, and numerous additional honors. The documentary has aired on hundreds of PBS stations nationwide, expanding awareness of Holocaust history and the power of music to heal collective trauma. Downs also helped establish a $1 million fund through the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham to preserve and expand the mission of Violins of Hope for future generations. Her decision to donate her Lifetime Achievement Award honorarium to the fund further reflects her lifelong commitment to education, remembrance, and human dignity. Her work embodies the enduring belief that even in humanity’s darkest moments, art, compassion, and memory can become instruments of hope.

Mark Goldman
Mark Goldman, Lecturer II in the Construction Technology Department at UNM Taos, is being honored for a lifetime of using architecture, art, and sustainable design to serve vulnerable communities and promote healing through the built environment. After studying art and architecture and completing his professional thesis at the Boston Architectural College, Goldman moved to Taos in 1991, where he immersed himself in the traditions of Indigenous and Spanish adobe building techniques. He describes his work as creating “livable clay sculpture,” blending craftsmanship, sustainability, and cultural preservation. Goldman has devoted much of his career to mission-driven projects that serve people facing trauma and hardship. He played a central role in designing facilities for the Dream Tree Project, which supports abused, neglected, and addicted teens, and later expanded this work through Veterans Off Grid in Carson, New Mexico. Through extensive pro bono architectural services and mentorship, he has helped create housing for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress while integrating UNM Taos students into hands-on community-centered construction projects. His work stands as a powerful example of how design, compassion, and service can create pathways toward dignity, resilience, and peace.

2026 Paul Bartlett Ré Career Achievement Award Recipient

Dr. Layla Dehaiman
Dr. Layla Dehaiman, Lecturer in the University of New Mexico College of Education & Human Services, is recognized for her leadership in restorative conflict resolution and peace-centered educational practices. Her work, particularly through the Circle Keepers Partnership at Garfield Middle School in Albuquerque, has helped create restorative school cultures rooted in accountability, healing, dignity, and belonging. Grounded in both professional expertise and lived experience, Dr. Dehaiman has dedicated her career to advancing restorative practices that address harm, strengthen relationships, and challenge systemic inequities within education. Through partnerships between UNM and local schools, she has helped develop leadership capacity among students and educators while promoting alternatives to exclusionary discipline practices. Colleagues and students alike describe her as a compassionate and transformative educator whose teaching bridges theory and practice with clarity and purpose. Her commitment to restorative justice, collective care, and meaningful dialogue reflects the vision of Paul Bartlett Ré and demonstrates the profound role education can play in creating more peaceful communities.