Pramesh Bhaila (he/him) – I am currently pursuing my master’s degree in civil engineering at the University of New Mexico, with a concentration in Water Resources Engineering. I am working on my post-fire flood modeling thesis under Dr. Gerhard Schoener. My research interests include post-fire flooding, groundwater–surface water interaction, and arid/semi-arid river hydrology. Outside of academics, I enjoy playing football, badminton, and chess.
Eva Gemrich – I am a Geography master’s student at UNM and an intern with Bernalillo County Open Space. My academic and professional interests lie at the intersection of food systems, cultural relationships with land, and land access, with water being a crucial and interconnected component of those topics. Attending the Summit will be a wonderful opportunity for me to network with and learn from local organizations and professionals doing important work in my fields of interest.
Jaleel Shujath – I’m from Washington DC, where I am a PhD student in urban sustainability and a Master’s student in civil engineering at the University of the District of Columbia. My PhD thesis examines the economic benefits of improving recreational water quality standards in Washington. My Master’s thesis is on Climate Analysis using Long-Term Precipitation Data in the Chesapeake Bay and its implications for urban stormwater infrastructure design. I also work as a business analyst at DC Water. My reason for coming to the Land and Water Summit is to learn about how nature-based solutions are being leveraged in water-stressed areas.
Luis Salgado – My name is Luis Alfredo Salgado, based out of Tucson, AZ. I am a graduate student in the Water, Society, and Policy MS program at The University of Arizona, and I manage green stormwater infrastructure and rainwater harvesting projects and trainings for Watershed Management Group throughout the Sonoran Desert. The more I dive into the intersections of water, life, and people, the more making connections, and building relationships and trust resonates with me. I hope to make new and strengthen existing connections with folks and organizations in this summit to further advance our regional efforts of implementing sustainable, nature-based solutions and grow local capacities for adaptation with our changing climate in the region.
Matthew Betlej – I’m a GIS student at Central New Mexico Community College, driven by a deep interest in water resources and the health of communities. Working with GIS both in the field and in the lab has shown me how spatial analysis can highlight patterns in water availability, quality, and risk, and support more resilient decision making. Attending the 2026 Land and Water Summit will help me build my skills, meet practitioners, and apply GIS to real water challenges in New Mexico and beyond.
Rhett Sanders-Spencer –
Hello! I’m a graduate student studying water resource management at UNM, and my academic and professional interests include aquatic ecology, ecohydrology, green stormwater infrastructure, and water policy and planning. I believe that attending the 2026 Land and Water Summit will help me to better understand where I fit into water management in New Mexico, by connecting me to the community of professionals that are working within and across these disciplines, as well as to the topics that this community is engaging with currently.
Iran Torres – As a newcomer to New Mexico, I am deeply honored to call this place my home and to pursue a career dedicated to protecting the invaluable natural resources of this land. Using my public health background and my experience as a current Intern in the Natural Resource Services section in Bernalillo County, I am interested in applying and prioritizing inclusive community outreach practices in an environmental justice setting. Attending the Land and Water Summit supports my professional goals by providing networking opportunities while expanding my knowledge of nature-based practices used by water resource professionals which can inform my future watershed-management projects and community-informed environmental solutions later in my career.
Bianca Camacho – I am a Master’s student in the Geography department at UNM and a graduate intern with the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority. My current research uses GIS and remote sensing to detect flooding risk from sediment deposits in arroyos. Attending the summit will afford me the opportunity to make connections with professionals in water resources and GIS.
Katie Slack (they/them) – Katie is a PhD student in Geography and Environmental Studies at University of New Mexico, a fellow for the UNM R.H. Mallory Center for Community Geography and a member of the GeoAIR lab. Katie is focusing on Geographic Information Science (GIS) and is building their skills in interactive web mapping, geovisualization, and science communication through cartography. Katie seeks to use GIS to aid in environmental problem-solving and growing relationships between humans and more-than-human beings in urban environments. Attending the Land and Water summit will help them to learn more about New Mexico environmentalism and the people upholding this important work, which after graduating they intend to seek a career in.
Nana-Esi Irie Hanson – Nana-Esi Irie Hanson is a Ph.D. student in Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University. Her research focuses on using remote sensing and GIS to examine long-term hydrological dynamics of playa wetlands in the Southern Great Plains, including how climate variability and land-cover change influence hydrological patterns and their implications for waterfowls. Attending the Land and Water Summit will support her academic and professional development by fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, strengthening collaborations, and informing conservation and climate adaptation strategies for arid and semi-arid landscapes.
Abraham Brown – My name is Abraham Brown. I am a resident of Northern New Mexico; I’m a parciante, a farmer, an artist, and a student of geology and the environmental sciences. Attending the 2026 Land and Water Summit will connect me with people, stories, and challenges related to the status of the environment in New Mexico and beyond. I am excited to be a part of it!
Tomas Gonzales – I’m an undergraduate forestry student at New Mexico Highlands University specializing in watershed resilience, ecological restoration, and land–water interactions in New Mexico. I’ve helped build watershed restoration structures that support post fire recovery around the Las Vegas area, and I’m currently monitoring the effectiveness of those structures at fulfilling their intended functions with erosion control within the ephemeral drainages they are placed. I’m excited to attend the 2026 Land and Water Summit! It will deepen my extracurricular academic knowledge and allow me to share what I’ve learned with people who are already utilizing these structures in their watersheds. I look forward to teaching and learning from the people at the front lines of ecological restoration so we can do a better job creating a sustainable planet we can thrive on!
Andres Sanchez – Established in Espanola, New Mexico in Rio Arriba County, I saw firsthand how our heritage, land, and opportunities are all in harmony, but still may be easily provoked to be out of tune, destabilizing natural resources and quality of life. Since then I have applied my design skills as an artist but also as a listener for my community and the land. To find viable solutions to propel us, all of New Mexico, as leaders in sustainability.
Zera Adame – I have recently received my Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of New Mexico and am an emerging professional in the field of restoration and conservation. I hope to gain clarity and knowledge on future career paths by learning more about current local projects and efforts focused on responsible land and water management. Ultimately, my goal is to pursue my biology background to contribute to protecting, restoring, and adapting nature-based changes in critical ecosystems.
Sophia Stephens – As a field technician with Albuquerque Open Space, I work in the Bosque supporting restoration efforts in an increasingly arid ecosystem. After studying Biology and Environmental Studies at Williams College, I am keen to explore how nature-based solutions are implemented locally. At the summit, I am particularly interested in how botany informs restoration decision-making.ot
Dow Swart – As an intern with the City of Santa Fe’s River and Watershed Section, I’m developing educational materials about water pollution and land stewardship. My hope is to encourage others to become passionate stewards of their lands and resources for themselves, for their communities, and for future generations. I’m excited to broaden my knowledge and deepen my impact in water resource management, learning from and connecting with experts in the field.
Stephanie Mladinich – Hi! I’m a graduate student at the University of New Mexico and Climate Adaptation Specialist with the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. I’m working in partnership with the Rio de Chama Acequia Association (RCAA) along the lower Rio Chama to develop a community-led watershed plan and pilot watershed restoration approaches for flood mitigation, erosion control, and overall watershed health for acequia and community resilience. The L&WS is a wonderful opportunity to connect and learn from leaders in the field and gather ideas.
Isabella Oviedo – I am a sophomore at UNM studying Environmental Science with a minor in Japanese. I plan to continue my education by getting my master’s degree in urban planning, then work to design more sustainable and livable communities throughout New Mexico. Attending the Land and Water Summit is an amazing opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of sustainable infrastructure in New Mexico and meet the professionals at the forefront of this effort!
Juna Keehn – I am currently pursuing my master’s degree in Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of New Mexico. My research interests include biogeography, political ecology, and invasive species management in the Southwest. I am looking forward to learning more from organizations about the work they are doing locally to support healthy ecosystems and watersheds and hoping to apply what I learn to my own work.
James Dufficy – is a young Ecological Restoration Practitioner who works seasonally between New Mexico and Montana on a wide variety of projects including native plant restoration, low-tech riparian restoration, forest health management, and native seed collection. While he is most passionate about work in direct contact with the land, he is attending the Land and Water Summit to engage with “bigger picture” ideas that bring low-income communities in connection with their environment and food system. When he is not working with plants, he enjoys playing music, exploring wintery landscapes, reading, and finding other ways to escape the onslaught of seasonal allergies.
Jaimie Ritchie – I am a Civil Engineering (Water Resources) master’s student at UNM, and I am passionate about discovering new ways to approach age-old issues to bring about a future in which everyone shares water and thrives. Attending the land and water summit will broaden my understanding of Water Resources through an interdisciplinary lens, which will broaden my perspective and enable me to consider many factors surrounding water issues.
Blake Collins –
From brewing beer professionally to fighting bots, I have had the opportunity to tackle a wide range of interesting problems. We face many challenges, and I believe the loss of habitat and global warming are among the most critical of our time. My hope in attending the Land and Water Summit is two-fold: to connect with like-minded collaborators and to gain new tools for protecting our planet.
Alexander Kaltenbach – Originally from Albuquerque. He is currently a Master’s student in Economics at UNM researching finished drinking water quality across New Mexico, particularly how wildfire has degraded quality in downstream surface water utilities using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. He looks forward to learning about solutions to water quality concerns as well as connecting with academics and professionals working in the regional water community.
Tybur Q. Casuse-Driovínto
Tybur (He/They) – A postdoctoral fellow at the University of New Mexico working in the Intermountain West Transformation Network. Their current work in cumulative impacts mapping seeks to provide a community accessible webtool to identify environmental hazards in air, land, and water in the context of public health and socioeconomics. Additionally, they are seeking to connect with water management experts and community members to learn about processes of water quality management and potentially identify future collaborations.
