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.
