State Representatives sit in the New Mexico House of Representatives, which is the lower house of New Mexico. Representatives introduce and vote on proposed laws, serve on legislative committees, and participate in hearings, floor debates, fact-finding and investigations. They also may assist constituents with issues and problems the constituents may have with government agencies within New Mexico. Term: Two years; no term limits.
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mailingstate
NM
Campaign Phone
505-550-5765
Filing County
Bernalillo
Born in Albuquerque, I love my State deeply. My parents taught me the values they learned as UNM Lobos, working not “on” or “for” but “with” the community. I’ve brought this value to the work I led at the City and State on some of the largest projects on homelessness and healthcare. I am committed to my community, which is why I came back home after receiving a BA at Harvard and an MA in Economics and Business, made possible by scholarships. It would be my honor to continue representing you.
With over 350,000 New Mexicans facing housing instability, the housing crisis affects us all. It is up to us, the community and decision-makers to craft policy with data, humility, and intention. One 2016 study by UNM revealed that for every $1 our City invests in housing someone, we earn back $1.78. Plus, once housed, almost 90% stay housed for more than a year. The smartest way to solve homelessness is housing through voucher programs or by building more affordable housing.
I would ask groups like ABCWUA and the Middle Rio Grande Water protection groups to lead on real actionable plans that directly relate to their communities. Additionally, our state agencies, such as the Office of the State Engineer and Interstate Stream Commission, need resources to get their jobs done– including updated technology to collect the right data. I support funding further research on New Mexico's brackish water aquifers, we should only draw on those resources if we understand them fully. We must recognize that New Mexico will have less potable water from natural sources in the future due to the impacts of climate change, so the legislature should also invest in the capability to recycle and reuse water to safeguard our future.
As a young person, many of my friends left NM looking for jobs - so the need for economic development projects is real. Large economic development projects should be evaluated based on job creation potential for economic diversification, balanced with their impact on the environment and local communities. I believe New Mexico has the opportunity for real economic growth through (1) Boosting entrepreneurship and training. (2) Creating green jobs. We are 2nd in Solar potential but 15th in Solar production, we should leverage federal funds and spur climate investment. (3) Investing in public education and addressing the roots of poverty to make New Mexico a talent hub.
In addition to pursuing stronger public health infrastructure, like utilizing Community Health Workers, we must ensure we grow our own healthcare professionals. That starts with our young people who are pursuing careers in medicine. The legislature made great progress with recent investments in this area: increasing student loan repayment by up to $300,000, funding more rural residencies, and doubling UNM’s medical school. I was proud to sponsor funding in the budget for Work Force Solutions to develop all-year, paid high-school internships that feed directly into the medical profession. But we can always do more, for example, by expanding on the medical compacts passed for physicians to compacts for EMTs, and other medical professions.
