Andrea grew up in a town just outside of Philadelphia, called Cinnaminson. Currently, she is a dual-degree student, pursuing MBA and MPP degrees. She graduated with her BA in Human Resources during May of 2021. During her undergraduate studies, she was an athlete for UNM's track and field program, elected Senator for ASUNM, and was nominated into the Lobo Scholars Program. In terms of experience, she interned for Viante NM, a state legislative organization; interned for Deb Haaland's congressional district office; and worked for BayoTech Inc. as a policy assistant. Currently, she holds the Chief of Staff position for GPSA, UNM's graduate student government; and a research/project assistant for Project Echo's DEI department. Her policy interests include environment, energy, education, and Native American affairs. Andrea is, also, a first-generation student, for her parents immigrated from Peru to the US in the 90s. In her free time, she enjoys cooking vegan food, running on trails, and exploring NM! Check out Andrea's policy blog!

Darlene has lived in New Mexico for nearly 20 years; she grew up in Durango, Mexico and Socorro, NM before moving to Albuquerque. In 2017, she graduated from UNM with a BA in Chemistry and BS in Psychology. Darlene is a Research Scientist at UNM’s Cradle to Career Policy Institute (CCPI). Currently she is part of CCPI’s early childhood team where she is involved in numerous projects regarding childcare access. She has experience with data analysis and data collection through both interviews and surveys. Darlene’s policy interests are in health equity, education, and immigrants’ rights. Outside of work, Darlene serves on the Board of Directors for MANA de Albuquerque and enjoys spending time with her two Jack Russells. Check out Darlene's policy blog!

Julio was born in Albuquerque and raised in the South Valley. He graduated from UNM in May of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. During his undergrad studies, Julio has interned for several campaigns, interned for Senator Tom Udall’s Washington D.C. office, and served as a student lobbyist for ASUNM in advocating for the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship. Julio is currently interning at Sandia National Labs. Policy interests of Julio include economic development in underserved areas, sustainable economic development, and energy policy. Outside of school, Julio enjoys hiking, spending time with family and close friends.

Natasha is a tribal member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. She received her Bachelor of Science in Family and Child Studies and minor in Psychology from the University of New Mexico. She has also earned her Mental Health First Aid certificate from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. She previously worked for the State of New Mexico in several settings, as a child support legal assistant, family assistance analyst, and as a CYFD intake worker. Most recently, Natasha returned to New Mexico from Delaware, where she worked with substance exposed infants and their families. With a wider lens, she is focused on giving back to her community by providing appropriate supportive services and encouragement. Natasha has been dedicated to helping families obtain sustainable living and will continue to do so at higher capacities by pursing her Master’s in Public Policy. In her free time, Natasha enjoys spending time with her family in outdoor activities, playing music, and eating New Mexico’s traditional foods.

Emily is a graduate student who grew up between New Orleans, Louisiana and small town Mississippi. Emily received her BA in Political Science and Human Rights from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2012, then worked as a teacher in Alamogordo and an instructional coach on the Navajo Nation. Through her work, Emily became increasingly interested in the role public policy can play in cultivating greater equity in the education system. Emily recently started a new role as a policy analyst for the Legislative Education Study Committee in Santa Fe. Beyond graduate school, Emily enjoys spending time hiking around New Mexico with her dog Groot. Check out Emily's policy blog! 

Cayley was born in Salt Lake City and grew up between California and Washington State. They currently live in a small town near Seattle when not at school. They graduated with their BA in Criminology from UNM. They currently work with the Global Education Office helping incoming exchange students. Cayley enjoys playing games with friends, spending time with family, and walking their 2 dogs. 

Brisa was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2020, Brisa graduated from the University of New Mexico with degrees in Political Science, Spanish, and a minor in Women’s Studies. During the last year of undergraduate school, she joined a local political spiritual group Yoga for People of Color Sangha where her advocacy roots began.  In the future, Brisa hopes to work with the state of New Mexico to advocate for legislation to provide opportunities of self-improvement for minorities and people living in poverty. Outside of school, she enjoys the outdoors such as camping, fishing, and going on hikes with her two dogs Echo and Trixie. Check out Brisa's policy blog!

Isaiah was born in Albuquerque and raised in the North Valley area. He graduated and received his bachelor's in Government at New Mexico State University. During his time at NMSU, he was elected the College of Democrats' President his senior year, interned for Mayor Tim Keller of Albuquerque, and worked as a Residental Assistant for student housing at the university. Since graduation, he has spent the last three months interning for the Congressional Office for Senator Martin Heinrich. Currently, he is working on a Congressional election campaign for Gabe Vasquez and then plans to return to work for Senator Martin Heinrich's Albuquerque office after the election. Isaiah enjoys being active, attending concerts, and spending time with his family. He has aspirations of traveling the world and is dedicated to serving the community and people of New Mexico. Check out Isaiah's policy blog!