The episodes in this series have been created to highlight collaborative efforts and the leaders who coordinate them in New Mexico. These episodes are being released leading up to the 5th Annual NMCEWL Summit on April 27th, 2021 at 10:00am MST. Be sure to listen to the podcasts ahead of the Summit to participate in our conversations around collaboration and coalition building around working lands in the state of New Mexico.

Where to LIsten to the Podcast

2022 Episodes
​Hosted by Mary-Charlotte Domandi of Radio Cafe
Ep 14 ​Advocating for small farmers and ranchers in New Mexico
Eugene Pickett knows farm disaster first hand—his farm and house in Belen, NM, along with those of his neighbors, were flooded out several years back, and he tried to access resources to help rebuild—which wasn’t easy. Now he serves as an advocate for several organizations at the state and national level, where he works with coalitions to address deep-seated historical discrimination and to preserve traditional, soil-friendly agricultural practices. ​
Ep 13 Place, Power, and Purpose: Understanding pollinators on western landscapes
Bees date back over 10,000 years on the American continent and are vital to the health of almost every bite we eat, but today they face threats from industrialization and habitat fragmentation. Melanie Kirby is a decades-long beekeeper, a scientist, a member of Tortugas Pueblo, and extension educator for the land-grant program at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. Her diverse background gives a perspective on bees and pollinators that brings together Western and indigenous perspectives, and that can help everyone from farmers to urban gardeners play a role in the revitalization of this keystone species. ​
Ep 12 The silent stigma: Mental health in farming communities
The suicide rate among farmers is alarmingly high—and yet there is widespread reluctance to talk about topics like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. A new program called AgWell is helping farmers, ranchers, agriculture workers, and their families, get the help they need—and to learn how to help others in their community. We talk to Clinton Wilson, program director of AgWell, and Dan Waldvogle of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, which has been instrumental in founding the program. 
Ep 11 ​Planning for drought on drying Western landscapes
Though we can’t control how much moisture the land gets in any year, we can made good decisions about how to respond to a variety of scenarios—and this helps farmers and ranchers to survive both practically and emotionally. We talk to Retta Breugger, Regional Specialist in Rangeland Management at Colorado State University Extension, and Harrison Topp, Membership Director for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and the operator of Topp Fruits in Paonia, Colorado. RMFU helps farmers, ranchers, and many others involved in agriculture to strategize for drought, and to find technical and financial assistance to carry out their plans. ​
​Ep. 10 How to incentivize healthy soil, food, and farmers
Isabelle Jenniches is co-founder of the New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group, and her mission for many years has been to create networks of organizations and individuals working together to advance soil health—and thereby improve the health of ecosystems, food, people, and climate. She brings a vision of healthy rangelands and croplands across the state, and land management drawing from both traditional and innovative practices. 
​Ep. 9 Feeding hungry New Mexicans with New Mexican-grown food
Currently New Mexico imports 98% of the food we eat, and exports 95% of the food we grow. Kendal Chavez is the Food and Hunger Coordinator in the office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and her mission is to address food insecurity while protecting New Mexico’s agricultural resources, like water and soil—and keeping food in state. 
Episodes from the 2021 Summit
Ep. 8 Toner Mitchell and Trout Unlimited
Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition meets with Toner Mitchell from Trout Unlimited to share stories from his time bringing together collaborative conservation projects from around the state.
Review Materials:
Ep. 7 Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard and the State Land Office
Co-host Arielle Quintana meets with Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard of the NM State Land Office to talk about the unique challenges and joys of bringing together lessees with a variety of government agencies and organizations for better land management practices and soil health.

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Ep. 6 Dr. Valerie Small and Sebastian Africano and Trees, Water & People
Join co-host Arielle Quintana for a conversation with Sebastian Africano and Dr. Valerie Small about the work that the organization Trees, Water & People is doing in New Mexico! 

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Ep. 5 Patricia Dowd of Western Landowners Alliance
Steph Marie von Ancken speaks to Patricia on bringing diverse interests together to achieve a common goal: the conservation, restoration and protection of lands, water and wildlife. She is the Policy Associate at the Western Landowners Alliance.
EP. 4 Gabaccia Moreno, and More Deep and Inclusive Public LAnds
Gabaccia Moreno
Nuestra Tierra
Gabaccia is a first-generation Mexican-American multi-disciplinary creator, consultant, and passionate outdoor advocate #ExploringResponsibly wherever life takes her. Having grown up in Veracruz, Mexico to a family of hunters and ranchers gave her an appreciation for the land and its wildlife at an early age, one that prevails today. Her works, whether artistic, creative, or entrepreneurial, have always intersected with the social and environmental issues that surround her.

​Gabaccia Moreno is passionate about creating spaces to talk about what it means to explore responsibility. In both her freelance work and in her spare time, Gabaccia works on projects to help expand the conversation around conservation and public lands to be more inclusive and to tell a deeper story of what it means to recreate in them.
EP. 3 Lilly Irvin-Vitela and New Mexico First
Lilly Irvin-Vitella
President and Executive Director, New Mexico First
Lilly Irvin-Vitela was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Part of her family has been in New Mexico since prior to statehood and others came in the 1940s. She has over 25 years of experience working for private and public community-based and state level organizations dedicated to improving the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. She formerly served as the president of her private consulting practice, and executive director of the Wisconsin Head Start Association, Supporting Families Together Association, and New Mexico Center for Dispute Resolution. Lilly attended the University of New Mexico as a Presidential Scholar and graduated with honors with a B.A. in philosophy and political science. Lilly also earned a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico. Lilly now lives in Peralta, NM with her family and is the mother of two adult children. She enjoys spending time outdoors with friends and family, playing with her pygmy goats, chickens, dog, and cats.
EP. 2 Judy Torres, Realtors, and Acequias
Judy Torres
Executive Director, Taos Valley Acequia Association (TVAA) 
Judy has been the Executive Director of the Taos Valley Acequia Association (TVAA) for twelve years. The TVAA is one of the oldest and largest regional acequia associations in New Mexico, established in 1989. They educate and inform people on water rights, water banking, water transfers etc. Presently they are working with a number of other local organizations to create a program that informs realtors and new home owners about the history and culture around acequias and the necessity of acequia management. Having grown up in Taos, Judy has a personal connection with the land and water systems she works to manage. 

NOTE: Another great podcast interview with Judy.
Ep. 1 The Leopold Conservation Award
On this premier of the NMCEWL Summit Podcast, New Mexico Collaborations, David Bailey and Lance Irving of the Sand County Foundation's Leopold Conservation Award® Program, talk about what it means to engage diverse stakeholders in collaboratively honoring NM landowners who go above and beyond to care for the land, water, and resources in our state.

David Bailey
Western Director, Leopold Conservation Award® Program
David manages the Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award Program in western states. His upbringing on a Utah dairy farm developed his love for agriculture. His professional service to agriculture included a 13-year career with the Utah Farm Bureau, overseeing its Young Farmer and Rancher program as Vice President of Organization. David, who once operated his own woodworking business, has also worked as a professional hunting guide and as a farm manager. Prior to joining Sand County's team in 2019 he worked in commercial and agricultural banking. David remains an active partner in his family's elk, horse and hay farm. He and his wife, Sharleen, and their six children reside in rural Utah.

​Lance Irving
Director, Leopold Conservation Award® Program
Lance took the helm of Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award Program in 2016 after more than 15 years of experience in the outdoor sporting goods industry, and prior to that as a professional wilderness hunting and fishing guide. As chief sales and marketing officer at two outdoor manufacturing companies, Lance became a recognized leader in the industry for successfully identifying market needs and expanding the customer base by focusing on clearly defining a brand message and forming strategic partnerships. His work has been profiled in trade publications and television programs, and he has been honored with several high profile sales and marketing awards.

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