Stephanie's Bio

Stephanie Russo Baca is a long-time resident of Valencia County. Stephanie is passionate about natural resource and agriculture and knows how important water is to the many users in the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.

Stephanie is committed to public service by representing all constituents in the middle valley in the operation, maintenance of irrigation, drainage and river flood control in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. She knows how important it is for the MRGCD to promote efficient and responsible water management that protects the users in the district and to work with local, state and federal agencies on environment, wildlife and endangered species issues. Stephanie also believe it is important to continue to provide multi-use recreational opportunities within the Middle Rio Grande Valley and to keep the infrastructure well maintained.

Stephanie’s family has always instilled a strong work ethic coupled with a responsibility to be involved in her community. Ever since she was a young girl she volunteered with her family whether it was serving disabled individuals at Truman Restorative Center in Saint Louis, running the recycling drive at her school, or raising funds for single mothers in the Peace & Justice club during high school. She also had the honor of obtaining the Girl Scout Silver Award-the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn- by raising funds for a women’s shelter. Currently Stephanie volunteers with her kids 4-H club while also serving as the Chairwoman of the MRGCD board. Her passion for public service, shines when she is working on water and agriculture issues.

In Stephanie’s professional and academic career, she has been able to work with various communities throughout the southwest in New Mexico and Arizona. She understands the complexities of environmental concerns, including how communities are impacted by environmental burdens, water quality, wildlife protection, sustainable land development, renewable energy and climate change. At Prescott College in Arizona she obtained her B.A. in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Agroecology, and a minor in Cultural and Regional Studies with an emphasis in history and policy. Her studies in Agroecology helped her to understand the connections that sustainable agriculture and food systems have to the environment, energy, human and animal health, labor, and climate change. After graduation she was able to continue her work with natural resources at Hawk’s Aloft as an avian educator and outreach coordinator here in New Mexico. At Hawk’s Aloft she monitored raptor populations in New Mexico’s rich bosque areas to teaching individuals of all ages and cultures about avian biology. This was an amazing experience as she exhibited birds of prey such as falcons, hawks, and owls to children and adults, and discussed the importance of preserving New Mexico’s wildlife. From 2009 until 2014 Stephanie maintained field issue focus areas in agriculture and animal policy as well as communicated legislative concerns from the district to DC counterparts as a constituent liaison in the U.S. House of Representatives and then as a constituent services representative in U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s Office. She had the opportunity to participate in policy matters that affected the communities in New Mexico, by working with various federal, state, tribal and local agencies that have regulatory authority over natural resources and the environment as well as private entities and nonprofit organizations. The work Stephanie did as a caseworker and field representative for a U.S. Congressman triggered her interest in law school. She feels that she has a duty to be involved in her community in New Mexico and felt that attending law school and focusing on water law would be the best way to extend her community involvement.

Stephanie graduated of the UNM School of law and she holds both the Indian Law and Natural Resources and Environmental Law Certificates, served on the Tribal Law Journal as a staff member and editor, and received the Dean’s Award upon graduation. After graduation she worked in private practice primarily working on water issues and representing an irrigation district. Stephanie is currently the staff attorney and Ombudsman Program Director at the Utton Transboundary Resources Center. There, Stephanie assists with the activities of the Joe M Stell Ombudsman Program, a statewide program that educates owners of water rights about how to navigate the water rights litigation in federal and state courts. Stephanie also contributes significantly to the Utton Center’s overall mission of providing objective research-based public service to New Mexico’s communities on issues related to energy, climate change, ecological conservation, food systems, and international natural resource management.

When Stephanie isn’t working on water, agriculture and natural resources issues, she and her family are working on their 2-acre plot of land raising livestock on permanent pasture and during the growing season helping family haul hay in Bosque, NM.