Paula Garcia, Executive Director ♦ lamorena@lasacequias.org

Paula was raised on a small ranch in Peñasco Blanco near El Carmen. She graduated from Mora High School and went on to attend the University of New Mexico where she studied engineering and community planning. She returned to Mora as an Americorp volunteer working with elders and youth in the community. Paula has been Executive Director of the New Mexico Acequia Association since 1998. During her time with NMAA, she has built a successful statewide organization which has defended the water rights of hundreds of acequias in the state. Paula works well with elected officials and agencies at the state and federal level. 

Paula has devoted years to standing up for rural communities and the acequias. In addition to fighting to protect the lands and precious waters of our communities, she has been an advocate for the needs of families in rural New Mexico. She has served on several boards and commissions, both locally and statewide, and she was recently elected a county commissioner for Mora county.

Paula enjoys spending time with her family, tending to her garden, singing in church with her sister, and most importantly instilling her family values in her son, Joaquin.