Just Transition team members

Gabe Pacyniak

Gabe Pacyniak is an associate professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Gabe’s scholarship and policy work focuses on climate change and energy issues, with a focus on equity. He also is a co-supervisor of the School’s Natural Resources and Environmental Law (NREL) clinic, which provides law and policy representation to low-income and underserved communities on a broad range of NREL issues.  He also serves as a co-convenor of UNM’s Just Transition to Green Energy Grand Challenge initiative.

Gabe’s recent scholarship focuses on ensuring that energy is affordable to everyone in the clean energy transition and on identifying the legal mechanisms being used to address equity in climate change policies. He has published work in the Missouri Law Review, Harvard Law & Policy Review, and Ecology Law Quarterly, among other publications.

Prior to joining the UNM faculty in August 2017, Gabe managed the climate change mitigation program at the Georgetown Climate Center and co-taught a climate change law and policy practicum course as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law. He currently serves on the Albuquerque Energy Board and has previously served on the New Mexico State Climate Change Task Force Technical Advisory Group and the Methane Advisory Panel.

Shannon Sanchez-Youngman

Dr. Sanchez-Youngman is a community based participatory researcher with expertise in Latino mental health disparities intervention research and health equity policy. She has over 20 years of experience developing community health interventions aimed at reducing social and health disparities among economically marginalized groups and racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Dr. Sanchez-Youngman seeks to bridge the gap between social science theories and methods with multi-level health intervention research.

She received her doctorate at the University of New Mexico in Political Science. She currently is the Associate Director for Participatory Research and Evaluation at the Center for Participatory Research and is the Doctoral Fellowship Director for the Center for Social Policy at UNM. She was a doctoral fellow at the Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health Policy from 2010-2015.

Gabriel Sanchez

Gabriel R. Sanchez, Ph.D., is a professor of Political Science and the Founding Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Endowed Chair in Health Policy at the University of New Mexico. He is also the director of the UNM Center for Social Policy, and a founding member of the UNM Native American Budget and Policy Institute. Dr. Sanchez is a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution. Dr. Sanchez is also the vice president of research at BSP Research, a leading survey firm focused on the Latino electorate. A leading expert on Latino and New Mexico politics and policy, he regularly provides political commentary to several state, national, and international media outlets including the New York Times, CNN, Los Angeles Times, and the Economist. Dr. Sanchez is a nationally recognized expert in survey research and the utilization of rigorous research to inform public policy decisions at the federal, state, and local levels. 

Sanchez utilizes his research to inform public policy formation at the federal, state, and local levels. This includes conducting contract research directly for governments at all three levels, as well as for a wide number of non-profits and advocacy organizations. As a public intellectual, Sanchez produces a large volume of blog posts, policy briefs, reports, op-eds and podcasts aimed at educating the wider public on political affairs and public policies. 

As a member of the leadership team on the Just Transition to Green Energy Grand Challenge team, Dr. Sanchez is leading several research projects focused on collecting data from New Mexico’s population on their attitudes toward this transition away from fossil fuels with a specific focus on workforce development. In partnership with the Department of Workforce Solutions, Somos un Pueblo Unido, the Center for Civic Policy and the Power4 NM Coalition, and a host of other collaboration partners, Sanchez and his team have utilized focus groups and surveys to ensure that the voices from diverse communities across the state are included in policy discussions surrounding this transition. Sanchez has also integrated students into this work by providing undergraduate and graduate students with scholarships and RA funding to support this work and learn how to utilize rigorous research to inform public policy deliberation. 

Robert DelCampo

Dr. Robert G. DelCampo serves in multiple roles at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where he currently holds pivotal roles as the Rutledge Professor of Management, Sr. Executive Director of Corporate & Community Engagement and the Executive Director of the Innovation Academy. His roots in Las Cruces, coupled with an academic journey that traversed UNM and culminated in a Ph.D. from the esteemed W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, underscore his deep commitment to education and community development.

Dr. DelCampo has served in a number of administrative roles in the university including Dean, Research Center Director and Chair of the Faculty (elected). During his influential tenure as Associate Dean of the Anderson School of Management, Dr. DelCampo's impact on UNM's academic landscape extended beyond curriculum development. His visionary leadership not only spearheaded the creation of an innovative MBA curriculum but also championed inclusivity through the successful Hispanic Leadership Development Program. This program not only enhanced educational opportunities but also exemplified Dr. DelCampo's dedication to fostering diversity and equity in academic settings.

Dr. DelCampo's academic expertise, rooted in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, has not only shaped minds within lecture halls but has also contributed significantly to academic literature. His body of work includes seven impactful books, a testament to his commitment to advancing the discourse on underrepresented workforce segments, generational dynamics, work-family conflicts, turnover, and psychological contracts.

Beyond academia, Dr. DelCampo's influence extends to the corporate realm, where he has provided strategic guidance to over 25 Fortune 500 companies. His consulting portfolio boasts collaborations with industry giants like Ford, Home Depot, Dell, and Intel, showcasing his ability to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical business solutions.

In recognition of his unwavering commitment to community development, Dr. DelCampo has garnered accolades such as Albuquerque Business First's "40 Under 40" and inclusion in Albuquerque the Magazine's "15 People Who Will Change Albuquerque." His dedication to responsible entrepreneurship materialized in the founding of the UNM Center for Responsible Entrepreneurship, offering a platform for entrepreneurs dedicated to creating positive social impact.

Aligning with his passion for equitable transitions, Dr. DelCampo actively engages in the Rural Student Career Preparation (RSCP) program, generously funded by the NSF and the Department of Education. This initiative not only guides rural students into higher education but also instills an entrepreneurial spirit, echoing Dr. DelCampo's belief in the transformative power of education.

Melanie Sayuri Sonntag

Dr. Melanie Sayuri Sonntag is a Research Scientist and Fellowship Director at the Center for Social Policy at the University of New Mexico. She serves as the Grand Challenge Coordinator.

Melanie’s academic works focuses on barriers to equity for racial minorities and women with extensive experience working on policy-related work in and for the state of New Mexico. Melanie received a B.A. in International Liberal Studies from Waseda University in Tokyo, and a M.A. in Political Science from Philipps-University Marburg in Germany and the University of New Mexico. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science at UNM.

David Lopez Amaya

David A. Lopez Amaya is a first-year PhD student in Political Science at the University of New Mexico. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish with a minor in Economics at the University of New Mexico. Since 2022, Lopez Amaya has served as a research assistant at the UNM Center for Social Policy, focusing on data analysis and manuscript development. Lopez Amaya's research in empirical political science focuses on immigration policy, redistricting, and the political behavior of Latino and Native American communities.

Yoselin Cordova

Yoselin Cordova is a Political Science Ph.D. Student at the University of New Mexico. She is a research assistant at the Center for Social Policy and Levado. Her subfields are American Politics and Public Policy. Her research interests are in racial and ethnic politics. She obtained her MA in Political Science and her BA in Political Science and Spanish from the University of New Mexico.

Addison Fulton

​​Addison Fulton is an English and Political Science Major at UNM. She is a passionate advocate and a curious mind. The interest, passion, and curiosity for politics only grows. She was the recipient of the Carnegie Emerging Social Studies Fellowship. Her continued love and skill for public speaking led her to winning the UNM Grand Challenge Student Achievement Award. She also founded the Weekly Coyote, a satire magazine operating out of UNM that highlights local and national news in a scathingly comedic, yet insightful way.

Addison believes strongly in the powers of art and communication as tools for creating positive change. In addition to her work in and around the spheres of politics, her writing and films have earned her several publications and awards, including publication in the UNM literary magazine Scribendi and the Western Regional Honors Conference award for Best Short Fiction. Addison was proud to be accepted to Harvard University, but she is also proud to stay in New Mexico and continue to support and revel in the communities and people she loves.

Alma Kassim

Alma Kassim was born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico; she moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she obtained a degree in Public Health with a minor in Environmental Sustainability from Agnes Scott College. Throughout her academic journey, she actively engaged with the Southface Institute, a renowned non-profit that fosters sustainable communities. Her focus centered on advocating for a more discerning approach, one that prioritizes the fiscal and human health benefits inherent in the investment decisions on green technologies and fossil fuels. She is currently in the second year of her Master of Public Health program at UNM, where she continues to pursue health policy.

Dayana Maldonado

Dayana Maldonado is a master’s student in counseling at the University of New Mexico and a research assistant at the Center for Social Policy, with over seven years of experience in grassroots organizing and public policy development. Her work is dedicated to creating equitable policy solutions that address racial and socioeconomic inequities impacting immigrant and Latino communities. Previously, as a policy fellow for Somos Un Pueblo Unido, a NM state-wide racial and economic justice organization, she advanced community-based research and equity initiatives supporting a just transition for immigrant workers and families in New Mexico’s Permian Basin.

Dayana also served as the Migration Policy Program Assistant at the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington, D.C., where she developed legislative strategies, supported constituent and congressional relations, and advocated for humane, just, and inclusive U.S. immigration policies.

Her policy platform centers on socio-economic justice, prioritizing the voices and lived experiences of impacted communities. A first-generation college graduate with a B.A. in Integrated Studies and Psychology from Northern New Mexico College. She plans to pursue a Ph.D.to further research inequities affecting Latino communities.

Selene Diaz Martinez

Selene Diaz is an international student from Tucuman, Argentina. She lived in New Mexico for 6 years where she graduated from high school and college. She obtained a BA in International Studies and Political Science with a minor in Japanese from the University of New Mexico. Throughout college, she became interested in development politics behind service provision, specifically to improve accessibility and quality of water, electricity, sanitation, and waste management services. Upon graduation, she decided to gain professional experience by working for the NM House of Representatives, interning for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and working at a local Albuquerque law firm. Her professional experiences made her interested in the field of energy and environmental policy. She pursued a graduate certification from University of Chicago for Environmental Economics Policy in Beijing, China, during the summer of 2023. She is in her first semester of the Master for Political Science at UNM where she hopes to engage in research in the energy sector in New Mexico.