Cetan (Chey-tahn) Christensen joined the Southwest Environmental Finance Center in April 2026 as a Water Utility Training Specialist. Cetan supports technical support, training, and advocacy for rural and Native communities seeking to advance their community’s water and wastewater infrastructure and knowledge to build sustainable water utilities and thriving communities. Cetan’s previous work has focused on water quality, water resource management, environmental compliance, food sovereignty, education, and supporting tribal communities through funding and training and technical assistance. She has served as a Senior Water Resource Scientist for Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, where she managed Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance, Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) projects, and supported water resource planning and operations, conservation, and research. Additionally, she has served in the following capacities: as a Lead Program officer at First Nation’s Development Institute on the Native Agriculture and Food Systems Investment team; as a researcher for the Native Land Information System for Village Earth; as a founding STEM educator for the American Indian Academy of Denver, developing and providing culturally relevant and engaging curriculum; as a graduate teaching assistant at Colorado State University; and working in water quality as a Water Treatment Plant Operator for the City of Louisville in northern Colorado.

Cetan holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Water Management and Hydrologic Science from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and a Master of Science in Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management with a research dissertation focused on Riparian Forest Ecology from Colorado State University. Cetan has earned certifications as both a Water and Wastewater Utility Operator in Colorado.