Samantha (Sami) Stroud earned an M.S. in Geography and B.A.s in Geography and East Asian Studies (Chinese concentration) and minors in Japanese and Interdisciplinary Honors from the University of New Mexico. She began work at the Southwest EFC as a undergraduate researcher through the UNM Grand Challenges program, participating in research for the Environment Focused Learning Academy (EFLA) on drinking water/water bottle cleanliness, taste, and availability; research design and development of a podcast on New Mexican water utilities and the COVID-19 pandemic; and the writing of a white paper based on her research over the course of the project. Sami has also competed in the Water Grand Challenges’ Poster Competition for which she won the Student Poster Achievement Award. After graduating, Sami transitioned to a new part-time role as the SW EFC’s Communications and Outreach Specialist, in which she develops and implements outreach methodologies for the center. Academically, she continues her critical environment studies at the University of Oregon as a graduate student in the Environmental Sciences, Studies, and Policy (ESSP) program.