Valeria Cortes-Mora joined the Southwest Environmental Finance Center (SWEFC) in September 2024 as a GIS Student Technician and transitioned into a Professional/Technical Intern role in June 2025. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography with a minor in Earth and Planetary Sciences. At the SWEFC, Valeria focuses on GIS mapping and digitization of drinking water and wastewater systems across New Mexico and other states, following SWEFC standards. Her work supports communities by delivering clear, usable spatial data to improve system planning, and asset management. She also contributes to digital communications and outreach efforts, assisting with blogs, podcasts, and sharing water-related news and articles through social media.