Renee Villarreal
Master of Community and Regional Planning, 2006

What tasks and responsibilities are involved in your work?

I oversee policies and make sure basic services are met in the City.

What projects are you currently working on?

Much of our decisions are land use cases and issues. Probably one of the more interesting challenges is the redevelopment of the former art and design campus. Looking at possibilities for affordable housing and other community  development opportunities.

What makes your work personally rewarding and how has it impacted you and your community?

Growing up in Santa Fe and not seeing enough people that look like me helped me decide to run for city council. The most rewarding part of public office is problem solving and working on issues with people in the community you’ve known for a long time and people you’ve just met.

How has the CRP program prepared you for your career?

Most important aspect of the CRP program for me, given that I was a community planner for 7 years for Santa Fe county, is the importance of authentic community engagement, taking the time to build trust. Quote, “Progress moves at the speed of trust”.  There isn’t a planner or anyone in public, private, non profit who can't benefit from authentic engagement with the community and thinking of ways to reach communities where they’re at and not always expect them to go to where you are.

Any additional comments?

I graduated from the program in 2006 and started working after that for over seven years community planner for Santa Fe planning, advocating for indigenous and traditional land based community (in terms of people who live off the land, areas near reservations up north in the Pojoaque valley). As an elected official there’s still a planning part of everyday.