Bernalillo County, NM aims to improve residents' quality of life and support small agricultural entrepreneurs through access to open space. The Executive Fellow will promote this goal by engaging internal and external stakeholders, researching agricultural hub models, and developing contract templates for small growers. As a result of this work, the Executive Fellow will help transform a 34-acre plot into land that promotes wellbeing, enables education, and unlocks opportunities for new farmers.
Fellowship Dates: October 26, 2026 - October 22, 2027Salary: Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual salary of $95,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. This amount is not representative of market-rate salaries for the experienced professionals in our program but is intended as compensation for a year of public service.
PROJECT BACKGROUNDBernalillo County's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space aims to improve residents' quality of life, with an emphasis on community health, economic development, and cultural heritage. Access to open space advances all three pillars. Parks and green space help people maintain their physical and mental health. Leasable plots would give agricultural entrepreneurs the chance to start or further their businesses with ensured access to land and lower capital requirements. Demonstration and education gardens allow the next generation to learn about their agricultural heritage. Additionally, as New Mexico's farming community ages, encouraging young farmers to join the profession could help Bernalillo County preserve its food security.
To promote these goals, the County purchased a 34-acre property to steward as an agricultural open space. The land is across the street from a high school and less than a 10-minute walk from two other schools, making it ideal for educational use. After a round of planning and community engagement, the County decided to dedicate it to three main purposes: agricultural education, demonstration plots and gardens, and gathering space for educational and community events; leasable fields (approximately 0.25-2 acres each) for small growers (including graduates of the Department's beginning farmer training program; and a habitat space with walking paths for conservation and recreation. These agricultural uses will support regenerative practices, including promoting food grown on public land. The Rio Grande High School cluster received a US Department of Education grant to carry out K-12 STEM pathways.
As the County finishes the planning phase for this property, it requires additional support to advance implementation of the master plan. The FUSE Executive Fellow will support the Bernalillo County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space by facilitating and documenting stakeholder engagement, coordinating communications and updates about the site's master plan, researching operational models, and creating contract templates for future growers. As a result of this work, Bernalillo County residents will be able to learn, play, gather, and grow businesses on this land.
PROJECT APPROACHThe first 90 days of the fellowship will focus on in-depth discovery and relationship-building. Beginning Fall 2026, the FUSE Executive Fellow will develop deep relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including government (e.g., school leadership, Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District, County Extension, and ), local agri-food businesses (e.g., produce aggregators, South Valley Economic Development Center), community organizations (e.g., acequia associations, neighborhood associations) and community members (with an emphasis on Grow the Growers, Youth Ag Corps participants and residents living in the property's walkshed). In addition, the Executive Fellow will review policies and best practices for creating inclusive open space and promoting small agriculture in communities similar to Bernalillo County.
Based on insights gathered, the Executive Fellow will develop and present proposed refinements to project goals, priorities, and anticipated deliverables for review and approval by the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space and the Executive Sponsor.
Next, the Executive Fellow will engage internal and external stakeholders to advance implementation of the master plan. This will include facilitating and documenting discussions with community members and potential partners, working with consultants and the Open Space Manager to promote the updated plan to the public, and engaging County officials to provide inputs and approve decisions as appropriate. The Executive Fellow will ensure consistent communication, effective community building, and appropriate follow-up on decisions affecting the property. When the Executive Fellow identifies a potential partnership, they will assist the stakeholder in formalizing and launching the collaboration. If successful, the Executive Fellow will have helped the County form the relationships and identify the input necessary for the project to be effective.
In addition, the Executive Fellow will conduct extensive research on how other communities have leveraged open space to promote small agricultural entrepreneurship. This will include how communities fund and manage ongoing site operations and how they structure leases and relationships with small growers to be fair and inclusive-with an emphasis on supporting new businesses with limited cash on hand. They will use this research to create an operational plan to guide future management and to develop contract templates for future lessees that include alternate payment options (e.g., labor in lieu of cash). If successful, the County will have the insights and tools they need to continue managing the land after development is complete.
By the end of the fellowship, the Executive Fellow will have helped launch initial operations in part of the property and built the foundation the County needs to finish development and continue operations in the future. The Executive Fellow will be responsible for working with the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space staff to ensure knowledge transfer, facilitate introductions to new stakeholders, and handover of any remaining responsibilities prior to departure.
EXPECTED DELIVERABLESBy October 2027, the Executive Fellow will have overseen the following:
- External Community Building - Engage external stakeholders (including schools, community organizations, neighbors, and other partner agencies) to implement the master plan and foster partnerships for its development and use.
- Internal Facilitation - Ensure master plan consultants receive and incorporate stakeholder input. Prepare materials for presentation to management staff and county officials.
- Operational Plan - Conduct research on how other communities have successfully promoted small agricultural hubs. Identify potential models for ongoing operation and management. Develop an operational plan to guide the County's work.
- Contract Templates - Develop templates for land lease contracts. Include options for alternative forms of payment that are achievable for target lessees/users.
KEY STAKEHOLDERS- Executive Sponsor - Andre Dickson, Director, Department of Parks, Recreation, & Open Space
- Project Supervisor - Mari Simbaña, Open Space Manager, Department of Parks, Recreation, & Open Space
QUALIFICATIONS- 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in organizational transformation and change management, from practitioner to enterprise-level leadership.
- Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
- Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
- Generates innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
- Respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
- Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
- Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
- Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community-based relationships.
- Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground. Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.
