As the Executive Director of NM Native Vote, she oversees partner organizations tasked with educating and creating an Indigenous voting bloc in New Mexico working with key organizations and governance within the state.

Ahtza studied Sociology at Stanford University until her senior year when she transferred to the University of New Mexico. She has an MBA from the UNM Anderson School of Business and a Master of Studies in Law (MSL) from the UNM School of Law with a concentration in federal Indian law. Her vision includes focusing on increasing civic engagement within Native American communities, continuing to collaborate and unify a voter bloc while strengthening Indigenous sovereignty and control over sacred lands. She also wishes to reinvigorate the power of Tribal leaders to exercise sovereignty as it comes to battling the climate crisis.

She is the small business owner of IndigeLens Media, which focuses on showcasing Indigenous voices, enhancing Tribal community, promoting social entrepreneurship, and increasing visibility of authentic representations of Indigenous culture.

She is a recent graduate from DePaul University in Chicago, she holds a Bachelor’s in Science and Health in Psychology. Her academic focus on Community and Health Psychology reflects her commitment to making a positive impact on the community at large.

Before joining NM Native Vote, Mereya actively contributed to the International Indigenous Youth Council (IIYC) as a board member and adult mentor. She volunteered for various community initiatives centered around restorative justice, environmental advocacy, mental health, and youth empowerment.

Mereya is a co-owner of a small mushroom business, Midnight Disco Fungi, with her husband. They specialize in gourmet mushrooms, serving various restaurants throughout Albuquerque.Having previously resided in Chicago, Mereya returned to New Mexico to be closer to her elderly grandparents.

In her spare time, she enjoys exploring nature with her dogs, creating art through photography and painting, gardening, and spending time with family. Mereya believes in upholding her cultural values, emphasizing “to be of service to the community” through education, empowerment, and direct action.

By combining traditional Indigenous practices such as storytelling, restorative justice, and ceremony with social justice advocacy, education, and mental health, Mereya hopes to empower, fight, reconnect, and heal alongside the community at large.

He has also participated in organizing and protest movements involving environmentalism, gun violence, and police abolition. He is an alum of Sundance’s Indigenous Program and was nominated for Rolex’s Mentor and Protégé initiative.