Prickly Pear Strategies works alongside New Mexico's changemakers—nonprofits, grassroots organizations, unions, and political leaders—to turn vision into action. From campaign strategy to policy advocacy to facilitation, our work is built on trust, driven by excellence, and focused on creating real, lasting and sustainable change in our communities.
Building power through strategy, collaboration, and action.
Nayomi Valdez
Owner/Operator
Our Mission
To empower New Mexico's communities and organizations with strategic guidance, collaborative leadership, and principled advocacy that creates lasting, meaningful change.
What We Bring
Relationships matter. Results matter more. Prickly Pear Strategies brings together strategic expertise, trusted alliances across New Mexico's political and nonprofit sectors, and an uncompromising commitment to integrity.
Services &
Areas of Expertise
From campaign strategy to policy advocacy, from facilitation to legislative tracking, Prickly Pear Strategies serves the organizations and leaders building a more just New Mexico. We bring deep expertise, trusted relationships, and unwavering commitment to every partnership.
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Whether you're navigating a strategic planning retreat, building coalition alignment, or working through organizational transitions, expert facilitation keeps your team focused, heard, and moving forward. We design inclusive processes that honor every voice, navigate conflict with care, and deliver outcomes on time. From boardroom to community hall, we create the space for real dialogue and shared decisions.
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Strategic plans shouldn't gather dust on a shelf. We work with your team to clarify your vision, identify honest priorities, and build a roadmap you'll actually follow. Through collaborative facilitation and clear frameworks, we turn big ideas into actionable steps—grounded in your organization's values, capacity, and community context. The result: a plan that guides decisions, focuses resources, and drives real progress.
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Build your team's capacity with practical, hands-on training designed for New Mexico's advocacy and organizing landscape. From grassroots organizing fundamentals to legislative advocacy skills to effective meeting facilitation, we deliver workshops tailored to your organization's needs and experience level. Participants leave with tools they can use immediately—no jargon, no theory without practice, just skills that work.
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Advancing policy requires more than good ideas—it demands strategic mapping, strong coalitions, and skilled legislative engagement. We help you identify policy opportunities, build diverse coalitions, craft compelling messaging, and navigate New Mexico's legislative process with confidence. Whether you're defending hard-won protections or pushing bold new solutions, we bring the strategy and relationships to move your agenda forward.
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Stay ahead of the game during New Mexico's legislative sessions. Our tracking service delivers plain-language bill summaries, hearing alerts, amendment updates, and a living bill matrix customized to your priorities. No more drowning in legalese or missing critical committee hearings—just clear, timely intelligence that helps you engage strategically and respond quickly when it counts.
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Winning campaigns require bold strategy, disciplined execution, and deep understanding of New Mexico's political terrain. Whether you're running an issue campaign to shift public opinion, a candidate campaign for local or state office, or an organizational campaign to build your base, we provide end-to-end consulting—from message development and voter targeting to field strategy and coalition coordination. We've been in the trenches, and we know what it takes to win.
Theory of Change
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Our Approach
Change lasts when communities co-create it. We clarify the goal, co-design the path, and manage the work so teams can deliver with confidence.
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Clarify
Before strategy comes clarity. We work with you to cut through complexity, align stakeholders, and define what success actually looks like. Whether it's a campaign goal, policy objective, or organizational vision, we ensure everyone understands the target—and why it matters. Clear goals drive focused action.
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Co-Create
The best strategies emerge from collaboration, not top-down mandates. We facilitate inclusive planning processes that center community voices, honor diverse perspectives, and build shared ownership. When teams co-design the path forward together, they're invested in seeing it through. This is how movements grow stronger.
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Champion
Strategy without execution is just a document. We don't just plan—we partner with you to manage implementation, navigate obstacles, and keep momentum alive. From campaign management to policy tracking to facilitation, we stay in the work until you achieve your goals. Your success is our commitment.
