Dr. Molina Garzon is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration at UNM. Her research examines the relationship between human communities and natural resources governance, particularly the management of forests in developing South American countries where many marginalized communities depend on forest resources. She is interested in advancing the knowledge on policymaking as a network of involved actors where non-governmental organizations play a significant role and influence both government’s actions and communities’ attitudes towards governments.

Her research seeks to answer questions regarding the governance dynamic between different actors, such as how effective the interventions executed by local NGOs have been to promote sustainable development, what role do NGOs’ governance assistance play in the eyes of local communities, and if/how that influence has affected their likelihood of compliance with regulatory policies, and do NGOs facilitate or hinder the cooperation within local policy networks? Answering these questions and recognizing that interventions happen as the result of the collective efforts of several actors at the local level, is of high relevance to the public administration of forests across the globe today. 

Dr. Molina Garzon has worked with The World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank to assess climate change impacts on human capital and the adaptation mechanisms implemented in several developing countries and rural communities.