Rebecca ‘Puck’ Stair

EMNRD News:

SANTA FE — The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department will have new people in two key leadership roles, starting this September.

Rebecca “Puck” Stair is joining EMNRD as Director of the Energy Conservation and Management Division (ECMD), while Benjamin F. Shelton will be the agency’s new General Counsel. 

Stair comes to EMNRD after nearly two decades in the New Mexico film industry, where she has worked as a producer and location manager on numerous films, television shows, commercials and other media projects. She also has championed clean-energy practices on all the projects she has spearheaded. Over the past two years, Stair has served as president of the local filmmakers’ union.

Stair graduated Cum Laude from Amherst College in Amherst, MA, with a BA in English Literature. She also did graduate study in Linguistics at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C. 

Ben Shelton

“It is an honor to join the EMNRD team, especially at this critical time for our state and the planet,” Stair said. “In the shift to a clean energy future, New Mexico and New Mexicans are poised to benefit greatly. I look forward to helping build a bountiful and equitable transition.”

Shelton has spent the past eight years as Government Affairs Director for Conservation Voters New Mexico, where he was a leading advocate for policies and legislation to combat climate change and protect the environment. His work included active support for landmark New Mexico legislation such as the 2019 Energy Transition Act and the 2021 Community Solar Act.   

Shelton earned a BA in Ecological Studies from Seattle University and a Juris Doctor from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon.

“I’m excited to join the excellent team at EMNRD,” Shelton said. “Some of the highlights of my career are achievements won hand-in-hand with EMNRD staff, and I’m honored to have a chance to continue that work from within the agency.” 

“Ms. Stair’s experience in managing multiple projects with complex budgets—employing diverse groups of people—simultaneously will prove invaluable in shepherding the many projects at ECMD linked to New Mexico’s transition to a clean energy future,” EMNRD Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst said. “Mr. Shelton’s work in the conservation arena makes him an ideal choice to provide legal representation to the agency charged with responsibly managing our state’s natural resources.” 

Both Stair and Shelton will start their new jobs Sept. 18, 2023.