Ms. Aguilar first joined CYFD in 2023 as a law clerk under the UNM Jaramillo Clerkship program and stayed on working close to full time while she completed her juris doctorate and studied for the bar. Once she passed the bar in September 2025, Ms. Aguilar immediately stepped into CYFD’s Indian Child Welfare Act role, which requires a higher standard of practice. In that role Ms. Aguilar managed 80+ cases in Bernalillo County while also developing training opportunities to support her clients in better conforming to the law and in becoming comfortable in the courtroom.
Having grown up in poverty in rural New Mexico, Ms. Aguilar got her first real job job at 15 waiting tables at a diner, started her family at 16, and enrolled in college at 17. Persisting through these experiences honed Ms. Aguilar’s natural strength of character into an indominable will. Throughout her undergraduate degree, Ms. Aguilar worked multiple jobs including line cook, sales associate, journalist, small business owner, and laboratory research assistant. After attaining her undergraduate degree, Ms. Aguilar continued in academic research for three years, contributing to the development of cancer drugs and drug delivery methods, chemical catalysts, biofuels, and novel ceramics. Through these experiences in science and engineering Ms. Aguilar developed a knack for systems analysis and for finding creative solutions to difficult problems.
Feeling called to service, Ms. Aguilar spent four years teaching high school science and engineering at a Title I school, working tirelessly to raise the bar and prepare her students for college and the workforce. While teaching and managing her classroom, Ms. Aguilar re-started the science fair program, secured mentorships in STEM for dozens of youth; started the school’s first student newspaper, which produced articles reprinted around the state; helped develop a more effective Response to Intervention program to support vulnerable students towards graduation; mentored pregnant and parenting students; developed aerospace curriculum; and more. While an educator Ms. Aguilar was also a local union leader, where she acted as site rep to support other educators through the grievance process and helped to renegotiate the contract with the district. Being an educator taught Ms. Aguilar how to connect with, persuade, and inspire people from all walks of life.
In addition to raising a family and working, while a law student Ms. Aguilar started a children’s law society to help develop a pipeline into this underserved practice area, led the Federalist Society chapter as a Vice President and then President, published articles, organized an annual toy drive to provide Christmas gifts for foster youth, became a Bergstrom Child Welfare Fellow, and served as the student liaison to the Children’s Law section of the NM Bar, in addition to serving in several other leadership capacities. She also earned a Natural Resources and Environmental Law Certificate.
Outside of her busy practice, Ms. Aguilar is a devoted mother to two boys, now adults in college, and one little girl. In her free time Ms. Aguilar enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, and painting, always with her children.
