Rocío Torres Now Directs Our Colorado River Delta Program

Sonoran Institute Names Rocío Torres Moguel director of Colorado River Delta program

Francisco Zamora becomes Senior Director of Programs
Rocío Torres Moguel

Rocío Torres Moguel has a new role at the Sonoran Institute as director of our Colorado River Delta team. Since joining the Sonoran Institute in 2019, Rocío has served as leadership in the management of the 45 team members in Mexico. She was instrumental in Sonoran Institute receiving the 2019 national Honorable Recognition on Conservation of Nature from the federal government of Mexico.

“I feel very honored to be a part of this diverse group of wonderful, talented people.”

This year, the Delta team has been restoring 682 acres of river channel and mudflats and encouraged to see an increase in the abundance and diversity of wildlife in the estuary again this year. Along with our partners, we have secured effluent, or treated wastewater, to flow in the Hardy River and Colorado River estuary increasing water quality, and restoring the river as it reaches toward the sea. Our team in Mexicali has directly engaged over a thousand students and community members about the importance of water for the environment, the ecosystem services provided by wetlands and how they can be part of this effort—all of which face unique challenges during the pandemic.

Safety precautions such as face coverings and social distancing have been adopted by staff who work in the field during the pandemic, like Celia Alvarado picture here.

In recognition of her stewardship of the Mexicali office, Rocío will now oversee our Colorado River Delta program. “During 2020 our team demonstrated that even under the most adverse circumstances we have an extraordinary commitment to caring for the Colorado River Delta and have developed a closer binational work culture. I feel very honored to be a part of this diverse group of wonderful, talented people. We will continue to invest all our capabilities to achieve our mission to connect communities with the natural resources, which has such a positive impact on our physical and mental health,” says Ms. Torres.

Rocío replaces Francisco Zamora as director, who has been promoted to the position of senior director of programs.

Join us in congratulating Rocío!


Blog post by Mike Zellner, chief executive officer of the Sonoran Institute.

Este mensaje esta disponible en español.