Daniela Ortega is a first year graduate student in Geography, at WVU, and got her BA in Design from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia. Her professional background as a product designer, along with her passion for environmental advocacy, has led her to collaborate in research on issues related to Just Energy Transition, Social Development and Environmental Justice with communities in Colombia. She became part of the CRC, as a Community Engaged Research Assistant, to further her academic and professional interests in alternative economies and community development in places with a legacy marked by extractive processes, such as West Virginia. Her goal is to lead projects that seek to approach the context in a creative and critical way, through collaborative work with community members and students.