Natalie Rivera Benavent

Natalie grew up around water in a family of traditional seafarers. She graduated from Texas A & M in 2001 and went on to serve over 15 years on various commercial vessels all over the world. Having risen to the rank of Master-Unlimited, Captain Rivera devoted the latter part of her sea-going career to training and mentoring marine crews as a vessel compliance auditor and to the development of competency assessment systems. To bring balance to a life at sea, she would buy and sell homes while on land. Spearheading several extensive remodel efforts, she was able to apply her knowledge of engineering and mechanics from vessel accommodations to the residential property realm. What started as a pastime segued to a challenging and rewarding career on land. After meeting her husband on a chance trip to Santa Fe in 2009, she decided to settle down and make her home in the high desert with him and their two dogs. She obtained her New Mexico Real Estate Broker License and started a career at Sotheby’s. In 2015, Natalie joined Barker Realty Family. Born in Puerto Rico, Natalie is fluent in Spanish and offers bilingual support to various local charities, loves to cook for friends, and enjoys the outdoors. She is still sought after for speaking engagements and maritime regulatory committees on the topics of competency and licensing. Natalie is committed to providing the same high level of efficiency and maintaining streamlined processes for real estate transactions. Having seen the world, managed international crews and worked in high-stress environments, she brings a balanced perspective and calm demeanor to real estate.