Staff and Experts
PPIC senior fellow Ellen Hanak is director of the PPIC Water Policy Center. The center’s research network is a dynamic group of top researchers with expertise in a range of disciplines—including biology, economics, engineering, geology, and law.
Water Center Staff

Caitrin ChappelleSee More
Associate Center Director and Research Fellow
415-291-4435
emailExpertise:
Public policyResearch Network

Newsha AjamiSee More
Director of Urban Water Policy, Stanford University, Water in the West
650-724-8162
emailExpertise:
Water resource hydrology
Maura AllaireSee More
Assistant Professor, Water Economics and Policy, University of California, Irvine
949-824-5797
emailExpertise:
Environmental economics
Karrigan S. Bork, JD, PhDSee More
Acting Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law
202-271-9392
emailExpertise:
Environmental law, ecology
Timothy BradleySee More
Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine
949-824-8483
emailExpertise:
Aquatic ecology
Ellen BrunoSee More
Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics- University of California, Berkeley
510-642-3345
emailExpertise:
Agricultural economics, environmental economics
Van ButsicSee More
ADJUNCT FELLOW, PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA
ASSISTANT COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SPECIALIST & ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE POLICY AND MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
510-666-5400
emailExpertise:
Land use planning
Daniel CayanSee More
Research Meteorologist, University of California, San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
858-534-4507
emailExpertise:
Climate science
James CloernSee More
ADJUNCT FELLOW, PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA
Senior Research Scientist, United States Geological Survey
650-329-4594
emailExpertise:
Aquatic ecology
Bonnie ColbySee More
Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona
520-621-4775
emailExpertise:
Water and energy economics
Helen E. DahlkeSee More
Associate Professor, Integrated Hydrologic Sciences, University of California, Davis
530-302-5358
emailExpertise:
Surface water, groundwater
Frank DavisSee More
Distinguished Professor, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management and Director, La Kretz Center for Research at Sedgwick Reserve
University of California, Santa Barbara
805-893-3438
emailExpertise:
Landscape ecology
Michael DettingerSee More
Visiting Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Michael Dettinger Climate Science, LLC
Retired, Research Hydrologist, United States Geological Survey
619-368-2896
emailExpertise:
Hydroclimatology
John R. DurandSee More
Research Scientist, University of California, Davis
530-601-3001
emailExpertise:
Estuarine ecology and restoration
Andrew T. FisherSee More
Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz
831-459-5598
emailExpertise:
Groundwater
John FleckSee More
Director, University of New Mexico Water Resources Program
505-277-0124
emailExpertise:
Colorado River Basin governance
William FleenorSee More
Senior Researcher, University of California, Davis
530-752-5669
emailExpertise:
Water resource engineering
Graham FoggSee More
Professor Emeritus of Hydrogeology, Departments of Land, Air & Water Resources, and Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis
530-304-9370
emailExpertise:
Groundwater
Richard FrankSee More
Director, University of California, Davis, School of Law, California Environmental Law and Policy Center
530-752-7422
emailExpertise:
Environmental and water law
Greg GartrellSee More
Adjunct Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
Independent Consultant
925-260-7424
emailExpertise:
Water resource engineering
Ted GranthamSee More
ADJUNCT FELLOW, PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SPECIALIST, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
510-664-4664
emailExpertise:
River science
Sarge GreenSee More
Project Director, Fresno State University, California Water Institute
559-278-8653
emailExpertise:
Water resource management
Letitia Grenier, Ph.D.See More
Adjunct and PPIC Caltrout Ecosystem Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
Program Director, Senior Scientist
San Francisco Estuary Institute, Resilient Landscapes Program
510-746-7342
emailExpertise:
Landscape ecology, conservation biology
Jennifer L. HarderSee More
Associate Professor, University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
916-739-7189
emailExpertise:
Water law, environmental law
Thomas HarterSee More
Hagan Endowed Chair in Water Management and Policy, University of California, Davis, Land, Air, and Water Resources
530-400-1784
emailExpertise:
Groundwater hydrology
David JassbySee More
Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California, Los Angeles
310-825-1346
emailExpertise:
Water and wastewater treatment, membrane separations, electrochemistry
Katrina JessoeSee More
Associate Professor, University of California, Davis, Agricultural and Resource Economics
530-752-6977
emailExpertise:
Economics
Yufang JinSee More
Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis, Remote Sensing and Ecosystem Change
530-219-4429
emailExpertise:
Ecosystem change
Douglas KenneySee More
Director, Western Water Policy Program
Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment; University of Colorado
303-492-1296
emailExpertise:
Colorado River policy
Wim KimmererSee More
Research Professor, San Francisco State University, Romberg Tiburon Center
415-338-3515
emailExpertise:
Aquatic ecology
Susie KocherSee More
Forestry Advisor
University of California Cooperative Extension
530-542-2571
emailExpertise:
Forestry and fire ecology, extension education
Matt KondolfSee More
Professor, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning
510 664-7804
emailExpertise:
River management
Carolyn KouskySee More
Executive Director, Wharton Risk Center, University of Pennsylvania
215-573-0515
emailExpertise:
Economics
Yusuke KuwayamaSee More
Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland
Fellow, Resources for the Future
202-328-5190
emailExpertise:
Water resource economics
Josué Medellín-AzuaraSee More
Adjunct Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced
209-228-3636
emailExpertise:
Economics
David MitchellSee More
Adjunct Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
Principal, M.Cubed
510-547-4369
emailExpertise:
Economics
Peter MoyleSee More
Associate Director, University of California, Davis, Center for Watershed Sciences
530-752-6355
emailExpertise:
Fish biology
Doug ParkerSee More
Director, University of California, California Institute for Water Resources
510-987-0036
emailExpertise:
Economics
Debra PerroneSee More
Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies Program, University of California, Santa Barbara
Expertise:
Water policy, groundwater systems, water-food-energy tradeoffs
Caitlin A. PetersonSee More
Adjunct Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
Consulting Agroecologist
530-760-7029
emailExpertise:
Agroecology, cropping systems, sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, ecological intensification
Nicholas PinterSee More
Professor, University of California Davis, Center for Watershed Sciences
530-754-1041
emailExpertise:
River management
Brett SandersSee More
Professor, University of California, Irvine, School of Engineering
949-824-4327
emailExpertise:
Water resource engineering
Kelly T. SandersSee More
Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California
213-821-0095
emailExpertise:
Energy-water nexus
Kurt SchwabeSee More
Adjunct Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
Professor, University of California, Riverside, School of Public Policy
951-827-2361
emailExpertise:
Economics
David SedlakSee More
Co-Director, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley Water Center
510-643-0256
emailExpertise:
Water quality engineering
Edward S. SpangSee More
Assistant Professor, Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis
530-754-5447
emailExpertise:
Food-water-energy nexus
Eric SteinSee More
Department Head, Biology Department
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
714-755-3233
emailExpertise:
Ecohydrology, environmental assessment, stormwater monitoring and assessment
Scott StephensSee More
Henry Vaux Special Professor of Forest Policy,
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE POLICY AND MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
510-642-7304
emailExpertise:
Fire ecology and management
Daniel SumnerSee More
Frank H. Buck, Jr. Distinguished Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis
Director, University of California Agricultural Issues Center
530-752-1668
emailExpertise:
Economics
Daniel L. SwainSee More
Researcher, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA Research Fellow, National Center for Atmospheric Research
California Climate Fellow, The Nature Conservancy
303-497-1117
emailExpertise:
Regional climate change and extremes
Leon SzeptyckiSee More
Professor of Law, University of Virginia
434-924-8956
emailExpertise:
Environmental law
Barton "Buzz” ThompsonSee More
Director, Stanford University, Woods Institute for the Environment
650-723-2518
emailExpertise:
Environmental law
Paul UllrichSee More
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL CLIMATE MODELING, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS, DEPARTMENT OF LAND, AIR, AND WATER RESOURCES
530-400-9817
emailExpertise:
Regional climate change
Joshua ViersSee More
Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Director, Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society, Associate Dean for Research, School of Engineering
University of California, Merced
209-591-8423
emailExpertise:
Watershed science and management
Robert WilkinsonSee More
Adjunct Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara, Bren School of the Environment
805-893-8768
emailExpertise:
Public policy
Sarah YarnellSee More
Senior Researcher, University of California, Davis, Center for Watershed Sciences
530-752-9367
email