Danielle Zoe Rivera, PhD
Assistant Professor of Landscape
Architecture and Environmental
Planning, UC Berkeley

Danielle Zoe Rivera is an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at the University of California Berkeley. Rivera's research examines policy and design for environmental and climate justice. Her work uses community-based research methods to address the impacts of climate-induced disasters affecting low-income communities throughout California, South Texas, the Chesapeake Bay, and Puerto Rico. Rivera holds a PhD in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan, a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Pennsylvania State University.

Erin Bray, PhD
Assistant Professor in Earth and
Climate Sciences, San Francisco
State University

Erin Bray is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences/School of the Environment and leads the Rivers Lab at San Francisco State University. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at California State University Northridge where she served as the Co-Lead for the Water Science Program. Dr. Bray’s research focuses on hydrology and fluvial geomorphology, with an emphasis on river processes, river restoration, and water resources management. Dr. Bray was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley and at the University of California, Santa Barbara, supported under a fellowship from the Delta Stewardship Council. She received her B.S. from Cornell University, her M.A. from Brown University, and her Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Kristin Dobbin, PhD
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension
in Water Justice Policy and Planning, UC Berkeley

Kristin Dobbin is an assistant professor of cooperative extension in water justice policy and planning in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. Her research and extension employs mixed quantitative and qualitative methods and community-based research to characterize and understand the root causes of California water inequities as well as to explore potential solutions with a focus on governance. Kristin holds a PhD in ecology from the University of California Davis and a BA in environmental analysis from Pitzer College.

Qicheng Tang, PhD
Assistant Project Scientist
UC Cooperative Extension Napa

Qicheng Tang is an Assistant Project Scientist at University of California Cooperative Extension, Napa County. At the Napa office, Qicheng will engage in professional activities to develop water resiliency strategies for stakeholders across the region and diverse ecosystems. In addition, Qicheng will design and implement creative research, acquire and share technical knowledge, and promote stewardship of surface and groundwater resources in Napa County to meet the needs of competing users and natural systems. Qicheng is currently working on rainfall-runoff analysis for the Napa River and ecohydrologic data analysis for vineyards. Prior to joining UC ANR, Qicheng received his B.Eng. in Hydrogeology from Nanjing University, China, and Ph.D. in Soil Science from Penn State University, University Park. Qicheng also underwent a one-year training at North Carolina State University as a postdoc scholar.

Chris Oliveras, PhD
Assistant Professor,
Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Irvine

Chris Oliveras (he/él) is an Assistant Professor at the University of California-Irvine in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. He researches the interactions between microorganisms and organic pollutants (e.g. per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances - PFAS), and how these interactions are shaped by wildland-urban interface fires and other climate change disasters. His research team employs analytical chemistry, applied microbiology, and environmental data science tools to develop remediation strategies that can safeguard water quality. He is also committed to environmental and climate change literacy programs. Chris obtained his PhD. in Environmental Engineering and M.A. in French at the University of Arizona.

Joanna Solins, PhD
Environmental Horticulture Advisor
UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo

Joanna Solins is an Environmental Horticulture Advisor for UC Cooperative Extension, serving Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo Counties. Her research combines field studies, geographic information system (GIS) analysis, and modeling to investigate relationships among urban plants, water, soils, and people, with a particular focus on water use in urban landscaping. Joanna holds a PhD in ecology from the University of California, Davis, and a BA in environmental studies from Vassar College.

Edith de Guzman, PhD
Cooperative Extension Specialist in Water
Equity and Adaptation Policy,
Luskin Center for Innovation, UCLA

Edith de Guzman (she/her) is an interdisciplinary researcher, practitioner, educator, and consultant working with diverse audiences to understand and address the impacts of climate change in under-represented communities. She is the first University of California Cooperative Extension specialist at UCLA, where she is stationed with the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. Her work investigates best practices for the sustainable transformation of the Los Angeles region and beyond in the areas of water management, climate adaptation, heat mitigation, and urban forestry, topics which she tackles through the lenses of urban planning, public health, behavioral sciences, biophysical sciences, and public policy. Edith has a PhD at the UCLA Institute of the Environment & Sustainability, a master’s in urban planning and a bachelor’s degree in history and art history.

Alicia Kinoshita, PhD
Associate Professor
San Diego State University
Civil, Environmental, and
Construction Engineering

Alicia Kinoshita is an Associate Professor in the Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Department and the Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) at San Diego State University (SDSU). She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Colorado School of Mines. Her Disturbance Hydrology Lab (DHL) focuses on understanding water resources and hydrologic processes after disturbances such as wildfires. Her post-fire studies have focused on hydrologic and geomorphic response, water quality, vegetation recovery, and long-term flow regimes. Her research also investigates short- and long-term watershed processes to improve hydrologic prediction and management. Dr. Kinoshita received an National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award to study post-fire recovery in urban Mediterranean systems. Her work is also supported by agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the San Diego River Conservancy.

Esther Lofton, PhD
Urban Watershed Resilience Advisor
UCCE South Coast Research
and Extension Center

Dr. Esther Loftonn is an Urban Watershed Resilience Advisor in UC ANR based at the South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, CA, serving Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Dr. Lofton’s research enhances sustainable water resources management in urban and environmental water management, drinking water, water use efficiency in landscapes/agriculture, and improving water supply security. Dr. Lofton focuses on research that is geared towards providing recommendations and guidance to stakeholders such as: watershed and storm water managers, policy makers and the public to make better decisions on water resources management. Dr. Lofton has a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering and a PhD in Civil Engineering with a specialization on Water Resources.