Team Members
Kristan Culbert
Project Manager
Kristan Culbert graduated from the University of Southern California in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Earth Sciences and a minor in Peace & Conflict Studies. After seven years of working in natural resources management and STEM education, she now specializes in Water Resources Management and Pollution Prevention & Remediation at the Bren School. She is interested in working at the intersection of water, community health, and environmental justice.
Kelly Odion
Editor and Finance Manager
Kelly Odion graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance and a minor in Environmental Studies. At the Bren School, Kelly specializes in Economics and Politics of the Environment and Water Resources Management with a focus in Environmental Data Science.
Alex Brown
Data Manager
Alex graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Economics. At the Bren School, Alex is specializing in Energy and Climate and is interested in finding cost-effective strategies for grids to transition to renewable energy technology.
Madeline Gorchels
Outreach Manager
Madeline graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in Biological Sciences and a minor in Geosciences. As a Water Resource Management masters student, Madeline focuses on translating science and data science into inclusive water management solutions.
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Project Advisors
Naomi Tague, PhD
Faculty Advisor - Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Dr. Naomi Tague is a Professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management. Her research focuses on the interactions between hydrology and ecosystem processes and, specifically, how eco-hydrologic systems are altered by changes in land use and climate.
Rachel Torres
PhD Student Advisor - Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Rachel Torres is a PhD student interested hydrology, climate change, and how different natural processes affect urban environments. At the Bren School, Rachel plans on shaping her research around informatics and computer modeling using the Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System (RHESSys) model, and she hopes to combine her work with new data visualization techniques to improve scientific communication.
Bob Wilkinson, PhD
External Advisor - Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Dr. Robert C. Wilkinson is Adjunct Professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, and Senior Lecturer Emeritus in the Environmental Studies Program, at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The focus of Dr. Wilkinson’s teaching, research, and consulting is on water, energy, and climate policy.
Kelsey Jack, PhD
External Advisor - Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Dr. Kelsey Jack is Associate Professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management. She conducts research at the intersection of environmental and development economics, with a focus on how individuals, households, and communities decide to use natural resources and provide public goods. Much of her research uses field experiments to test theory and new policy innovations.
Alan Murray, PhD
External Advisor - Department of Geography, UC Santa Barbara
Dr. Alan Murray is Professor in the Department of Geography at UC Santa Barbara. Dr. Murray's teaching and interests include: geographic information science; land use planning; urban, regional, and natural resource planning and development; quantitative methods; infrastructure and transportation systems; spatial optimization; location modeling; databases and data structures; spatial representation; and techniques to support interactive planning and decision making.
Project Client: The Pacific Institute
The Pacific Institute is a non-profit organization that combines science-based research with active outreach to influence local, national, and international efforts in developing sustainable water policies. Since 1987, the Pacific Institute has worked to create and advance solutions to the world's most pressing water challenges.
Sarah Diringer, PhD
Senior Researcher, Pacific Institute
Sarah Diringer joined the Pacific Institute in 2017 as a Senior Research Associate in the Water Program. She conducts research on the impacts of policy, technology, and land use on water supply and demand.
Cora Kammeyer
Research Associate, Pacific Institute
Cora Kammeyer joined the Pacific Institute in 2017 as a Research Associate. Cora conducts research and analysis on water policy and management issues in California, and supports the Institute’s corporate water stewardship initiatives.
Yardi Group Project Fund
Austin Agua is generously supported by the Yardi Group Project Fund, which supports Bren Master's Group projects that focus building energy use and resource conservation and efficiency in a technical and regulatory context. Support from the Fund is provided by Yardi Systems, Inc., a property management software leader for real estate clients worldwide.
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