A veteran journalist, Jenn directs the development of Western
Water news, the Layperson’s Guide series on key water
topics, the Foundation’s Colorado River project, poster maps and
tours, and various workshops and conferences. She oversees the
Water Leader programs and leads
fund-raising, external communications, and website and social
media efforts.
In December 2016, she led an international journalism
workshop on water issues for UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization). Held in Tehran, the
workshop included participants from Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan,
Oman and Malaysia. You can read her blog about the experience
here.
Chris serves as the primary editor of the Foundation’s
publications, including Western Water news, the
series of Laypersons Guides on key water topics, maps and other
publications, and manages our weekday water news feed,
Aquafornia.
A veteran journalist, Chris was a longtime environment
reporter for the Sacramento Bee where he produced several
award-winning articles that led to governorment and industry
reforms. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2023, he served
as managing editor of the Ventura County Star, contributing
editor to Water Deeply and as communications director for the UC
Davis Center for Watershed Sciences.
Brian works with a dedicated team of workshop facilitators to
provide engaging, hands–on Project WET (Water Education Today)
professional development trainings for educators who teach K-12
across California.
Brian coordinates supplies and support to assist facilitators in
organizing workshops, writes the California Project WET
newsletter to provide guidance for educators in using Project WET
activities that engage students in current water issues and
topics. He personally leads a number of workshops each year.
Nick is the Foundation’s main writer, working with the journalism
team to produce Western Water news, the Layperson’s
Guides on key water topics, the Aquafornia daily newsfeed and
social media posts. He also updates and adds new entries in our
online water encyclopedia, Aquapedia. Nick joined the Foundation
team in early 2022.
The California native has reported a variety of beats, including
sports. Prior to joining the Foundation, he covered water, the
environment and California politics for Courthouse News.
Nick manages many of our workshops, conferences and tours of key
water regions across California and the Southwest, bringing
attendees up close to dams and other water infrastructure,
wildlife areas, farms and other sites involved in water.
Kala brings nearly 15 years of resource development
experience to the Foundation’s strategic fundraising efforts such
as grants, sponsorships, memberships and philanthropic
gifts.
Prior to joining the Foundation in late 2022, she ran the
California Health Alert Network (CAHAN) for the California
Department of Public Health, during which time she worked with
both extremes of water from 2017’s Oroville Dam spillway incident
to multiple drought-induced fires. She has been a development
director for Sacramento area nonprofits since 2018.
Kayla has her hands in many things at the Water Education
Foundation, from assisting with programs and member benefits to
making sure everything runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis.
She joined the Foundation in 2021 as an administrative
coordinator and quickly rose to operations manager.
She graduated from the University of California, Santa
Barbara with a double major in environmental studies and
sociology.
Alastair Bland is a freelance writer from Sonoma County who has
written for the Foundation’s Western
Water news and curates the Foundation’s Aquafornia daily water news roundup.
He has worked as a freelance writer since 2004, covering a wide
range of topics including water, climate change, fisheries,
marine conservation and research, and agriculture.
His work has appeared at CalMatters, NPR.org,
SmithsonianMag.com, Slate, The Atlantic, Audubon, Hakai and
other news outlets.
