Josh Heupel

Josh Heupel, from Le Grand, California, is pursuing a PhD in environmental social sciences at Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. He holds bachelor’s degrees in agricultural business and political science from California State University, Fresno, and a master in public affairs from Princeton University. His research focuses on water governance in California’s Central Valley, examining how both natural and state-induced water scarcity impacts rural agricultural communities. Josh is committed to advancing equitable water policies that ensure historically underserved rural regions have a voice in shaping California’s water governance. He studied water privatization policies as a Yale Environmental Fellow at Freshwater Future and researched historical water rights at the California Water Institute. He co-led the environmental policy associates at Princeton and served as domestic policy co-chair in the policy student government. Awarded the President’s Undergraduate Medal at Fresno State, Josh completed honors theses on fumigant regulation and California’s senior water rights.