Andrew Ayres is a research fellow at the PPIC Water Policy Center. He is an environmental and natural resource economist focused on questions related to the design, development, and effectiveness of legal and economic institutions for managing the environment. His work often involves applied economic modeling and econometric analysis. Previously, he worked in Germany and the United States on projects to inform policy-making related to topics such as climate change, energy, river restoration, and water pricing. He holds a PhD in economics and environmental science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a BA in economics from Pomona College.

Raul Barraza, Jr. has been general manager at Arvin Community Services District since May 2016. Raul graduated from CSU, Bakersfield and taught for about five years before joining the petroleum industry, where he worked on project management for new construction for six years. After joining Arvin CSD, Raul completed his Distribution Grade 3 and Treatment Grade 3 operator certifications and is currently pursuing an MA in public administration. During his time with Arvin CSD, the district’s “Clean Water Projects” have helped return the district to compliance. The district signed an MOU with Arvin Edison Water Storage District to create the Arvin-Edison Management Area Plan, continuing the community of Arvin and Arvin-Edison’s basin recharge program, which began back in the early 1960s. The district has also collaborated with safe drinking water organizations, while helping people understand the economic impacts of delivering water. Mr. Barraza has presented to (or in collaboration with) Community Water Center, Committee for a Better Arvin, Self Help Enterprises, and Rural Community Assistance Corporation.

Paul Gosselin joined the Department of Water Resources (DWR) as the deputy director for sustainable groundwater management in July 2021. Paul oversees DWR’s groundwater management activities statewide, including the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). He served 13 years as Butte County’s director of water and resource conservation, where he managed the county’s State Water Project Table allocation, investigated and reported on groundwater conditions, and implemented the groundwater management plan. Prior to Butte County, Paul was chief deputy director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation from 1999 to 2007 and was assistant director for enforcement, environmental monitoring, and data management from 1993 to 1999. From 1989 to 1993, he was the director of regulatory services for the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture. Paul received a BA in biochemistry and an MA in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts.

Ellen Hanak is vice president and director of the PPIC Water Policy Center and a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, where she holds the Ellen Hanak Chair in Water Policy. Under her leadership, the center has become a critical source of information and guidance for natural resource management in California. She has authored dozens of reports, articles, and books on water policy, including Managing California’s Water. Her research is frequently profiled in the national media, and she participates in briefings, conferences, and interviews throughout the nation and around the world. Her other areas of expertise include climate change and infrastructure finance. Previously, she served as research director at PPIC. Before joining PPIC, she held positions with the French agricultural research system, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, and the World Bank. She holds a PhD in economics from the University of Maryland.

Luke Serpa is currently the city manager of the City of Clovis, California, one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, where he oversees all municipal operations and functions. Prior to becoming city manager in 2017, he was the city’s public utilities director, where his responsibilities included the management of the city’s portfolio of water sources, the planning and operation of the city’s water treatment and distribution system, and the planning and operation of the city’s recycled water system. He is a registered civil engineer and first became involved in the Central Valley’s water issues shortly after obtaining his BS in civil engineering from Fresno State in 1985.