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AGENDA

The Groundwater Resources Association (GRA), the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (Brownstein) have teamed up to present the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Implementation and Legislative Summit at the prestigious Kimpton Sawyer Hotel in downtown Sacramento. This annual event has been revamped with a new format that maximizes information exchange, networking, and collaboration. Also included is a Law and Legislative component that has been combined into the SGMA Summit to bring you expanded content, deeper local connections, and the ability to connect with local and state government. This event will bring together a diverse group of regulators, water agencies, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) staff, consultants, legislative representatives, and attorneys. Being part of this event will provide tremendous exposure and connection to the groundwater community in California.

REGISTRATION RATES

• Member: $625/Early Bird | $650/Regular

• Non-Member: $775/Early Bird | $800/Regular

• Speaker: $325

• Govt./Academic/NGO: $400

• Student Member: $125

• Student Non-Member: $150

Additional registration types, including one-day options, are also available. For full details on pricing and to register, please visit the registration page.

VENUE

Kimpton Sawyer Hotel 500 J Street Sacramento, CA 95814

The Kimpton Sawyer Hotel is a stylish and modern venue located at 500 J Street in the heart of downtown Sacramento, CA. Known for its elegant design and exceptional service, the hotel offers a unique blend of comfort and sophistication. With its central location, guests will enjoy easy access to local attractions, dining, and entertainment, making it the ideal setting for the SGMA Implementation & Legislative Summit.

CONTACT: Amanda Rae Smith, asmith@grac.org or (916) 446-3626

MAY 27, 2025

7:30 AM – 8:45 AM

REGISTRATION / CONTINENTIAL BREAKFAST AND NETWORKING

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM

WELCOME BY GRA PRESIDENT AND CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

9:00 AM – 10:15 AM

BAY-DELTA UNIMPAIRED FLOWS: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT?

The California State Water Resources Control Board BayDelta Plan and Unimpaired Flow Proposal would establish water quality standards, flow requirements, salinity control, and adaptive management strategies aimed at improving water quality and ecosystem health in the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta. Some elements of the Unimpaired Flow Proposal would require water managers to make significant changes to how they manage their surface water and groundwater resources to meet the proposed requirements. This panel will dive deeper into the possible implications, challenges, and solutions to managing surface water and groundwater under the proposed bay-delta unimpaired flows and healthy rivers and landscapes concepts.

Speakers:

• E. Joaquin Esquivel - Board Chair, State Water Resources Control Board

• Lewis Bair - General Manager, Reclamation District 108

• Allison Febbo - General Manager, Westlands Water District

• Shivaji Deshmukh - General Manager, Inland Empire Utilities Agency

Moderated by: Erik Cadaret - Assistant General Manager, Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM NETWORKING

10:30 AM – 11:45 AM

WATER QUALITY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS IN COASTAL AGRICULTURAL REGIONS

This panel will discuss the unique intersection of agricultural productivity, urban development, and groundwater sustainability along California’s coast. These regions not only support high-value crops cherished around the world—but also face mounting challenges tied to legacy groundwater extraction and seawater intrusion.

Speakers:

• Brian Lockwood - General Manager, Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency

• Piret Harmon - General Manager, Salinas Valley Basin GSA

• John LinquistWater Resources Supervisor, United Water Conservation District

Moderated by: Brianna St. PierreAssistant Director, Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management, State Water Resources Control Board

11:45 AM – 12:00 PM NETWORKING

12:00 PM– 1:00 PM LUNCH

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM

WELL MITIGATION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

SGMA Well Mitigation Panel to explore practical solutions for protecting wells under SGMA. Experts will discuss balancing stakeholder interests, funding strategies, rapidresponse challenges, how mitigation can fit into rationalizing sustainable management criteria, and lessons from existing programs. Attendees will gain actionable insights on equitable mitigation design, climate adaptation, and engaging vulnerable communities to avoid unintended harms. The session closes with rapid-fire questions and audience Q&A, offering a candid look at the progress and pitfalls of well mitigation in the context of SGMA.

Speakers:

• Laurel Firestone - Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board

• Craig Hornung - East Kaweah GSA Board Member and Director of Technical Services at AC Foods

• Duncan MacEwan, PhD - Principal Economist. ERA Economics

• Tami McVay- Program Director of Emergency Services at Self-Help Enterprises

Moderated by: Kait Palys - Water Resources Specialist, INTERA

2:15 PM – 2:30 PM NETWORKING

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM LAND SUBSIDENCE BMP

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will be releasing a Best Management Practice (BMP) document to provide Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) a resource for evaluating and managing land subsidence. This panel will include a presentation by DWR introducing the concepts that will be detailed in the Land Subsidence BMP, followed by a panel discussion among GSA managers from basins that are impacted by subsidence, the Farm Bureau, and DWR, to share views on how managing subsidence may change based on the BMP. The session will conclude

with a reverse panel Q&A with audience participation as an opportunity to provide additional feedback to panelists on this important and timely topic.

Speakers:

• Alexandra Biering - Director of Policy Advocacy, California Farm Bureau

• Ben Brezing - Supervising Water Resources Engineer, Department of Water Resources

• Aaron Fukuda - General Manager, Tulare Irrigation District; Interim General Manager, Mid-Kaweah GSA Groundwater Sustainability Agency

• Jordon Navarrot - Deputy General Manager, Reclamation District 108; General Manager, Dunnigan Water District

Moderated by: Lisa Porta - Principal Water Resources Engineer and California Water Strategy Lead, Montgomery & Associates

4:00 PM – 4:15 PM CLOSING REMARKS BY CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

4:15 PM – 5:30 PM EVENING NETWORKING RECEPTION

MAY 28, 2025

7:30 AM – 8:45 AM

REGISTRATION / CONTINENTIAL BREAKFAST AND NETWORKING

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM

WELCOME BY CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

9:00 AM – 10:15 AM

SGMA FOCUSED REGULATOR PANEL

Groundwater Sustainability Agencies throughout the state are now fully engaged in implementing their Groundwater Sustainability Plans and complying with SGMA. Some basins are now under the purview of the State Water Resources Control Board, addressing and reconciling probationary status. Other basins are tackling water quality issues while trying to balance sustainable water supply, and a host of other challenges. We will hear directly from regulators with their thoughts on how their respective agencies are navigating SGMA, and from the audience with critical Symposium Attendee questions posed to these agency leaders.

Speakers:

• Patrick Pulupa - Executive Officer, Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board

• Natalie Stork - Director, Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management, State Water Resources Control Board

• Keith Wallace - Assistant Deputy Director for Sustainable Water Management, Department of Water Resources

Moderated by: David M. Ceppos - Public Policy Mediation and Facilitation

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM NETWORKING BREAK

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM LEGISLATOR DROP IN

• To be determined.

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM

FEDERAL VS STATE WATER POLICY

This panel will discuss the various implications of water policies of the Trump administration and responses of the California state legislature. Various bills have been introduced in response or in anticipation to federal policies, such as AB 1146 (Papan): Water infrastructure: dams and reservoirs: water release: false pretenses.)

Speakers:

• Alexandra Biering - Director of Policy Advocacy, California Farm Bureau

• Andrea Abergel - Director of Water, CA Municipal Utilities Association

Moderated by: Maddie Munson - Water and Land Solutions

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM LUNCH AND LEGISLATOR DROP

• Assemblyman Alexandra M. Macedo - Member of the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee

• Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez - Vice Chair of Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee

1:00 PM – 1:15 PM

LEGISLATOR DROP IN. PENDING

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM

THE FUTURE OF ADJUDICATED BASINS AND GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCIES

This panel will discuss AB 1413 (Papan): Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: groundwater adjudication., significant legislation that elevates a Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s (GSA) Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and make its findings controlling in an adjudication. There are concerns that this could deprive groundwater right-holders of the ability to present or oppose evidence in support of their claim, as it would base judicial review of a basin’s sustainable yield solely on the GSA’s record.

ANDREA ABERGEL

Andrea joined CMUA in September 2020 and currently serves as Director of Water. In this capacity, she leads CMUA’s water legislative policy advocacy and represents CMUA’s water member agencies in the Legislature and before various California agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Department of Water Resources, and California Water Commission. Andrea is a practicing attorney licensed in California. Before joining CMUA, Andrea worked for Sacramento-based law firms focused on environmental issues including land use, water quality, local and state permitting, stormwater management, and ecosystem improvement. Andrea holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Psychology from the University of California, Davis.

BEN ALLEN

Senator Benjamen Allen previously was president of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, a lecturer at UCLA Law School, worked as an attorney, and was communications director for US Rep. Jose Serrano, a Democrat of New York. Allen has a bachelor’s in history from Harvard University, a master’s in Latin American studies from the University of Cambridge, and a law degree from UC Berkeley. Allen authored the legislation behind California’s regulations that discourse the use of plastic straws and other single-serving plastic utensils

KRIS ANDERSON

Kristopher Anderson joined the California Chamber of Commerce in August 2024 as a policy advocate specializing in water issues. Before joining the CalChamber, Anderson worked for six years at the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), which represents more than 460 public water agencies throughout California. As a senior state relations advocate at ACWA, Anderson worked on issues related to water rights, groundwater, water rates, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Endangered Species Act, and more. Anderson was instrumental in building large coalitions of public agencies, business, and agricultural interests on water rights and groundwater reform legislation. He also has successfully advocated for reforms to permit streamlining for critical water infrastructure improvements and ratemaking processes for public water agencies.

LEWIS BAIR

Lewis Bair is the General Manager for Reclamation District No 108 for more than 20 years. He is a Registered Civil Engineer, with a degree in Agricultural Engineering from Cal Poly SLO as well as a graduate of the Ag Leadership Program. RD108 staffs 4 public agencies including Dunnigan Water District, Sacramento River West Side Levee District and the Knights Landing Ridge Drainage District. Lewis’s experience has covered Sacramento River water supply, drainage and flood control issues. Lewis lives in Grimes, CA with his wife, Barbara and two sons Hudson and Calvin.

ALEXANDRA BIERING

Alexandra (Alex) Biering joined the California Farm Bureau in March 2023 as Director of Policy Advocacy, specializing in water resources. She advocates for California farmers and ranchers before the state legislature and agencies. Previously, she served over six years as government affairs and communications manager for the Friant Water Authority, managing the Friant-Kern Canal and Central Valley Project’s Friant Division. Before that, she spent nearly eight years at MWH Global (now Stantec) as a supervising water resources planner and public affairs specialist, supporting projects on water supply, flood management, and groundwater sustainability. Biering began her career in the Schwarzenegger Administration, working in the Governor’s Office and the Office of the Secretary for Resources. She is vice president of the California Irrigation Institute and has served on the ACWA Board of Directors.

BEN BREZING

Ben Brezing, PE, is a Supervising Water Resources Engineer in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Office (SGMO) at the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) where he leads the Data Support Section that maintains that the Online System for Well Completion Reports (OSWCR), the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) application, the SGMA Monitoring Network Module, SGMA Data Viewer, California’s Groundwater Live, and SGMO’s datasets on California Natural Resources Agency’s Open Data Portal. Ben leads DWR’s quarterly publication of Statewide InSAR-based subsidence dataset and leads the development of DWR’s Subsidence Best Management Practices (BMP) Document. Ben holds a master’s degree in Geophysics from the University of Hamburg, Germany.

CHANDRA CHILMAKURI

Chandra Chilmakuri is the Assistant General Manager for Water Policy at the State Water Contractors (SWC), a statewide non-profit association representing public water agencies that contract with the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to receive water from the State Water Project (SWP). The SWP supplies water to 27 million Californians and irrigates 750,000 acres of farmland. Chandra holds a PhD in Environmental Hydraulics and brings nearly 20 years of experience as a Water Resources Engineer, specializing in water resource issues in the Bay-Delta and the Central Valley. Chandra has extensive understanding of the BayDelta regulations and the operations that influence the SWP and the Central Valley Project (CVP) surface water supply. Chandra has been involved in the major water resources projects contemplated in the Delta. Leveraging this expertise, Chandra is dedicated to advancing SWC’s mission to enhance SWP supply reliability and water quality through science-based, environmentally sustainable policies.

SHIVAJI DESHMUKH

Shivaji Deshmukh is a licensed engineer who serves as the General Manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) with over 20 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. IEUA serves approximately 930,000 people in western San Bernardino County. Before IEUA, Mr. Deshmukh served as the Assistant General Manager at the West Basin Municipal Water District for 9 years. Prior to that, he served Orange County Water District, focused on the implementation, design, and construction of the Groundwater Replenishment System, a 130 million gallon per day potable reuse project.

E. JOAQUIN ESQUIVEL

E. Joaquin Esquivel was appointed to the State Water Resources Control Board by Governor Jerry Brown in March 2017, designated by Governor Gavin Newsom as Chair in February 2019, and reappointed to the board by Governor Newsom in 2021 and 2025. Also in 2021, Governor Newsom appointed him to the Western States Water Council, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council, and the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. Previously, he served as Assistant Secretary for federal water policy at the California Natural Resources Agency in the Governor’s Washington, D.C. office. For more than eight years prior to that, Joaquin worked for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer of California, most recently as her legislative assistant covering the agriculture, Native American, water, oceans, and nutrition portfolios, in addition to being the director of Information and Technology.

ALLISON FEBBO

Allison Febbo brings nearly 25 years of experience in natural resources, hydrology, and water operations. As General Manager of Westlands Water District, she leads the largest agricultural water district in the United States. Febbo directs all district operations and serves as its administrative head in relations with the public and government bodies. Previously, she served as General Manager for Mojave Water Agency, developing a comprehensive drought resiliency plan. Her leadership extends to landmark California water projects including the Delta Conveyance and Shasta Reservoir Temperature Management Projects. With extensive training in hydrology, Febbo focuses on connecting science, engineering, and policy for sustainable water management, particularly in agricultural and rural contexts across California’s diverse landscapes.

LAUREL FIRESTONE

Laurel Firestone has served on California’s State Water Resources Control Board since 2019 (reappointed in 2023). Previously, she cofounded and led the Community Water Center (2006–2019), advancing safe, affordable drinking water and equity in water policy. A Harvard Law graduate (with honors) and Brown University alum (B.A., magna cum laude), she has received awards like the James Irvine Leadership Award (2018) and Harvard Law’s Gary Bellow Public Service Award (2013). Her work spans advisory roles, research partnerships, and advocacy for environmental justice.

AARON FUKUDA

As General Manager, Mr. Fukuda oversees Tulare Irrigation District’s day-to-day operations while continuing to promote the conjunctive use operations of the District and its growers. He also coordinates water activities with surrounding jurisdictions, including the development of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the Mid-Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Lastly, Mr. Fukuda continues to monitor the myriad of regulations to ensure that the District’s functions are following State and Federal regulations. Mr. Fukuda was recently appointed as the Interim General Manager of the Mid-Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability (MKGSA) agency on top of his duties as the General Manager of the Tulare Irrigation District. As the Interim General Manager, Mr. Fukuda is responsible for the administration of the MKGSA and the implementation of the MKGSA Groundwater Sustainability Plan. Mr. Fukuda oversees the day-to-day activities of the MKGSA as the entities strive for groundwater sustainability by 2040.

PABLO GARZA

Pablo Garza is the chief consultant for the Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife in the State Assembly. In this role, he oversees the analysis of legislation in the committee’s jurisdiction, works to identify relevant policy issues for further investigation through informational/oversight hearings, and advises the committee chair on policy issues related to the committee’s jurisdiction. He has more than 20 years’ experience working in and around the California State Legislature. Prior to becoming the chief consultant, he advocated on natural resource and water policy issues on behalf of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) as political director for its California Ecosystems Program and before that, as the associate director, state policy & external affairs for the Nature Conservancy (TNC). His work for EDF and TNC involved outreach to elected officials, government agencies, and community groups to build coalitions, influence public policy decisions, and further the conservation goals of each organization. He holds a BA in English from the University of California, Davis and an MA in Latin American studies from the University of California, Los Angeles..

JEFF GONZALEZ

Jeff Gonzalez is a combat veteran, small business owner, pastor, community leader, and father. A first-generation American, Jeff’s dream was to serve our country. After graduating high school, Jeff enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where his service took him overseas to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jeff also completed multiple missions protecting U.S. embassies in Honduras and the Czech Republic. After two decades of service, Jeff retired from the Marine Corps and became a local pastor. Motivated by the tragic loss of ten fellow Marines to suicide, he felt a calling to serve as a Pastor to protect those most vulnerable. Day to day, Jeff Gonzalez is a small business owner, community volunteer, and father to a son diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Whether it’s trying to sort through the red tape to keep his business afloat or navigating the intricacies of the healthcare system to ensure top-quality care for his son, Jeff has witnessed California at both its best and worst. He knows what California is capable of, and most importantly, he has the know-how to fix it. Jeff’s mission in Sacramento is clear: to increase access to healthcare, lower the cost of living, and fix a broken California. Jeff is married to his wife, Christine, and his family includes four children: RJ (31), Lexi (28), Zack (22), and Mike (17). Together, they reside in Indio. He is Vice Chair of the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee and the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

CHELSEA HAINES

Chelsea Haines joined the Association of California Agencies (ACWA) in 2017 and currently serves as the Director of State Regulatory Relations. In this capacity, she oversees a team that engages with the state on its development and implementation of water policies on behalf of ACWA’s 470 public water agency members. Prior to ACWA, Chelsea served as a legislative analyst at the State Water Resources Control Board from 2012 – 2017. Chelsea holds a master’s degree in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and a bachelor’s degrees from Sonoma State University in Environmental Studies and Planning.

PIRET HARMON

Piret Harmon is a dedicated water professional who currently leads the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency. She is driven and focused on helping the agency to become a forward-thinking, effective and efficient catalyst that focuses on turning challenges into opportunities. In her prior role as the General Manager at the Scotts Valley Water District, Piret and her team redefined what an open and transparent organization looks like, deployed technology in every aspect of the business and empowered the employees to convert problems into solutions. Piret holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Tallinn Technical University and a master’s degree in business administration from Concordia International University. She is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Bay Federal Credit Union and serves on the board of Regional Water Management Foundation.

CRAIG HORNUNG

Craig S. Hornung is a fourth-generation California farmer with 44 years of agricultural experience spanning Arizona and California operations. Born and raised in Visalia/Ivanhoe, he holds a BS in Agricultural Engineering from Colorado State University. His career includes managing Red Mountain Farming Company’s 15,000-acre Arizona operation and serving as Water Resource Coordinator for Salyer American’s 80,000-acre Corcoran farm, while maintaining his family’s 160-acre Hornung Brothers citrus farm for 39 years. A pioneer in ag-tech, he co-founded Soil Solutions Corporation and led remote sensing technology development at John Deere Water. Hornung is currently serving as Vice Chairman of the East Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Fun fact: Craig Hornung was among the first growers of Sumo Citrus, which he still produces today.

JOHN LINQUIST

John Lindquist is United Water Conservation District’s Water Resources Supervisor. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Geosciences from Cal State Northridge and the University of Arizona, respectively. John’s graduate studies focused on aqueous geochemistry, groundwater modeling, and the effects of timing and magnitude of rainfall on recharge of aquifers. Prior to joining United in 2015, John’s work included consulting for the USEPA on cleanup of several large Superfund sites in California, and investigating groundwater quality problems at Department of Defense installations in Turkey, Germany, Spain, and the US. Since joining United, John’s work has focused on evaluating water-supply and quality impacts of projects being developed to achieve groundwater sustainability in southern Ventura County.

BRIAN LOCKWOOD

Brian Lockwood is the General Manager of the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, where he leads a dedicated team of water resource enthusiasts working tirelessly to achieve sustainable groundwater resources. Prior to starting at PV Water in 2005, Brian worked for the United States Geological Survey. He earned BS and MS degrees in the Earth Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is a California Professional Geologist and Certified Hydrogeologist. He is a past president and current board member of the rambunctious Rotary Club of Freedom.

ALEXANDRA M. MACEDO

Assemblymember Macedo is an environmental consultant with deep ties to San Joaquin Valley agriculture. Macedo’s family owns a local livestock market, Tulare Sales Yard. Her consulting firm helps crop and dairy farmers comply with environmental regulations. She graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in civil engineering, from Cal State Northridge with a business-law degree, and from San Joaquin College of Law in Clovis with a law degree. She earned her law degree while working full-time at her mother’s agricultural engineering and consulting firm. Macedo was diagnosed with a heart defect and has undergone at least seven surgeries. She won Miss Central Valley pageant when she was 23. She is newly elected.

DUNCAN MACEWAN

Duncan MacEwan is an economist and cofounder of ERA Economics. He and his team work with water managers and agricultural businesses to provide economic analyses that support the agriculture and water industries. Duncan is currently working with multiple Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans.

TAMI MCVAY

Tami McVay serves as Program Director of Emergency Services at Self-Help Enterprises, where she leads a 70-person team delivering disaster preparedness, response, and recovery programs across California’s San Joaquin Valley and Mariposa County. With expertise honed over six years of progressive leadership, she has become a trusted advocate for communities facing climate-driven disasters—from severe droughts to wildfires and floods. Tami’s strategic vision has secured critical funding and resources for vulnerable populations, while her collaborative approach has strengthened partnerships with state and federal agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board and California Office of Emergency Services. Under her direction, Self-Help Enterprises’ Emergency Services Department has expanded its impact, bridging gaps in resources and championing equitable solutions for those most affected by environmental crises.

MADDIE MUNSON

PATRICK PULUPA

Patrick Pulupa is the Executive Officer of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, where he leads regulatory and policy initiatives to protect and restore water quality in one of California’s most complex and diverse regions. Formerly an attorney for the Board, Patrick brings a deep commitment to equitable, science-based solutions that ensure the Region’s surface waters and groundwater aquifers support all beneficial uses. Patrick holds a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from the UC Davis School of Law (King Hall).

PAIGE SAMBLANET

Paige Samblanet uses her technical background to add depth her natural resources practice and provide strategic legal advice to clients. A passionate environmental justice advocate, she has particular experience in clean energy,

KATE TIPPLE

Kate Tipple regularly serves stormwater clients as well as mining and forestry industry players. She has broad experience with litigation and administrative proceedings and regularly advocates before local, state and federal agencies. With deep insight into a broad set of environmental regulations, she has advised on federal and state consumer production laws, chemical requirements, cannabis and hemp issues, and mining. Prior to Brownstein, Kate was an associate at prominent environmental law firms in San Francisco and Salt Lake City. She was also a legal extern with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Regional Solicitor in Utah. She was formerly an environmental scientist with the Utah Division of Water Quality and a geospatial technology specialist with the Center for Land Use Education and Research at the University of Connecticut.