Dr. Jennifer Alford
Dr. Jennifer Alford is the Director of the CSUSB Institute for Watershed Resiliency (IWR), an Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB), and the Associate Director of Research for CSU WATER. She leads the IWR with over two decades of environmental resource and education experiences that collectively seeks to link community resource needs with interdisciplinary learning and research activities. Dr. Alford observes the quality and quantity of watershed resources as well as how water impairments impact ecological and public health from the headwaters to downstream watersheds and communities. Her current activities occur within the San Bernardino Mountains and National Forest which provide headwater and ecosystem services to downstream Inland Empire communities. To facilitate her activities, Dr. Alford participates in partnerships including the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (SBVMWD), the Mojave Water Agency, US Forest Service (USFS), Southern California Mountains Foundation (SCMF), the Headwaters Resiliency Partnership, and local school districts just to highlight a few. These collaborations serve Inland Empire communities by mitigating impacts to watershed resources and communities through dynamic learning and research activities across K-12, higher and professional education as well as public stewardship.
Claudia Muldoon
Claudia is a financial, administrative and program management specialist for the IWR, where she has worked for the last five years. She studied accounting at University of Baja California, in her native country of Mexico, with over 15 years of experience on financial reporting and cost accounting. She immigrated to California in 2017 where she plans to continue her professional studies soon to specialize in Public Administration. In her free time, Claudia enjoys taking road trips to explore new places and new food, with her husband and their pet dog Tyson.
2024-2025 Watershed Fellows
San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District Watershed Fellows
Shuvosri Dewan
Shuvosri is an international student from Bangladesh, currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). Upon graduating, she aims to pursue a graduate program focused on Public Health, where she can continue to explore my passion for promoting well-being and sustainable environmental practices. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, exploring new destinations, and experimenting with cooking. She is excited about the opportunity this fellowship offers, as it will equip her with valuable skills and hands-on experience that she can apply to my future endeavors in public health and sustainability.
Daniel Cobian-Jimenez
Daniel is an undergrad student majoring in Geography at California State University, San Bernardino, currently in his senior year. He has a strong interest in (GIS) and is passionate about using his skills to address real-world environmental challenges. Originally from. Upland, California, Daniel enjoys spending time in nature, particularly hiking in the mountains of Mt. Baldy and the Angeles Forest. In his free time, he prefers riding his bike over driving, combining his love for the outdoors with sustainable living.
Elizabeth Aparicio
Elizabeth Aparicio is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Geology at California State University, San Bernardino. She is currently working on tectonics research focused in Mongolia with Dr. Susana Henriquez for her senior thesis. Outside of her studies, Elizabeth enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling. Her professional interests include hydrology, thermochronology, mining, and environmental geology, and is passionate about exploring the intersections of these fields to address environmental challenges.
Lucia Medina Manzano
Lucia Medina Manzano was born in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico and is part of the first generation in her family to live in the United States and go to college. She’s currently studying Biology at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). Her goal and passion is to make water more sustainable and accessible, especially for underserved communities. Growing up, she saw firsthand how clean water matters, and that’s what drives her. In her free time, Lucia enjoys doing Pilates, going to concerts, and spending time with her seven dogs, her cat, and her tortoise.
Ryan Kuruppu
Ryan is an undergraduate at California State University San Bernardino who is majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in. Environmental Systems. Born and raised in the Inland Empire with a love for the outdoors, he grew up camping, backpacking and hiking all. throughout the San Bernardino mountains and cooling off in the local creeks during the hot summer months. Some other hobbies of his include traveling, sports and gardening. With water being a passionate topic, he plans to gain valuable knowledge and experience through his coursework and the fellowship program aiming to make the greatest positive environmental impact for the local region.
Mojave Water Agency Watershed Fellow 2024-2025
Karis Rizzo
Karis Rizzo is an undergraduate student majoring in Environmental Studies at California State University San Bernardino with a concentration in Environmental Systems and minoring in Geographic Information Science (GIS). Karis was born and raised in Williamsburg, Virginia until moving to the High Desert in Southern California. With an early fascination for all things outdoors, she enjoys hiking and has explored many regions within the United States, with a goal to visit every National Park within her lifetime. In her senior year of high school, Karis received a scholarship recognition for her goal in pursuit of environmental sustainability and management by the Mojave Environmental Education Consortium (MEEC), and has been awarded CSUSB ASI Sustainability Committee Member of the Year for the 2023-2024 academic school year. She now works with Dr. Alford in conjunction with the Mojave Water Agency to supply water monitoring databases around the watersheds of the Mojave River.
Watershed Fellows Alumni 2023-2024
Funded by the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
Angeli Richard
2023-2024 Watershed Fellow
Angeli is a Social Science and Globalization master's student at CSUSB, studying the intersection of water sustainability and environmental justice. Off-campus, she dedicates her free time to community engagement, often volunteering with friends on restoration initiatives with the Southern California Mountains Foundation and the Rivers and Lands Conservancy. She loves the outdoors, frequently visiting California’s coastal regions and mountains. She hopes to utilize this fellowship program to leverage her skills and expertise, aiming to make a significant impact in water sustainability and justice.
Teresa Deaguilera
2023-2024 Watershed Fellow funded by the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
Teresa is a graduate student at California State University, San Bernardino, working toward a master's degree in public administration. She earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies, concentrating on Environmental Sustainability. She is a passionate environmentalist. She loves spending time outdoors with her family and her two dogs, Zoey and Bella.
Jose Garcia
2023-2024 Watershed Fellow funded by the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
Jose Anthony Garcia is a CSUSB graduated in 2024 with a BA in Geology, from the Geological Science Department at CSUSB. He is one of nine siblings and was raised by a single mother. Jose was born and raised in San Bernardino, California and is the first of his family to attend college. His favorite hobbies include hiking, traveling, and reading. One of his favorite series of books is called “A series of unfortunate events”. Jose also enjoys furthering my knowledge with scientific articles and books pertaining to my subject of interest. Jose participated in sports such as track and football. This past summer he was able to conduct his Undergraduate research with his mentor Dr. Claire Todd at Mt. Rainier National Park. His future goals include attending graduate school and potentially having a career in Hydrology.
David Hernandez
David Hernandez graduated with a BA in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainability in the Spring 2024. He is pursuing a career in hydrology. David’s hobbies include table top games like Magic the Gathering, drumming, and recently Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Julia Pineda
Julia Pineda graduated with a BA in California Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Systems as well as a minor in Geography in Spring 2024. Julia enjoys exploring new hiking trails in the Inland Empire.