The WELL UnTapped Fellowship Summer Class of 2025 has completed a transformative six-month journey across California—connecting local elected officials to the state’s diverse water systems, policies, and communities. Designed to strengthen both technical knowledge and leadership capacity, the fellowship immersed participants in the complexities of California water while building a network of informed and equity-driven leaders.
The program began in Richmond, where fellows explored the foundations of California’s water system, including water finance, hydrology, and governance. They practiced the WELL Method of Inquiry—a framework that fosters dialogue and critical thinking—through interviews with water and policy experts such as Mayor Eduardo Martinez of Richmond, Dr. Ellen Bruno of UC Berkeley, and Jennifer Clary of Clean Water Action. Site visits included the Canal Neighborhood, where the Canal Alliance is responding to sea level rise and community resilience challenges, and the Bay Model Visitor Center in Sausalito. The cohort closed the session with the WELL tradition of singing “De Colores,” symbolizing unity and shared purpose.
In San Diego, fellows examined cross-border water management and environmental justice issues. A tour of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant highlighted binational cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico to protect water quality and public health. San Diego Coastkeeper Executive Director Phillip Musegaas deepened discussions on coastal protection and clean water advocacy. The cohort also completed a Public Narrative training with WELL Executive Director Paul Hernandez and facilitators Jake Waman and Miya Cain, learning to connect personal stories to collective leadership and community action.
The San Joaquin Valley session centered on water rights, agriculture, and equity. Fellows visited the César E. Chávez National Monument and Forty Acres to explore how water, labor, and justice intersected in the farmworker movement. Guided by WELL Communication Advisor Marc Grossman and the César Chávez Foundation, they reflected on the historic and ongoing fight for dignity, fair labor, and clean water access. In Allensworth, fellows met with Denise Kadara of the Allensworth Progressive Association and Steve Haze of the Tulare Basin Watershed Partnership to learn about community-led leadership and efforts to secure safe, reliable water for disadvantaged rural communities.
The cohort later convened in Sacramento and the Delta region—the heart of California’s water supply. Experts from the Metropolitan Water District and Restore the Delta discussed the Delta Conveyance Project and statewide efforts to strengthen water reliability amid climate change. At Big Break Regional Shoreline Park and the UC Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory, fellows explored how habitat restoration and fisheries research support biodiversity and water quality. The session concluded in the historic town of Locke, where the cohort reflected on the ties between water, migration, and cultural resilience in California.
The final session took place in Los Angeles, where fellows examined regional water storage, local water management, and Tribal water governance. Speakers included Stephan Tucker, General Manager of the Water Replenishment District; Anatole Falagan, General Manager of Long Beach Utilities; Margarita Vargas, Former Director at Valley County Water District; and AnMarie Mendoza, Indigenous Waters Program Director for Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples. Their presentations highlighted the interconnected realities of water storage, long-term water portfolio planning, and the significance of Tribal water rights across California.
Fellows also toured the Water Replenishment District’s Albert Robles Center for Water Recycling and Environmental Learning (ARC) and the Valley County Water District, gaining firsthand insight into groundwater replenishment, purified water, and local innovation. The program concluded with a graduation ceremony at the ARC, where former graduates pinned the Summer Class of 2025, officially welcoming them into the WELL UnTapped Network (WUN)—a statewide community of leaders committed to advancing equitable water governance. The ceremony closed with the enduring WELL tradition of singing “De Colores,” marking a moment of unity, gratitude, and shared commitment.
Together, these experiences reflect the power of the WELL UnTapped Fellowship: equipping leaders with the knowledge, relationships, and confidence needed to make informed, equitable, community-centered water decisions across California.