Laurel Firestone, Attorney at Law, cofounded and co-directs the Community Water Center (CWC). In January 2016, she was listed as one of nine most influential people in California water policy by Environment & Energy Publishing. Laurel has received a variety of awards and recognitions, including the Gary Bellow Public Service Award by the Harvard Law School in 2013, and is regularly asked to testify and speak on a variety of water equity topics. She served on the Tulare County Water Commission from 2007‐12, and Co‐Chaired the Governor’s Drinking Water Stakeholder Group from 2012‐14. She continues to serve on a variety of state policy advisory committees, as well as partner with universities to develop research and clinical programs to ensure the human right to water. In 2009, Laurel authored the comprehensive Guide to Community Drinking Water Advocacy and continues to author both scholarly and practical publications related to equitable, transparent and effective water policy topics. Laurel graduated with honors from Harvard Law School and holds a B.A. magna cum laude in Environmental Studies from Brown University.