Laurel Firestone

Laurel Firestone was appointed to the State Water Resources Control Board in 2019 and reappointed by Governor Newsom in February 2023. Prior to joining the board, Laurel co-founded and co-directed the Community Water Center, a statewide nonprofit environmental justice organization based in California’s Central Valley and Central Coast. Her career has focused on ensuring all Californians have access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water, and building increased diversity, equity, and inclusivity into water decision-making. Laurel has received a variety of awards and recognition for her work, including the James Irvine Foundation’s Leadership Award in 2018 and the Gary Bellow Public Service Award from the Harvard Law School in 2013. Laurel served on the Tulare County Water Commission from 2007–12, as well as a variety of state policy advisory committees. She has partnered with universities to develop research and clinical programs to further the human right to water, and written articles and publications related to drinking water and the environment. Laurel graduated with honors from Harvard Law School and holds a BA in environmental studies from Brown University.