We are a community of natural resource and agriculture professionals across California who are dedicated to bringing climate-relevant information to where it is most needed.
First and foremost, we aim to listen to the practical needs of those dealing with climate adaptation on the ground – resource managers, farmers, ranchers, forest owners, tribal authorities, and their representatives and advocates. To meet our users’ informational needs, we will draw upon our broad base of science and policy knowledge and will reach out to subject-specific experts.
We are currently seeking new partners who would like to be actively involved with the California Sub Hub. If you would like to explore ways to work together, please get in touch via any of the email addresses below, or use our Contact Us form.
California Climate Hub Leadership
Steve Ostoja (Director)
Steve is a native Californian from nearby Sacramento who earned his BS in ecology and MS in biological sciences from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Steve went on to earn his PhD in ecology and conservation biology from Utah State University where his research focused on the effects of invasive species on wildlife communities and resource-consumer interactions in an applied rangeland restoration context. Before joining the Hub, Steve worked for the US Forest Service where he was head of the ecosystem management department on the Sierra National Forest. Prior to that, he worked as a supervisory ecologist for the US Geological Survey in the Yosemite office where he managed a research program that focused on invasive species management, restoration ecology, conservation biology and the effects of various stressors, including climate change, to plant and animal populations and communities. Steve joined the USDA California Climate Hub in September 2016.
Email: smostoja@ucdavis.edu
Phone: (530) 752-3092
Jennifer Balachowski (Fellow)
Jennifer Balachowski did her dissertation work in ecology at UC Davis and at the CEFE-CNRS in Montpellier, France as a Fulbright fellow, receiving her Ph.D. in December 2015. She examined how Western North American grasses survive severe drought and provided management recommendations for sustainable grassland restoration. She has also conducted collaborative interdisciplinary research in human ecology as an NSF IGERT trainee, exploring how people respond to new environmental concerns. Jen enjoys translating scientific research to broader audiences, including student, community, and stakeholder groups. She holds an M.Ed. degree and has taught in a wide range of formal and informal settings, from US public school classrooms to the Laikipia Plateau in Kenya where she instructed land managers how to monitor for early signs of desertification. Born and raised in the Washington, DC area, Jen has lived in Northern California for the past six years.
Email: jbalachowski@ucdavis.edu
We also rely upon our advisory board drawn from other USDA departments and other government agencies, plus a broader committee of California stakeholders. We are currently (winter 2017) formalizing the membership of those committees, and we will update this page with more details when available.