Natalie Riffel

2021 Cohort

Natalie Riffel received her B.S. in Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems from Montana State University in the summer of 2020 with a focus in crop production and a minor in Environmental Horticulture. Natalie grew up on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, where there is a rich history concerning water and land rights, native tribes, and the city of Los Angeles. Her proximity and exposure to these historical water projects, led by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, has inspired her to pursue a career in water resources. She is eager to learn how to apply her scientific background to policy and management in order to build sustainable systems for the environment, the economy, and the people. With the completion of the Sustainable Water Management program, Natalie hopes to apply her education to her community’s water systems in California. She would like to influence and develop water policies and management practices with more consideration for science and sustainability.