Fellow, Climate and Security Program

Kelsey Harpham is an international climate policy specialist working at the nexus of water and
climate adaptation, focused on collaborative, place-based solutions for ecological, economic,
and community resilience. Kelsey is currently the Water Tracker for National Climate Planning
lead at the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), where she is directing a global effort to
increase coherence, efficacy, and ambition in Nationally Determined Contributions and other
climate planning instruments. She previously worked at the International Centre for
Environmental Management in Hanoi, Vietnam, leading climate resilience, disaster risk
reduction, and watershed management projects across Asia. Kelsey is a civil engineer by
training and has held roles with major US engineering firms facilitating close collaboration with
communities for infrastructure design. Kelsey was a Henry Luce Scholar and American
Association of University Women Selected Professions Fellow. She holds an MS in Water
Resources Engineering and certificate in Water Conflict Management and Transformation from
Oregon State University and BA in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College.
Kelsey also serves as a board trustee for The Asia Foundation. When she’s not working, she can
be found enjoying the outdoors with her family and on early morning runs alongside whichever
body of water is nearest.