Kathy Jacobs

Dr. Jacobs is the Director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions (CCASS) and professor in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona. From 2010 to 2013, she served as an assistant director in the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President, and was the director of the National Climate Assessment, leading a team of 300 authors and more than 1,000 contributors who wrote the Third NCA report. Prior to her work in the White House, she was the executive director of the Arizona Water Institute, leading the consortium of the three state universities focused on water-related research, education and technology transfer in support of water supply sustainability. She has more than 20 years of experience as a water manager for the Arizona's Department of Water Resources, including 14 years as director of the Tucson Active Management Area. Dr. Jacobs’ research interests include water policy, connecting science and decision making, stakeholder engagement, use of climate information for water management applications, climate change adaptation, and drought planning.