WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced key members of its incoming leadership team, including the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water. The Biden-Harris administration has appointed Radhika Fox to this esteemed role. In that capacity, Fox will leverage her extensive experience in water policy and advocacy to tackle the many pressing water, wastewater and stormwater issues facing our nation.

Prior to her appointment at EPA, Radhika Fox was the Chief Executive Officer of the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She has more than 20 years of experience in developing, policies, programs and issue-based advocacy campaigns on the most salient water issues facing the nation including climate change, affordability and innovative finance, water infrastructure investment, equity, and the evolution of the One Water movement.

Previously, Fox directed policy and government affairs for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which is responsible for providing 24/7 water, wastewater, and municipal power services to millions of Bay Area residents. She also served as the Federal Policy Director at PolicyLink, where she coordinated the organization’s policy agenda on a wide range of issues, including infrastructure investment, transportation, sustainable communities, economic inclusion, and workforce development.

Mami Hara, Chair of the Board of Directors for the US Water Alliance, said in a press release, “The Board of Directors and staff at the US Water Alliance applaud President Biden for selecting Radhika for this important role at the EPA. Radhika has been a visionary leader at the US Water Alliance for the last five years, and she is the right leader to guide our nation’s water program at this uniquely volatile and critical time. Radhika brings a deep commitment to equity and inclusion in all that she does. She is also an expert consensus builder on complex environmental issues. We are excited for her to take on this even bigger and broader role in the water sector.”

In a press release, National Rural Water Association CEO Matthew Holmes commented, “Radhika is a courageous leader in the water sector. We have worked together to tackle the most difficult problems facing rural Americans, including historically underserved communities, which unfortunately tend to have high concentrations of minority residents. Radhika maintains a fair and honest mind when working to address these water issues, even when people disagree.”

Fox has an M.A. in City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Columbia University.