Kelsey Harpham

About Kelsey

(updated 2/2019) Kelsey Harpham has a dual background in policy and engineering, with water resources, water supply, and sanitation being the central themes of her career. She is committed to implementing place-based approaches which value local knowledge and integrate technical practice to develop strategies which build capacity and resiliency within communities. For her Luce year, Kelsey is currently working at the International Centre for Environmental Resources (ICEM) in Hanoi, Vietnam, where she is involved in water resources management planning, climate adaptation policy, and infrastructure resilience projects in Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.
Prior to her Luce year, Kelsey worked for HDR Engineering as a design engineer for water supply and wastewater treatment projects throughout the U.S., providing water quality analysis, treatment recommendations, and hydraulic modeling for municipal and industrial clients. Kelsey received a master’s degree in Water Resources Engineering from Oregon State University in 2016, supported by a Selected Professions Fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW). At OSU, she earned the Faculty Award for Excellence, was the lead coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Water Research Symposium, and was an active member of the “Hydrophiles” student organization. Prior to attending graduate school, Kelsey worked at the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council in Bend, Oregon, where she turned her attention to the critical need for collaboration and the importance of focused investments in facilitating diverse stakeholder engagement for change. Kelsey graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Occidental College with a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Environmental Policy, completing a senior comprehensive project on food justice in Los Angeles, and spending a semester in Fortaleza, Brazil, where she engaged in research with local stakeholders on issues of sustainable development and social justice. Outside of work, Kelsey enjoys exploring Hanoi on early morning runs and adventuring around the mountains and rivers ofnorthern Vietnam.