Chris Askew-Merwin

Chris’s passion for water policy stems from growing up in Michigan, where even surrounded by 20% of the world’s surface freshwater, many communities struggle to maintain access to safe and affordable drinking water. To learn more about the role of public policy in expanding equitable access to water resources, Chris went to the University of Michigan for graduate school before moving to Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2019 to work on water quality issues and to analyze legislation through environmental justice and equity lenses. Chris’s work has covered a variety of topics such as the household impacts of unaffordable water rates, water quality issues (lead, PFAS…), flood mitigation through nature-based solutions, agricultural run-off, and international water, sanitation, and hygiene development.

Chris earned a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Development, a Master of Public Policy, and a Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability all from the University of Michigan. When he isn’t working, Chris enjoys learning all kinds of random trivia, trying new cuisines, playing games with friends, and traveling when possible.