Surabhi Shah
Senior Fellow
Surabhi is a national change leader who empowers individuals and organizations to improve their environments, their economies and their lives. At EPIC, Surabhi works alongside other water sector leaders to drive water policy improvements through partnerships.
Surabhi brings to EPIC, over three decades of state, federal and international experience in delivering results, by accelerating widespread adoption of new science, research, data, tools and technology. At the US EPA and the State of North Carolina, Surabhi served in executive and technical roles. She has briefed top-tier government leaders, advised the US Congress and the White House, negotiated inter-agency funding deals, been interviewed in the media, engaged wide-ranging audiences as an educator, spokesperson, panelist and keynote speaker. She has worked across five administrations, collaborating with political appointees and career officials alike.
The Partnership for Public Service awarded Surabhi the Service to America Medal for "most admirable contribution to the American people". This award recognized her for her leadership in launching and leading a public-private partnership that united her team of over five hundred experts from twenty-five government agencies, NGOs and private sector funders with heroic community leaders. Together, they mobilized millions of dollars to transform degraded waterways and forgotten neighborhoods into treasured community centerpieces.
While in government service, Surabhi was recognized for catalyzing innovation in restoration of watersheds and estuaries, GIS-driven drinking water source protection, groundwater and soil remediation technologies, equitable community revitalization, cumulative impacts and community engagement. Surabhi also ensured that these advances would endure by building institutional capacity; structuring partnerships and peer learning networks; mentoring and coaching leaders; embedding improvements in government systems such as grants and contracts; and propelling organizational culture change.
Get to Know Me Further
I grew up surrounded by people from many walks of life, from professors to panhandlers. Their stories led me to be curious, and to value others’ perspectives on how to improve the world around us. I still love it when this curiosity decodes a person’s hidden brilliance or unlocks insight into an intractable problem.
Born in Michigan, I carry with me all the places I have called home. In Canada, I chose my favorite hockey team and tuned into late-night broadcasts of parliamentary Question Period. Summers immersed in small-town life in India taught me the songs and stories I would later perform at venues like the Smithsonian and the Harvard Art Museum. My twenty years in Washington, DC, instilled a love for the Anacostia River, WMATA, and CSPAN radio. My family now lives in North Carolina and includes both Mayflower descendents and newer immigrants.
These days, I love learning dance moves from my teenage daughter; mentoring youth in my community; coaching leaders from all over the world; making music; and springing new recipes on unsuspecting friends and family.