Thomas Esqueda took the position of Fresno State’s first Associate Vice President in Water and Sustainability. Esqueda’s goal is to contribute to the efforts of making Fresno State a “Water University,” and plans to do so through leading water and sustainability programs across the campus and throughout the community. He will also assist in coordinating academic research and outreach activities that bring critical water and sustainability issues to the front in the Central Valley.
In addition to these efforts, Esqueda will also work diligently to lead in the building and enhancing of partnerships with stakeholder agencies and other community organizations that are dedicated to promoting the sustainability of the environment.
The AVP currently leads a team of 580 employees as the director of Public Utilities for the City of Fresno to provide water, wastewater, solid-waste and utility-billing services for 525,000 residents in and outside of the city limits. Throughout this 29-year career, Esqueda says he has “worked with communities around the country to solve water challenges.” He feels that combining his years of experience with the “commitment and passion of the Fresno State community is an ideal match.”