Josie Newton

Clean Water Manager

Josie Newton is a South Carolina native with a passion for protecting the region’s waterways and natural resources. She earned a B.S. in Sustainability Science from Furman University and brings experience in sustainable agriculture, wetlands delineation and permitting, and watershed science. Before joining Upstate Forever in August 2026, she served as the Watershed Scientist with fellow nonprofit Friends of the Reedy River for five years.

Josie’s interests lie in improving water quality, biodiversity conservation, stream and wetland protection, native plant conservation, and community engagement. She serves on the Saluda River Basin Planning Council, is a Clemson Extension Certified Master Rain Gardener, and spent nearly five years as a volunteer trainer for the South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream program.

In her free time, Josie enjoys spending time outdoors with her friends and family, seeing live music, gardening, and pursuing creative hobbies.