Local engineer, council candidate honored as 2026 Sacramento Change Maker

Jag Nagendra, a principal engineer with the California Department of Water Resources and candidate for Folsom City Council, District 3, has been selected for the 2026 Top 60 Change Makers list, presented jointly by The Sacramento Bee and the Nehemiah Leaders Programs. Nagendra's path to civic leadership began after immigrating from India in his late twenties, first settling in Davis before eventually making Folsom home. Along the way, he built a track record of community involvement — from local organizing in Davis, to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office outreach board, to an eight-year term on the California Expo and State Fair Cultural Advisory Council and the Project Management Institute's Sacramento Valley chapter, both of which he completed. Folsom residents may recognize Nagendra from City Council meetings, where he has regularly shared input on local issues. "This recognition means so much to me," Nagendra said of the honor. "It's the result of decades of hard work, and I have incredible respect for the people who serve this community — I'm honored to be recognized alongside them." The 2026 Change Makers will be celebrated at an Oct. 13 gala at The Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Sacramento. More information about the 2026 Top 60 Change Makers program is available at sacramentochangemakers.com.