The Water Leadership Institute Class of 2021 includes 54 water professionals representing 29 states, Canada, and New Zealand. These graduates are the 10th class of the institute and join 343 alumni of the program.
The Water Leadership Institute (WLI) program is aimed at educating and training emerging leaders and providing them with opportunities to build strong, lasting relationships within the water sector. The intensive program enables participants to engage in management training and leadership development through a blended learning approach that includes examining complex challenges facing the water and wastewater industries and networking with public and private sector practitioners.
The class of 2021 was recognized at a ceremony on Sunday, October 17 during WEFTEC 2021. The 2021 graduates are
- Adam Eaton, City of Houston
- Adam Feffer, San Jose Water
- Aimee Bajoie, Texas Meter Device
- Andre David Grace, Beca Limited
- Andrew C. Degner, City of Gresham
- Andrew Simkins Hollis, Slater Infrastructure Group
- Anjali Gupta, DC Water
- Ar'Manni Pretlow,
- Brian Persing, WSSC Water
Brittany Park, Leeway Engineering Solutions LLC - Bryan Coday, Carollo Engineers
- Casey Mentzer, Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility
- Charles Wright, Jr., Hampton Roads Sanitation District
- Emily L. Cole-Prescott, City of Saco, Maine Water Resource Recovery Department
- Faith Oviawe, Alexandria Renew Enterprises
- Frank Dubasik, GHD
- Hannah E. Frels, Plummer Associates Inc.
- Heather Tugaoen, Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
- Irene Teshamulwa Okioga, Charlotte Water
- Jamie Kreller, Town of Suffield WPCA
- Jana Stewart, City of Greensboro
- Jane Schipma, Metropolitan Water Reclamation Distrction of Greater Chicago
- Jazmin Goines, Water Environment Federation
- Jeremy Carnahan, Pierce County Planning and Public Works
- Jeremy Stachowski, City of Redmond
- Joanne So Young Dill, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
- Joe Dvorak, City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services
- Jonathan Sandhu, Gulf Coast Authority
- Joseph Carter, Lyon County Utilities
- Kathleen Peach, SUEZ Water Technologies and Solutions
- Kayson Smith-Bejgrowicz, Carollo Engineers
- Kristan C. VandenHeuvel, The Water Tower/Gwinnett County
- Kristin O'Neill, Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
- Laura A. Kirkwood, HRSD
- Laurie Perkins, Wright Pierce
- Laurin C Benson, SUEZ WTS
- Leah Hall, City of Rapid City Water Reclamation Division
- Lisa Melton, City of Goodyear
- Lori Jordan, Water Environment Federation
- Mahmudul Hasan, The George Washington University
- Michael S Stewart, Mitchell Technical Services Inc.
- Miranda Hamrick, Burns & McDonnell
- Mitchell Pavao-Zuckerman, University of Maryland
- Rick Jolley, Spartanburg Water
- Robert Delgado, Inland Empire Utilities Agency
- Rucha Shah, Arcadis US Inc.
- Sarah Beth Cook, The Thrasher Group
- Seth N. Luma, Hampton Roads Sanitation District
- Spencer L. Parkinson, South Valley Water Reclamation Facility
- Steven Buday, Plymouth Technology
- Steven Jarvis, McCarthy Building Companies Inc.
- Suzanne Lindblom, Mobile Area Water and Sewer System
- Wes Cardwell, Garver
- William F. Schanen V, Rapid Radicals Technology
The application period for the 2022 Water Leadership Institute will open November 1. To get more information about the program, visit the program website.
WLI Change Leadership Series
As part of their final project, this group developed a YouTube series focusing on different aspects of Change Leadership in the water sector. Created in TED-Talk style, these 18 videos to provide insights into nine topics.
In November, they will host three online Roundtables where you can join them for conversation on these topics.
