Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Water In Real Life

Thank you to each and every one of you for joining us on this incredible podcast journey. This is not the end, just a branch in a new direction. Please stay tuned. There's more to come!

When was the last time you left a water conference session feeling moved by the dialogue and perspectives presented? Stephanie was fortunate to experience that rare conference high during both iterations of the Young Professional (YP) panel at UMC2021 in Atlanta and UMC2022 in Orlando.

You can catch the summary in the April 2022 AWWA Journal article here. Stephanie was most impressed by the panel's ability to create a safe space where people felt comfortable enough to engage and have a genuine dialogue, even when there was disagreement.

Join us in this discussion about rethinking the way we conference and the ways we have conversations around difficult issues. We also dive into the very real discomfort of stepping outside of your comfort zone. We talk about why its' important to do so and ways to lean into the discomfort.

Meet Chelsea:

Chelsea Boozer is the Government Affairs Manager at Central Arkansas Water and serves on AWWA’s Young Professionals Committee. She was named to Arkansas Business’s 2020 list of 20 in Their 20s and Arkansas Money and Politics included her on its 2021 Power Women list. She holds an Executive Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse University, an undergraduate journalism degree from the University of Memphis, and a reporting certificate from the Johannes Gutenberg Universitat in Germany. Chelsea has been published in Opflow and Journal AWWA, and regularly speaks at national and regional water conferences about public engagement and workforce development as it relates to young professionals. As government affairs manager, Chelsea works with government, community, and wholesale partners and stakeholders on policy, economic development, and regionalism efforts.

Stephanie served as judge for the Environmental Policy Innovation Center's (EPIC) 2022 Water Data Prize. Submissions came form a diverse range of participants ranging from water utilities, to water tech companies, to professors and universities. Inventory, mapping, equity, and communications were the four award categories. The overall prize was awarded to the City of Newark, NJ and the engineer firm, CDM Smith.

During this chat, Jessie (EPIC) shares an overview of the submissions and takeaways gleaned from the proposed solutions. Kareem (Newark) and Sandy (CMD Smith) then break down the winning project, their approach, and advice for other communities working towards meeting the requirements of the Lead and Copper rule updates.

Meet the Guests:

Jessie Mahr is the Director of Technology at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) where she focuses on the data gaps and capacity needs in environmental agencies that could speed up environmental progress. Prior to joining EPIC, she worked on climate change and environmental issues across sections in the US from engineering firms, technology companies, state agencies and non-profits. Jessie holds a Master of Science in Water Resource Engineering and Environmental Policy from Tufts University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from The University of Texas.

Sandra Kutzing (Sandy) is a Professional Engineer and Vice President at CDM Smith in New Jersey with 20 years of experience in drinking water. Sandy is leading CDM Smith’s Lead in Drinking Water Practice with a focus in regulatory compliance, corrosion control optimization, distribution system water quality and developing and managing LSL replacement programs. When not thinking about lead, Sandy spends time traveling, spoiling her nieces and nephews, exercising, reading, and always learning.

Director Kareem Adeem is a Newark native who began working for Newark in 1991 in the Department of Engineering and has moved up the ladder in his field. In 2013, Director Adeem was elevated to Superintendent of Maintenance Operations, where he oversaw daily maintenance operations of the Department of Water & Sewer Utilities. He earned a promotion to Assist Director in 2016 and Acting Director position in 2018. In addition Director Adeem is a member of Water Supply Advisory Council of New Jersey and NJ Task Force on Lead. Director Adeem is credited with rebuilding and rebrand Water & Sewer Utilities. By upgrading the water and sewer infrastructure, the City works to replace every lead service line, Upgrade to its water treatment plant, and the Long term control program (LTCP). He is a dedicated public servant who has and continues to give back to his native community.

Kathy made a post on LinkedIn that reminded us how absolutely necessary it is for the water sector to recognize the customer service staff in our utilities that have been walking side by side with our customers throughout a global pandemic. This episode is shout out to them and their stories.

We all need a regular reminder of how important customer service reps are to utility work. Most importantly, we can learn from Kathy about how to support customer service reps while they take care of our customers. 

Check out her first appearance on the Water in Real Life podcast in EP046, "Innovating the Water Conservation Conversation."

Meet Kathy:

Kathy Nguyen graduated from Berry College with a BA in Speech/Communications and a Graduate Certification in Environmental Management from the University of Maryland. She has been with Cobb County Water System for since 2001. In 2004 she became the Water Efficiency Manager, where she developed, implemented and managed the Nationally recognized, award winning Water Efficiency Program until 2018. In 2009 she became the Senior Project Manager for Water Resources. She is currently the Customer Service Division Manager. Some of the most meaningful recognitions she has been fortunate enough to receive during her career are: the George Warren Fuller Award from the American Water Works Association for lifetime contribution to the Drinking Water Industry in Georgia, The Alliance for Water Efficiency’s Water Star Award for Career contribution to the field of water conservation, and Communicator of the Year for the Georgia Green Industry. She is a member of numerous professional organizations including AWWA, and the Georgia Association of Water Professionals, where she currently serves as Vice-President for the association. She is an active community volunteer with Good Mews a Non-profit no-kill cage free cat shelter. She lives with her patient husband and 5 demanding feline "children."

Karyn A. Riley, Esq. first splashed into the water sector 7 years ago after landing on the government relations team at WSSC Water. Since then, she has emerged as a key voice on the sector’s role in leveraging its widespread impact in community engagement and equitable economic development.

Join us in this conversation that demonstrates the value communication and outreach brings to ALL utility staff and operations—not just communicators and communication initiatives.

Top takeaways:

1. How government often silos itself and the value of breaking down the barriers to collaboration.
2. The balance required to operate with both a product-minded and service-minded business model as a water utility.
3. Lessons learned from WSSC Water's public outreach efforts about their rates and affordability initiatives.
4. Diversity, equity, and inclusion—what is the water industry doing well and where can it improve?

Meet Karyn

Karyn A. Riley, Esq. had absolutely no clue about the water sector before landing with WSSC Water almost 7 years ago and has emerged as a key voice on the sector’s role in community engagement and equitable economic development.

As a member of WSSC Water’s senior and executive leadership teams, Karyn develops and leads organizational strategy for stakeholder engagement and manages relationships with 200+ elected and government officials at the federal, state, and local levels. She guides the organization’s legislative and policy agenda, and as been responsible for legislation that expands affordability and transparency. WSSC Water’s “chief advocate”, Karyn represents the state’s largest water utility before industry, community, and business stakeholders and is recognized for her expertise in organizational leadership, engagement, strategic planning, and policy development.

With her extensive background in economic, policy and program development, Karyn believes that water utilities are anchor institutions with widespread impact on public health, the economy, the environment, and social justice. With the unprecedented infusion of investment in the country’s infrastructure, Karyn knows that now is the time for all players in the sector to commit to using the funding to build not only the physical infrastructure of communities, but commit to building an equitable economic infrastructure as well - especially in underserved and underrepresented ones.

A native Marylander, Karyn is a proud alumna of Hampton University, an HBCU, and holds a law degree from Syracuse University. Outside of her professional career, she is passionate about serving her community as a mentor and volunteer, and she loves dance.

Top Takeaways:

• The top three issues concerning state revolving funds.
• Data and its role in shaping policy around affordability and equity.
• Communication and how it can be a tool to ensure no one is left behind in infrastructure planning.
• Ways that the state revolving fund conversation is initiating change in other areas of the water sector.
• Resources for small to mid size communities to get assistance for funding.

Resources:

Katy Hansen, katy@policyinnovation.org

Tee Thomas, thomas@quantifiedventures.com 

• For residents and community groups to discuss and take action on water, climate, and infrastructure: 
• The Water Equity and Climate Resilience Caucus co-convened by PolicyLink and the Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy.
• Anthropocene Alliance  
• For advocates and water utilities that want to know more about SRF programs 
• SRF Advocates Forum co-convened by the Alliance for the Great Lakes, EPIC, PolicyLink, and the River Network.  
• Resource pages from River Network, including the Equitable Water Infrastructure Toolkit and State Revolving Fund Resources
• Southwest Environmental Finance Center's SRF switchboard
• For towns, cities, water utilities, and others interested in applying for SRF, reach out to technical assistance providers:
• EPIC's Funding Navigator
• RCAP

The Drinking Water SRF report is here.

Sign up for the SRF Forum here.

Meet Katy and Tee!

Dr. Katy Hansen works to improve equity in local public service provision. As a Senior Advisor for Water at EPIC, she focuses on the allocation of federal financial assistance for water infrastructure. Prior to EPIC, Katy worked at the Environmental Finance Center at UNC-Chapel Hill, Association for Water and Rural Development in South Africa, and Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in the Middle East.

She led projects to digitize over 500 maps of

"What you don't do with us, you do to us." This is a truth Trina shared with us about how our customers feel when we don't communicate with them the purpose, intention, and value of the work we do. 

Top Takeaways:

• Tips on how to use the infrastructure bill as a conversation starter with the community.
• Humanizing how we communicate.
• Communication metrics.
• Tips on how to make the most of outsourcing communication work.
• and of course BRANDING!!

Meet Trina

Trina is an award-winning public relations and marketing expert with nearly 30 years of experience developing and managing comprehensive communication campaigns across public and private sectors. Prior to joining HDR’s Strategic Communications practice in June 2018, she was Denver Water’s Director of Public Affairs – Communications & Marketing, where she led the agency’s renown traditional and social media, marketing, advertising, content journalism, organizational communications, and youth education programs.

HDR brought her onboard to help their water clients across the country identify unique opportunities to inform and engage audiences, and spot potential social and political risks associated with their projects. Having spent 25 years in the trenches, Trina typically serves as a senior advisor to utilities’ communications teams.

1. Good design is not all about making something pretty. Effective design solves a problem.
2. Understanding the creative process sets up a project for success.
3. Discovery, Discovery, Discovery. Don't get turned off or defensive during the process. The more information we glean from you, the more likely we will create a deliverable that meets your expectation.
4. The creative rulebook helps remove some of the subjectivity of the craft by providing concrete purpose behind the artistic direction.

• The complexity of attitude formation, behavior, and memory-recall and you shouldn't just wing these things!
• The types of research Dr. Callison conducts and the data they glean.
• The dangers in simply mimicking the communication strategies that others are doing.
• Some of Dr. Callison's top takeaways from his research...one has to do with beer!
• The power of moral appeals to behavior change.

You can't say we're not down to try new things. This was a fun one. We can't promise you an eye-opening communication or leadership takeaway but we can promise some legit entertainment. Would you believe we did a tarot card reading for communication's impact in the water industry? Yes, our dear friend and co-conspirator Duke Greenhill (episodes 4,65,105) took us on a journey. While tarot card readings are usually either punchlines or plot twists in movies, ours was actually pretty fun and meaningful to the work we do for the industry. Enjoy!

Meet Chris Pacione, CEO and Co-Founder of LUMA Institute. He’s passionate about universal design literacy, and he’s a frequent speaker on the topics of design and innovation around the world. He is co-author of the LUMA System and the book “Innovating for People.”

Learn why Chris believes all of us are designers and how that empowers us to transform our mindsets to achieve greater impact for our communities.

Check out the video recording of our chat on the Rogue Water Lab YouTube channel. View EP103 here.

Meet Chris Pacione, CEO and Co-Founder of LUMA Institute. He’s passionate about universal design literacy, and he’s a frequent speaker on the topics of design and innovation around the world. He is co-author of the LUMA System and the book “Innovating for People.”

Learn why Chris believes all of us are designers and how that empowers us to transform our mindsets to achieve greater impact for our communities.

Check out the video recording of our chat on the Rogue Water Lab YouTube channel. View EP103 here.

In this special #ImagineADayWithoutWater edition, the H2duO chat with Mae Stevens, Executive Vice President at Signal Group, about what the different possible #Election2020 outcomes mean for the water industry. We also chat about the incredible importance of knowing your audience and tailoring your message to them and the special bipartisan PAC she established with the goal of getting more candidates that will champion water issues elected.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps elevate and amplify our podcast to new listeners to help us spread the mission of clean water for all. We give a special shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #theh2duo

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

The H2duO get real with their mentor Greg Wukasch (San Antonio Water System) when he turns the mic on them to talk about the H2duO in real life. Stephanie and Arianne talk about the entrepreneur rollercoaster, their friendship, and their own personal journeys.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

As we gear up to drop our 100th episode, we let George Hawkins (CEO/Founder of Moonshot Missions) and Nathan Ohle (CEO of Rural Community Assistance Partnership) turn the mics on us. It's been fun to do this a few times along our podcast journey, but having a candid conversation like this right before such a major milestone was timely and fun.

We want to thank each and every one of our fans and followers for all of the support you've bestowed on us the past two years. We couldn't have done this without you.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Shea Dunifon is the Education Coordinator for the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility in St. Petersburg, FL. Since 2017, she has led the education program’s facility tours, classroom presentations, and participation in regional STEM-based events.

While the program interacts with over 40,000 citizens of the community each year, it is a popular resource amongst teachers and educators in Pinellas County. Shea holds a Master’s degree in the Crop and Soil Sciences from Virginia Tech and is the Vice-Chair of the Florida Water Environment Association’s (FWEA) Public Communications and Outreach Committee.

She is also the recipient of the 2018 Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Public Communications and Outreach Program Award, Individual Category.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Dr. Teodoro personifies the value of water. He's been preaching the importance of affordability and rate structures in the water sector since 2005. His bold voice ensures the impact of the cost to do business in the water sector doesn't supersede the human right to water. We talk with Dr. Teodoro about his thoughts on affordability and rates, plus how utilities can drop the prevent defense model and adopt achievement cultures.

Dr. Manny Teodoro works at the intersection of politics, public policy, and public management. His research focuses mainly on U.S. environmental policy and implementation, including empirical analyses of environmental justice. In addition to academic studies, Professor Teodoro pursues a line of applied research on utility management, policy, and finance. He’s developed novel methods for analyzing utility rate equity and affordability, and works on these issues directly with governments and water sector leaders across the United States.

Professor Teodoro also studies public management and bureaucratic politics, emphasizing labor markets as political phenomena and predictors of organizational performance. His award-winning book, Bureaucratic Ambition (2011, Johns Hopkins), argues that ambition shapes administrators’ decisions to innovate and to engage in politics, with important consequences for innovation and democratic governance.

Professor Teodoro’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Water Research Foundation, and Cascade Water Alliance, and has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Public Administration Review, Policy Studies Journal, Social Science Quarterly, Journal of Public Policy, AWWA Water Science, American Review of Public Administration, Water Security, Journal AWWA, and PS: Political Science & Politics. @mpteodoro

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Tom Kunetz is the Immediate Past President of the Water Environment Federation. He is currently the Assistant Director of Monitoring and Research for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and is also on the Board of Directors of the Water Research Foundation. He has over 35 years’ experience in the water sector as an environmental engineer. He is a registered Professional Engineer, a recipient of the Charles Walter Nichols Award for Environmental Excellence from the American Public Works Association, and a WEF Fellow.

Recap:

• The art of having difficult conversations. Tom talks us through the steps of having conversations with people who hold different beliefs and opinions than ourselves.
• The value of diversity in communication styles.
• Tom gives us part two of the WEFTEC 2019 story he told at the Opening General Session.
• We discuss why speaking "human" and speaking to the emotional level of people is so important when communicating about data.
• Second City's role in forging Tom's place in the water industry.
• We talk about Matt Damon, Brave Blue World, and how lucky we are to be the ones that get to solve the global water crisis.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Nathan Ohle currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), a national network of non-profits focused facilitating access to safe drinking water, sanitary wastewater disposal, economic development, and capacity building for rural and tribal communities across the country. RCAP’s work in assisting some of the smallest rural communities in the US helps to build capacity and opportunity in every state and territory across the country, and reached more than 3.2 million people last year. 

Nathan previously served as the Senior Advisor at the US Economic Development Administration (EDA), and served on the White House Rural Council, leading the engagement in place-based initiatives across the Department of Commerce. Nathan was recently selected as one of 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in economic development internationally. 

Nathan is a member of the One Water Council and the National Rural Housing Coalition, alongside several other non-profit volunteer activities. Additionally, Nathan has earned two bachelor’s degrees from Michigan State University, and lives in Falls Church, VA with his wife and two kids.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

"If we're really going to close this water access gap in America, convince our Congress to reinvest in water infrastructure, have a water future that's truly hopeful, we're going to have to figure out how to fall in love with our water. How can we create a relationship with it, something that doesn't exist right now? It's little things that can help us fall in love again." — George McGraw

"If we're going to serve these communities, and not only serve them but empower them, we have to enter that equation with a humility that can really only come from knowing exactly who the people in those communities are and where they're coming from." — George McGraw

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

If you weren't at the 2020 YP Summit, we hate to say it but....you missed out. But never fear, we've got your covered. You already heard from Erin Mosley in EP089, we've got Tom Kunetz on deck, but we're REALLY excited for you to hear from the young professionals that were in the audience. We chat with them about the biggest takeaways, how they've applied what they learned in real life, and how they think we each can change the world.

Young Professional Guests:

• Edward Jankun, P.E., Associate Civil Engineer, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
• Valette Saldanha, EIT, Project Engineer, AECOM
• Stephanie Hubli, Water Engineer, Woodard & Curran
• Chelsea Odle, Media Specialist, Central Arkansas Water
• Suparna Mukhopadhyay, Environmental Engineer, CDM Smith
• Tom Woodcock, P.E., Associate Senior Controls and Instrumentation Engineer, R.V. Anderson Associates Limited

Facilitator Guests:

• Kristi Steiner, Associate Project Manager, Jacobs
• Erin Mosley, President and Founder, Erin Mosley, Inc
• Tom Kunetz, Past President, WEF

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

The Rogue Water, LLC team has worked remotely for 2.5 years. They have customers across the country, but also a remote team spread out across multiple cities in Texas, San Francisco, and Wyoming. There are a plethora of resources about remote working available now because of the impacts of Covid-19. However, in true H2duO form, we wanted to give you our perspective in our own way. We are joined by Rogue Water's Chief Revolution Strategist, Nashelley Kaplan-Dailey.

Top Takeaways

1. Wear pants. Whether it's random knocks at the door, bored children or rogue animals, you never know why you might need to jump up from your seat.
2. Routine is your friend.
3. Place matters. Create your space.
4. Give yourself (and others) some grace.
5. Test tech in advance.
6. Try new tools. We love Slack.
7. Get organized. We use Monday.com.
8. Don't forget to have fun. It's not all about the meetings. Have team happy hours or movie nights.
9. Take breaks!
10. Take strategic breaks. Set time limits on TV and social.
11. Learn what makes your own "best day".
12. Specificity matters!
13. Food. Have a plan for the munchies.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Samantha Villegas is a senior consultant with Raftelis, with more than 25 years of experience conducting public outreach for public works, in the areas of water, energy, and recycling. Samantha has assisted municipalities, water, and wastewater utilities with outreach, branding, reputation and crisis management, as well as the execution of communications strategies to ensure positive positioning for rate increases, acquisitions, capital projects, and change management. Sam served in a lead communications role for both a public water utility and a large, investor-owned utility. She has helped develop a number of guidance docs fir the sector, including ones on lead communication, Legionella communication, and the CCR. Sam has previously presented at Catalyst, ACE, Virginia AWWA’s JAM conference, and SWANA’s Waste Expo. Sam has been actively involved in the American Water Works Association (AWWA), where she served on the Public Affairs Council, and in the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), where she was the National Capital Chapter president and now serves on PRSA’s National Board of Directors. Sam holds a master’s degree in environmental policy and is accredited by PRSA.

Top Takeaways

• Build trust by ensuring you keep these four factors in mind in your messaging: frequency, transparency, consistency, and honesty.
• Reframe the bottled water message. Don't use the same language about why tap is better than bottled. Talk about how using tap keeps bottled water available for true water emergencies.
• Give your digital audience the call to action to share information with community members that may not have access to digital information.
• Check out the PRSA infodemic infographic. Rogue Water will also have an infographic available about the CAP method from the Vincent Covello Risk Communication Center.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Erin (Pink) Mosley is President of a rapidly growing consultancy that provides innovation leadership and executive-style coaching to professionals and organizations. She has worked in the water sector for 25+ years and her clients include professionals at all levels of their careers, nonprofit and professional organizations, and municipal government. Her clients practice and apply deep innovation and influence skills to replace their chronic frustration with next-level results.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Seth Siegel is a Senior Fellow at the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Water Policy and author of the NYT bestselling book Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water-Starved World and the new book Troubled Water: What's Wrong with What We Drink. His work has won praise from Tony Blair, Michael Bloomberg, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Shimon Peres and Juan Manuel Santos.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Reed Cohen, MSc is Director of the Frontline Healthcare Workers Safety Foundation, Ltd. (a global NGO.) He is also the founder and owner of TRR Consulting, LLC.

His biological safety instructional background includes curriculum design, instruction, management and evaluation on topics including BSL-4 suit training, bloodborne pathogens safety, Biosafety Level 3 and 4 training focusing on proper use of Personal Protective Equipment, Biological Safety Cabinets, and biohazardous facilities maintenance and operations.

Mr. Cohen currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA).  He is a lifetime member of the Asia-Pacific Biosafety Association (APBA). Mr. Cohen received his M.Sc. in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Biology and Geography from the University of Texas at Austin.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

We've always known Jackie was the real deal, but she showed just how cool she was when she let Stephanie instigate an impromptu breakdance battle in Jackie's Presidential Suite at WEFTEC2019. We covered a lot of ground in this chat including:

• Her biggest goals for her year as president.
• WEF's plan for building more diversity and inclusion in the water sector.
• Addressing workforce challenges and the apprentice program at Charlotte Water.
• Getting YPs more involved, attending WEFTEC, plus some words of experience on the power of personal resiliency and patience when working in a risk-averse industry.
• Her one piece of magical advice.

Jackie Jarrell, P.E., is the 2019-20 president of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, Va.

Jackie has been with Charlotte Water for more than 29 years. Recently, Jackie was appointed as an interim Deputy Director for Charlotte Water. This has expanded her role to oversee Customer Service, Communications, Industrial Pretreatment, Laboratory Services, and the Industrial Pretreatment Program, with more than 60 significant industrial users. 

As a WEF member, Jackie has held multiple leadership and committee roles, including serving as the chair of the Utility Management Program Symposia and the first vice-chair of the Utility Management Committee.

She is actively involved with the North Carolina Water Quality Association, a regulatory advocacy organization of utilities in North Carolina, and is a past chair and a current board member.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

We were so excited to get to speak with several of the panelists at the Mazars Women of Water Event that took place in Washington DC on January 9, 2020. We also got to hit the networking floor at the post-event gathering and get the "word on the street" takeaways from the event too! Our panelist interviewees included:

Pat Sinicropi, Executive Director, WateReuse Association, the only national organization dedicated solely to advancing policy, technology, innovation and public acceptance for water reuse. Pat has nearly two decades of experience as a policy expert and advocate on water-related issues in Washington, DC. Prior to joining the WateReuse Association, she served as Senior Legislative Director for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), overseeing and directing NACWA’s legislative advocacy program, including policy analysis and advocacy on federal water policy related to infrastructure funding and financing, climate and energy, integrated planning, rate-payer affordability, and agriculture. Pat joined NACWA in 2008 after serving four years as Legislative Counsel to the Water Environment Federation (WEF) where her policy advocacy also included biosolids management. Prior to joining WEF, Pat represented the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), an organization providing technical assistance to small, rural communities on drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs. 

Debra Coy, Partner, XPV Partners. Debra Coy is a Partner with XPV Water Partners, the largest water-focused growth equity fund in North America, with $400 million in assets under management. She works with growth companies utilizing her experience as a top-ranked investment research analyst and strategic consultant to investors, companies, and municipal utilities. Ms. Coy is well known in the water industry from her 20 years on Wall Street as an equity research analyst, where she developed a leading franchise and broad expertise in covering the global water markets for investors at firms including Janney Montgomery Scott, Schwab Capital Markets, HSBC Securities, and National Westminster Bank. She serves on the Board of Directors for AquaVenture Holdings, Global Water Resources Inc., and Willdan Group Inc., and is a regular speaker and columnist on water industry finance and innovation.

Wendy Stevens, Partner, Mazars. Wendy is a Partner at Mazars where she leads the firm’s Quality & Risk Management Team. Wendy’s more than 35 years of experience includes providing accounting and auditing services to a variety of public and private clients in a multitude of industries. She founded and serves as Chair of Women@Mazars USA. Women@Mazars is a long-term effort supporting the full potential of women leaders at Mazars through education, awareness, and improving visibility of and access to role models. Women@Mazars actively engages all men and women at the firm, building diverse teams to enhance the growth of the firm and the individual. She also serves on the Mazars Group Quality & Risk Management Board.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter or Instagram and tag us @roguewaterlab or by using #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Stacy Landreth Grau, Ph.D. is a Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation Practice at the Neeley School of Business and Director, IdeaFactory at Texas Christian University (TCU). Her specialty is design thinking/human centered design, where she has developed several courses and workshops at TCU for both Neeley and IdeaFactory. She is one of the founders of Design Frontiers, a professional association around design thinking and creative problem solving in Dallas/Fort Worth. Stacy has authored or co-authored more than 30 peer reviewed articles and 2 books. She also consults extensively with businesses, nonprofits and K-12 schools as a founder of Human Centered Organization, an organization she cofounded with two TCU colleagues.

Top Takeaways:

1. What is Design Thinking? It's putting a human at the center of everything you do. You have to spend time with people and use that experience to craft clarity. 
2. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and talk to people who may not agree with you or believe what you believe. A survey is great but a conversation is better. 
3. Build in enough time for brainstorming. It will take several sessions to spark that great idea. You have the permission to think and to keep thinking. 

Sponsor:

Mazars USA LLP, a full-service accounting, tax and consulting firm, is proud to announce its inaugural Women of Water Summit taking place on January 9th, 2020 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The Women of Water Summit is a dynamic event promoting industry-leading women and fostering discussions around how to enhance the position of women in the sector. The event will bring together hundreds of senior executives and future leaders from the water industry as well as public and private utility companies from across the country. 

The Mazars Women of Water Summit will provide an effective platform inclusive of diverse, global leadership and insights for the industry as well as a venue to open dialogue and career leadership advancement paths for women.

This full-day event will consist of three dynamic panels throughout the day, three “WaterTalks” tailored after the famous TedTalk format and what promises to be an amazing keynote address given by Carla Reid of WSSC Water. Panel and “WaterTalk” topics will include cybersecurity and data privacy, diversity in the water sector, finance and water reuse to name a few.

 For more details and to register, please visit www.mazarsusa.com/womenofwatersummit.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Dr. Tobin Redwine grew up on a farm in Lazbuddie, a rural community in Northwest Texas. After serving as the Texas FFA President in 2003-2004, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Leadership and Development at Texas A&M University in 2008. While there he developed an affinity for ugly shirts and cheesy jokes. He earned a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Communications at Texas Tech University in 2009, and a PhD in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications at Texas A&M in 2014.

Dr. Redwine is currently an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications at Texas A&M University. He teaches photography, media writing, and other courses in agricultural communications and journalism. Dr. Redwine teaches and researches storytelling. Specifically, his line of inquiry examines how we identify information, how we make meaning of messages and creating audience-specific content, all in the hope that we can better understand how to tell the story of global agriculture and related sciences.

Top Takeaways

Sponsor:

Mazars USA LLP, a full-service accounting, tax and consulting firm, is proud to announce its inaugural Women of Water Summit taking place on January 9th, 2020 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The Women of Water Summit is a dynamic event promoting industry-leading women and fostering discussions around how to enhance the position of women in the sector. The event will bring together hundreds of senior executives and future leaders from the water industry as well as public and private utility companies from across the country. 

The Mazars Women of Water Summit will provide an effective platform inclusive of diverse, global leadership and insights for the industry as well as a venue to open dialogue and career leadership advancement paths for women.

This full-day event will consist of three dynamic panels throughout the day, three “WaterTalks” tailored after the famous TedTalk format and what promises to be an amazing keynote address given by Carla Reid of WSSC Water. Panel and “WaterTalk” topics will include cybersecurity and data privacy, diversity in the water sector, finance and water reuse to name a few.

 For more details and to register, please visit www.mazarsusa.com/womenofwatersummit.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Mark Poling is the Business Strategy and Performance Systems Director for Clean Water Services and has more than 35 years of experience working for utilities; serving in a management role for more than 25. Mark is a Past President of the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association and currently serves on the Water Environment Federation Board of Trustees. A certified Group 4 operator he also holds a M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington. 

Top Takeaways

1. You can be leader right where you are. Informal leaders are a big part of getting things done in organizations. Don’t wait to be a leader. Educate yourself and then act on what you’ve learned. 
2. When you get asked to get involved, say yes. For those doing the asking, make the ask personal. Start with a small ask so people don’t get intimidated.
3. Tackling diversity and inclusion begins within. Start to challenge your own thinking and actions. Did you make others feel welcome? Could your words have been offensive to someone else different than yourself?

Sponsor:

Mazars USA LLP, a full-service accounting, tax and consulting firm, is proud to announce its inaugural Women of Water Summit taking place on January 9th, 2020 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The Women of Water Summit is a dynamic event promoting industry-leading women and fostering discussions around how to enhance the position of women in the sector. The event will bring together hundreds of senior executives and future leaders from the water industry as well as public and private utility companies from across the country. 

The Mazars Women of Water Summit will provide an effective platform inclusive of diverse, global leadership and insights for the industry as well as a venue to open dialogue and career leadership advancement paths for women.

This full-day event will consist of three dynamic panels throughout the day, three “WaterTalks” tailored after the famous TedTalk format and what promises to be an amazing keynote address given by Carla Reid of WSSC Water. Panel and “WaterTalk” topics will include cybersecurity and data privacy, diversity in the water sector, finance and water reuse to name a few.

 For more details and to register, please visit www.mazarsusa.com/womenofwatersummit.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Dr. Sarah Martin is currently Director of Health Solutions at mySidewalk--a technology firm specializing in making local government data effectively inform policymaking. She was previously the Deputy Director of the Kansas City, Missouri Health Department where she oversaw the Department’s initiatives to influence the social and economic policies that shape health inequities. Prior to her job with the city, she was an Assistant Professor of Health Services Research at the University of Missouri, Kansas City’s Bloch School of Management. Dr. Martin received a Master of Public Policy, a Master of Public Health (Epidemiology) and a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Martin is currently a Gubernatorial Appointee to the Missouri State Board of Healing Arts, a board member for the Missouri Budget Project and a PHRASES (Public Health Reaching Across Sectors) fellow with the Aspen Institute. She also enjoys reading trash novels, using her instant pot, drinking champagne, hanging at the pool w/ her partner and kids, hop hop dancing, and reading the NYT weddings and obit sections.

Top Takeaways

1. Don't underestimate the power of debriefing. If things went poorly, this isn't the time to reprimand but rather its time to grow.
2. Giving credit doesn't mean you're not taking any. Take the opportunity to lift others up with you.
3. Every good branding campaign begins with empathy.

Sponsor:

Mazars USA LLP, a full-service accounting, tax and consulting firm, is proud to announce its inaugural Women of Water Summit taking place on January 9th, 2020 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The Women of Water Summit is a dynamic event promoting industry-leading women and fostering discussions around how to enhance the position of women in the sector. The event will bring together hundreds of senior executives and future leaders from the water industry as well as public and private utility companies from across the country. 

The Mazars Women of Water Summit will provide an effective platform inclusive of diverse, global leadership and insights for the industry as well as a venue to open dialogue and career leadership advancement paths for women.

This full-day event will consist of three dynamic panels throughout the day, three “WaterTalks” tailored after the famous TedTalk format and what promises to be an amazing keynote address given by Carla Reid of WSSC Water. Panel and “WaterTalk” topics will include cybersecurity and data privacy, diversity in the water sector, finance and water reuse to name a few.

 For more details and to register, please visit www.mazarsusa.com/womenofwatersummit.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who...

Karen DeBaker serves as Communications and Marketing Manager for Clean Water Services — the water resources management utility serving more than 600,000 residents of Oregon’s Tualatin River Watershed in the Portland-metro area. Karen joined Clean Water Services in 2000 and she has led the District’s marketing, communications and public education programs since 2007. Karen is chair of the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association’s Leadership Development Committee and past chair of the Communication and Outreach Committee. Karen developed 11 Public Communications Camp workshops for Oregon, Washington and Idaho and formerly served as chair of the Water Environment Federation’s World Water Monitoring Day subcommittee. Prior to joining Clean Water Services, she was a publicist for book publishing companies in Portland, Oregon, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Top Takeaways

1. We are all communicators whether it’s in your title or not.
2. Communicate early and often whether it’s good news or bad news.
3. We are feeling machines that think – driven by our experiences and emotions.

Shownotes:

4:54 Tell us about the WEFTEC2019 Communications Camp and what the biggest highlights were for you.

• Span the range of communications from crisis to social media.
• Discussed research, storytelling and branding.
• We are Humans first. We are all communicators.

8:38 What stood out from the case studies presented at the Comms Camp?

• Ability to work through children to enhance communication and get your message out.
• Opportunity to educate the community on the importance of pollution and stormwater.

12:11 What were some ah-ha moments from the camp?

• Validation in the importance of communicating early and often, whether it’s good news or bad news.
• Our role is to inform the community. You don’t have to have every piece of information before you speak to the community. It’s okay to offer what you have and let them know you will update when more information is available.

14:05 What does the lizard brain do when we share bad news?

• The brain is accessing experiences and emotions.
• The brain burns 20% of the energy your body uses. 90% of that is subconscious.
• We are feeling machines that think. 
• Marketing is about providing value and solving problems. Your product solves your audience’s problem and not the other way around.
• Getting through to the lizard brain is key and takes strategy.

23:05 An example from the Comms Camp: contrasting.

• Need to show the before and after. The with and without versions.
• One strong message – limit the claims and benefits to three.
• Speak with visuals to bring people in.

27:53 The Lightning Round.

• Infinite Possibilities – Mike Dooley.
• Take a deep breath and stop.
• Be Human.

Resources:

• This is Marketing– Seth Godin
• Take the Stroop Test.

Sponsor:

If you’re a water utility looking to better manage the water you love, then you’ll want to talk to the experts at Master Meter. They understand that you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Smart water management begins with accurate measurement. Account for every drop produced and delivered because utilities’ progression towards smart cities and IoT begins here. Master Meter is ready to deliver you game-changing results across finance, customer service, and utility operations. They offer an array of products to meet your utility’s needs. To determine which smart water solution is right for you, visit mastermeter.com....

Aaron Tartakovsky is co-founder and CEO of Epic CleanTec, a pioneering green technology start-up that is redefining urban wastewater. Aaron previously served as Director of Business Development and Marketing for CB Engineers, a San Francisco-based engineering design firm, where he also ran its R&D division. Prior to that he worked in federal politics and has remained active in affecting public policy on the local, state, and national levels. Aaron speaks frequently on water and cleantech at universities and at industry gatherings throughout the U.S., and recently co-authored the William J. Worthen Foundation’s “Water Reuse Practice Guide.” To respond to California’s water crisis, Aaron was a founder of the Israel-California GreenTech Partnership, a binational initiative launched at Google’s Tel Aviv headquarters in order to develop solutions to the drought and spearhead innovation in the global water industry—the initiative was highlighted at the 2016 White House Water Summit. Aaron was recognized as a GreenBiz 30 under 30 in 2017, and was recently selected for the 2019 Class of Young Water Pros by Water and Wastes Digest Magazine.

Top Takeaways:

1. Centralized and decentralized solutions can work together to make cities more resilient. Decentralized systems do not take away from the important work cities do.
2. Interdisciplinary skills are critical for innovation because you don’t know what happens where two disparate ideas come together.
3. People in the water industry are on par with first responders. They are that important to society.

Show Notes:

9:50 What has been going on at Epic CleanTec?

• Decentralized reuse strategies.
• Just completed our first commercial install in San Francisco.
• Developing a model where centralized and decentralized solutions work in concert.

12:35 What advice do you have for communicating about the “black water” side of the water industry?

• Most people never think about what happens when the flush – meet them where they are at.
• The same water we have now is the same water the dinosaurs used.
• Need to bring the concepts down to their simplest form – remember your audience.

17:01 How are you making decentralized systems appealing for cities too?

• We have to explore new models.
• These systems can work well together. We want to work together with cities.
• We can “manufacturer” water within our buildings now instead of taking it from our national parks.

20:33 Why is being interdisciplinary skills so important when being innovative?

• You never know what happens when two different ideas are brought together.

Chris Caro is a project engineer in the AECOM Baltimore office, with 6 years of experience in the sewer project management field. He is currently a member of AECOM’s DC Metro+ DCS team. Chris’ responsibilities include planning, designing, construction, and commissioning water and wastewater systems. Mr. Caro previously worked as a Project Manager at WSSC for four years. While at WSSC he managed over 20 consent decree projects and was responsible for budget tracking, scheduling, and progress tracking for the overall consent decree program. Additionally, Mr. Caro has been the CSAWWA Young Professionals committee chair for three years.

Top Takeaways:

1. You can have a significant impact on someone’s life if you can connect them to the water industry. Be that advocate for our industry.
2. If you want to attract the younger generations, don’t try to sell them on the job description—convey the importance of the work. You can reach them by using the real reasons you get up and go to work in the morning. 
3. Young professionals want connection. They are also wary of social media, so outreach to them through different methods such as texting. 

Show Notes:

[4:20] Did you choose water or did water choose you?

• Water chose me. The world worked its wonders to bring me to this industry.
• Chris’s coming to America story.

[7:50] How did your professor send you down this different path?

• Computer programming was not as easy as it might have sounded: The PB&J Story.
• That’s when water came in and a light bulb in my mind came on.
• Became involved in volunteering with Blue Water.
• The playbook for creating the next generation professionals.

[16:08] What advice do you have in attracting the next generation to the water industry?

• Showcase the people. You won’t find a better group of people than the people in the water industry.
• Talk about the fun! You get exposure to every facet of engineering with water.
• Ability to work out in the field.
• Talk about more than just design work we do. We get to do work that matters.

[22:57] What is something that will keep people from leaving?

• Lead with kindness.
• It’s who you work for and with that will keep you in your job.
• Investing in your people – networking, education.
• Being a good leader takes...

Brianna Huber worked in the public health field for 13 years before exploring the environmental side of public health. She has been a licensed Class A chemist for the City of East Moline Water Filtration Plant for five years ago. Her tenure in the water industry may be short but her list of involvement is not. Brianna is the current chair of the ISAWWA’s Mentoring committee and a member of the Outreach Committee. She also holds leadership roles in the Upper Mississippi River Water Suppliers Coalition, the USCG Area Maritime Security Council, the Quad City Public Information Officer group and the AWWA Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Brianna is also passionate about empowering women in the water industry which she demonstrated by launching and serving as chair of the ISAWWA Women in Water committee where she unites, motivates and supports female water industry workers throughout IL and beyond.

Top Takeaways:

1. We are so fortunate in the US with regards to water and sanitation. So many people around the world still don’t have adequate access.
2. If you believe in something, you better be ready to die for it – or run full speed down a mountain to survive.
3. Women have a critical role to play in solving the global water crisis and achieving the UN SDG6.

Show Notes:

[8:50] Tell us about your adventure and the Tanzanian Gender Networking Program (TGNP).

• Strong interest in global water issues.
• Planned to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for women in water and water issues.

[12:55] How did you become a tribe member of an African tribe?

• The village Chief showed me their water supply and how they were not able to use it due to the poor water quality.
• Brianna remains connected to the tribe via WhatsApp.

[17:05] What were some of your biggest takeaways from Tanzania?

• The USA is so much more engineered than Tanzania.  Very few standards – looked like a lot of chaos.
• No infrastructure to support basic needs.
• Hard to describe the level of poverty these people experience every day.
• Vibrant culture, kind people, what they have they are willing to share. The people are very happy.

[22:48] You said Tanzania doesn’t have concern for environmental issues, what made you come to that conclusion?

• There were piles of trash in the front yards of most people’s homes.
• More concerned about getting food and water vs. environmental concerns.
• Sometimes we think we are doing a good thing but the results don’t turn out as expected – the story of two...

Adam Tank has over 10 years of experience in the water industry with a focus on business development, software, and engineering. As the Director of Digital Transformation, he has responsibility for client success related to Transcend Design Generator Software (transcendh2o.com). He works closely with the Marketing and Software Development teams to prioritize development needs and anticipate client requests. Most recently he served as the North America Smarts Cities Director for Suez.

He previously led, and sold, a robotics spin-out of the General Electric corporation which focused on cutting edge potable water pipe rehabilitation techniques. Prior to that he served as GE Water’s Digital Water Leader, managing venture investments and creating software solutions for water distribution challenges. Earlier in his career, Adam served as an engineer in the CPG industry where he both lived and worked in Brazil, and led sanitation programs for General Mills’ largest yogurt plant in North America. Adam received his undergraduate degree from Kansas State University and his M.B.A. from the University of Arizona.

Top Takeaways:

1. We need to take ownership of water’s story otherwise someone else will and the consequences are dire.
2. Shift from a consumption mindset to a production mindset—if you spend three hours consuming, spend three hours creating.
3. Water employers can change job responsibilities and freshen up titles to meet the demands of job seekers.

Show Notes:

[5:52] What can the water industry do to retain employees? What is the value of a diverse work background?

• Diverse thought comes from diverse experiences.
• I wasn’t born a water nerd but got here as fast as I could.

[8:15] How can we do better at getting people in the door of the water industry? What small adjustments are important?

• We aren’t just competing for people who want to work in water. We are competing with all organizations and industries.
• Change job responsibilities and freshen up titles to meet the demand. Tie in the mission of water – it’s our greatest differentiator.
• Each of us has a personal responsibility to reach out and recruit.

[16:00] What is “junk science” and how does it relate to water quality?

• In the absence of fact, people make up their own stories to fill the void.
• We need to take ownership of water’s story because otherwise someone else will and the consequences are dire.
• You have an obligation to tell the truth about how amazing our work in water is.
• The oath of the water nerd.
• The facts are not enough, you need a...

Ben Brugler holds the titles of president and CEO of akhia. He previously held the titles of president and vice president before being transitioned into his current position in 2018. Under Ben’s leadership, the agency has grown from 15 to more than 60 employees, earning a spot as a Top 100 Workplace in Northeast Ohio, as well as placement on the Weatherhead 100 list of fastest-growing companies in the region.

With more than 15 years of experience in the industry, Ben is well-known among clients and the regional business community as a master facilitator and speaker on topics ranging from content marketing to thought-leadership positioning.

In 2011, he was named to Crain’s Forty under 40 list for his contributions to AKHIA’s Growth.

Top Takeaways:

1. We need to start planning for the Gen Z workforce because they are coming fast and we are behind. In 2020, 20% of the workforce will be comprised of Gen Z.
2. Internal communication has never been more important within organizations than it is right now.
3. Gen Z does not communicate on social media the same way Millennials have – they are not putting their whole life out there on social media.

Show Notes:

[8:40] Millennials are already here. Who is Gen Z? 

• People think millennials are still 20 somethings – not true, we are in our 30’s now. They are a maturing generation.
• Youngest Gen Z’s are digitally native. They have full immersion into digital and technology.
• Gen Z balances technology better (e.g., texting while driving compare with seat belts).
• 2020 – 20% of the workforce will be Gen Z.

[14:23] You talked about the biggest myths about Gen Z, what stands out the most? 

• Gen Z will only communicate on digital channels – That’s untrue.  Over 70% want face to face connections.
• 37% worry technology is hurting their people skills.
• Aware of the consequence of putting your whole life out there on social media.

[18:58] Gen Z wants to work somewhere where they can have multiple roles. What are some other characteristics they are looking for in the water industry? 

• Our industry has significant labor shortage issues. There is a web of opportunities – no silos, more cross training.
• The water sector has a major focus on education and training – that’s a strength.
• Value of credentials versus more degrees.
• Readily available educational and training resources.
• Discussion on specialty...