The Water Entrepreneur: Recent Episodes
Paul Gagliardo
Sponsored by ASTERRA(https://asterra.io/) and IMAGINE H2O(https://www.imagineh2o.org/), The Water Entrepreneur podcast program features a series of interviews exploring the origin stories of startup founders, early adopters and innovation champions related to their personal, professional, technical, business, organizational and financial journeys. We will explore how the guests decided to get into the water business, who their mentors are, who inspired them to become entrepreneurs and how they selected a technology to develop from an idea to an invention and finally to a commercially viable innovation. You will hear how they raised funding for their company, selected markets to pursue, navigated organizational hierarchies and evolved as their company grew. They will describe their struggles and successes and explain why they are having the most fun of their lives.
Craig Beckman
Craig Beckman is a dynamic and results-driven executive with over 30 years of experience leading teams, scaling businesses, and transforming organizations in the water technology, industrial systems, and cleantech sectors. From his early days as a sales engineer to his tenure as a CEO, Craig has built a career on integrity, strategic acumen, and a consistent ability to deliver measurable results. He has successfully led high-growth startups, executed complex M&A transactions, managed large global teams, and guided companies through critical transitions and turnarounds.
Currently serving as CEO of Aqua Membranes, Craig has helped position the company as a global innovator in water treatment technology. Under his leadership, Aqua Membranes has closed over $29 million in funding, expanded its intellectual property portfolio by 8x, and achieved an 11x valuation increase from its seed round through Series B. He negotiated a licensing agreement that delivered $4.6 million in pre-production revenue and helped the company earn prestigious accolades such as inclusion in the 2025 Global Cleantech 100 and GWI Breakthrough Technology of 2024. Craig’s visionary leadership has been instrumental in commercializing emerging technologies and building sustainable value.
Before Aqua Membranes, Craig was President and CEO of MIOX, where he spearheaded a 300% increase in revenue, reduced expenses by 32%, and generated a 400% return on equity for investors. His tenure culminated in a successful exit, leading MIOX’s acquisition by Johnson Matthey, where Craig stayed on to guide the integration and develop a long-term growth strategy. His ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments—ranging from global corporates to private equity partners—demonstrates his capacity for leadership under pressure and his talent for balancing strategic vision with tactical execution.
Craig’s broader career includes executive roles at GE Water and Osmonics, where he managed large-scale global sales teams, negotiated licensing and channel partnerships, and consistently outperformed revenue and margin targets. He has a reputation for fostering inclusive, empowered teams and for bringing calm, clarity, and accountability to high-stakes business environments. His leadership philosophy centers around transparency, ethical decision-making, and motivating individuals through recognition and shared purpose.
Craig holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and has completed executive education through GE’s Crotonville Leadership Institute, the Carlson School of Management, and the University of Wisconsin School of Business. In addition to his operating roles, Craig serves as a board advisor and consultant to companies in the cleantech, water treatment, and specialty chemical sectors. His advisory work includes roles with Phase Two Chemicals, Amane Advisors, and Aqua Research, among others.
A respected voice in the industry and a trusted leader across organizations, Craig Beckman combines operational excellence with visionary leadership, making him a valuable asset to any business aiming to scale, evolve, or reinvent itself for the future.
Scott Jauch
Scott Jauch I Condition Assessment Regional Practice Lead, Black & Veatch
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Scott Jauch is the Condition Assessment Regional Practice Lead at Black & Veatch, based in Phoenix, Arizona. With 8 years of experience in the water sector, Scott specializes in the condition assessment and rehabilitation of buried infrastructure, particularly large-diameter water transmission mains. His expertise spans the planning, execution, and management of infrastructure assessment programs across the United States.
Scott currently serves as Vice Chair of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Main Condition Assessment Committee and is Chair of the AWWA Manual of Practice for Condition Assessment of Water Mains revision. His work has advanced industry standards through a combination of technical leadership, innovation, and collaborative project delivery.
Before joining Black & Veatch, Scott held key roles in major condition assessment programs nationwide, including for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Great Lakes Water Authority, and City of Ann Arbor. His project experience includes overseeing field evaluations, performing structural analyses, and delivering actionable insights for long-term asset management strategies.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arizona. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Water Works Association. He is fluent in English and is based in Black & Veatch’s Phoenix office.
Erin K. Rothman
Climate Scientist | Urban Planner | Entrepreneur
Innovating at the intersection of data, design, and resilience
With over 20 years of experience at the nexus of climate science, urban planning, and entrepreneurship, Erin Rothman has built a career solving some of the most complex environmental and social challenges facing communities today. Her work spans leading-edge research, technology development, and strategy across public and private sectors.
Erin is currently the Managing Director at Manzana City Inc. and Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at Mērak Labs, where she leads multidisciplinary teams focused on resilience analytics, flood risk mapping, water quality, and climate adaptation. Her leadership is marked by the integration of smart sensor networks, advanced data analytics, and nature-based infrastructure planning to support climate-resilient communities across North America.
Previously, Erin was the founder and CEO of StormSensor, Inc., a climate tech company that revolutionized how cities monitor and respond to stormwater and coastal systems. There, she led innovation across product development, fundraising, strategy, and governance, raising $16M in investment and scaling a national presence.
Earlier in her career, Erin served as a Principal Scientist and Managing Principal at leading environmental consultancies including SLR Consulting, SoundEarth Strategies, and Rothman & Associates. She has advised city governments, developers, and nonprofits on environmental remediation, regulatory compliance, and sustainable redevelopment, bringing a unique blend of scientific insight and strategic oversight.
Erin holds an MSc in Natural Resources and Wetland Ecology from The Ohio State University and a BA in Technical and Scientific Communication from Miami University. She is known for translating complex data into actionable, equitable solutions—bridging ecosystems, infrastructure, and communities for long-term impact.
Matt Boczkowski
Matt Boczkowski has a diverse work experience in various industries and roles. Matt is currently the CEO of Aquaporin A/S, a company focused on water filtration through biotechnology. Before that, he held multiple roles at SUEZ, including Vice President Industrial Strategy, Growth, Market Development, and Global Director of Marketing and Growth Initiatives. Matt also worked at GE Water & Process Technologies, where he served as a Market Leader and Key Account Executive – Oil & Gas, Senior Business Development Manager, and Sales and Marketing Manager. Earlier in his career, Matt worked at Air Liquide as a Project Engineer and GEA Group as a Field Service Engineer – Biofuels. Matt started his career at Pall Corporation as an Applications Specialist – Pharma and F&B.
Matt Boczkowski’s education history includes several academic achievements in various fields. In 2001, he obtained his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University. Moving forward, Matt pursued his passion for Chemical Engineering and completed his Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng) degree from McGill University in 2006.
In 2008, Matt furthered his education by pursuing an MBA degree in Strategy and Marketing from HEC Montréal, which he completed in 2009. That same year, Matt also acquired a Certificate in Energy Management from Hydro-Québec, specializing in Renewable Energy.
In 2017, Matt attended Crotonville Alumni, where he earned a certificate in the Manager Development Course, focusing on Organizational Leadership. Finally, in 2019, he enrolled in the IESE Business School and successfully completed a Certificate program in Executive Leadership, emphasizing Business Administration and Management.
Throughout his education journey, Matt has consistently expanded their knowledge and expertise across diverse domains, including Microbiology, Engineering, Marketing, Energy Management, Leadership, and Business Administration.
Brian Richter
Brian Richter
President, Sustainable Waters | Adjunct Professor, University of Virginia
Brian Richter is a globally recognized authority on water science and conservation, with over 30 years of experience advancing sustainable water management practices. He is the President of Sustainable Waters, an international education and advisory organization that supports communities, governments, and industries in addressing water scarcity and promoting responsible water use. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Virginia, where he teaches upper-level courses on water sustainability and mentors graduate research.
Previously, Brian spent three decades with The Nature Conservancy, where he led the Global Water Program and directed high-impact freshwater initiatives spanning the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific. He has worked on more than 170 river and water projects across six continents and regularly advises major global corporations, investment banks, and international organizations such as the United Nations.
Brian has developed foundational tools for hydrologic analysis and ecosystem restoration, including the widely used Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) software. His scientific publications place him in the top 10% of researchers worldwide by impact, and his thought leadership has been featured in global media, including a BBC documentary with Sir David Attenborough.
He is the co-author of Rivers for Life: Managing Water for People and Nature, and the author of Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability, now available in six languages.
Jack Schmidt
Jack Schmidt is a Professor at Utah State University and Director of the Center for Colorado River Studies within the Quinney College of Natural Resources. With nearly four decades of experience, he is a leading expert in river science, focusing primarily on the Colorado River, its tributaries, and the Grand Canyon. His research explores the complex relationship between ecosystem health and the impacts of dams, reservoirs, and water diversions.
A former chief of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Dr. Schmidt has played a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of river management in the American Southwest. Under his leadership, the Center for Colorado River Studies advances innovative research, education, and outreach to support informed decision-making and sustainable management of major river systems.
To learn more about Jack and his work, please visit: https://www.colorado.edu/center/gwc/john-jack-schmidt.
Anne Castle
Anne Castle is a senior fellow at the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at the University of Colorado Law School, focusing on western water issues, including Colorado River policy and Tribal water rights. Castle was appointed by President Biden in 2022 as the U.S. Commissioner and Chair of the Upper Colorado River Commission, a position she held until January 2025. She is a founding member of the Water Policy Group.
From 2009 to 2014, Castle was the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior where she oversaw water and science policy for the Department and had responsibility for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Survey. While at Interior, Castle spearheaded the Department’s WaterSMART program, which provides federal leadership and funding to support sustainable water supplies, and launched the federal Open Water Data Initiative.
Castle practiced water law for 28 years in Denver, Colorado with the Rocky Mountain based law firm of Holland & Hart LLP. She chaired the law firm’s management committee and its natural resources law department. She currently serves on the boards of the Colorado Water Trust, Colorado Legal Services, and Stanford University’s Water in the West program. She is the co-founder of and senior advisor to the nationwide initiative on Universal Access to Clean Water in Tribal Communities.
James Roberts
Founder & CEO | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
James Roberts is the Founder and CEO of WaiHome, a company dedicated to modernizing backyard wastewater treatment. Under his leadership, WaiHome focuses on passive, aboveground treatment systems that are easy to install and provide high-quality, reusable effluent—helping homeowners create sustainable outdoor spaces. Learn more at www.waihome.com.
ExperienceWaiHome LLC
Principal Investigator (Aug 2021 – Present | 3+ years)
- Leads the design and testing of alternative water and waste management systems to reduce the cost of onsite wastewater treatment in the U.S.
- Secured over $2 million in non-dilutive funding for product research and development.
Limtiaco Consulting Group
Staff Engineer (Sep 2020 – Jul 2021 | 11 months)
- Developed a homeowner guide for cesspool replacement on behalf of the Hawaii Department of Health.
- Led an EPA-mandated audit of wastewater infrastructure for the Hawaii State Public Library System.
- Designed stormwater and wastewater systems using AutoCAD and Civil3D.
The University of British Columbia
M.A.Sc. Researcher & Academic Consultant (Sep 2016 – Jul 2019 | 3 years)
- Conducted research on microscreen pretreatment and biofilm photobioreactors to improve decentralized wastewater treatment.
- Led a post-mortem analysis of the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) wastewater system.
Additional Engineering & Research Roles
- Kamanu Composites – Product & Environmental Engineer
- ECO-TEK Ecological Technologies Inc. – Researcher & Operator
- Arup – Electrical Industrial Designer
- Mantra Energy Alternatives – Reactor Operator
- Laser Zentrum e.V. – Assistant Researcher
Education M.A.Sc. in Environmental Engineering | The University of British Columbia (2016–2019) * B.A.Sc. in Integrated Engineering* | The University of British Columbia (2010–2015)
Skills & Expertise Customer Service | Sales | Project Management*
Connect on LinkedIn: James Roberts
Nathaniel Banks
Nathaniel Banks
Co-founder & CTO, PolyGone Systems | Forbes 30 Under 30 Fellow
Nathaniel is a pioneering innovator in environmental technology, specializing in microplastic monitoring and filtration solutions. As the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of PolyGone Systems, he leads the company’s engineering, research, and product development, driving advancements in sustainable water treatment solutions. His expertise in design, prototyping, and engineering spans over a decade, having worked with some of the world’s most renowned design offices and institutions.
Under Nathaniel’s leadership, PolyGone Systems has secured approximately $2.8 million in funding from federal agencies such as NOAA and the NSF, state organizations including NJCSIT and NJEDA, and private venture capital investors. His work has positioned PolyGone as a leader in cutting-edge environmental solutions, with several large-scale pilot projects, including:
The Atlantic County Utilities Authority Wastewater Treatment Pilot (Under Construction)
The West County Wastewater District Treatment Pilot (Detailed Design Phase)
The IISD Experimental Lakes Area Microplastic Monitoring Station (Completed 2023)
Nathaniel’s passion for sustainability and technological innovation is rooted in his architectural and environmental design background. He holds a Master’s in Architecture from Princeton University, where his thesis project, Plastic Plastic, proposed groundbreaking systems for plastic recycling and microplastic collection—earning Best Presentation at the 2021 Princeton Research Day Awards. He also completed his Bachelor’s in Architecture at Syracuse University, where he received the James A. Britton Award for Faculty Favorite Thesis for his work on adaptive building systems. His academic pursuits also led him to University College London, where he studied urban geography and circular development models.
Beyond his technical contributions, Nathaniel is a recognized thought leader in clean technology. He has been invited as a keynote speaker and panelist at numerous prestigious conferences, including:
US-China Cleantech Trade Delegation (2023) – Delivered keynote presentations to government officials and industry leaders across Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Guangzhou, and Changzhou.
World Water-Tech North America Showcase (2023) – Presented PolyGone’s innovations to an audience of water utility managers and technology suppliers.
California Water Board Subcommittee on Microplastics (2023) – Shared findings from PolyGone’s research on microplastic pollution.
TMA Blu-Tech Blue Week Conference (2023) – Panelist alongside California water authorities and industry experts.
Circular City Week NYC (2022) – Presented microplastic research and pilot studies.
Nathaniel’s contributions to clean technology have earned him widespread recognition, including being named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Fellow in Social Impact (2024), winning the World Water-Tech Startup Competition (2023), and securing finalist spots in prestigious competitions like the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge and Harvard Business School Startup Showcase.
He is also a named inventor on multiple patents pending, including:
Method, Apparatus, and System for Aquatic Microplastic Removal (2021)
Aquatic Microplastics Removal Apparatus (2023)
Modular Floatation System (2023)
With a relentless focus on innovation, environmental impact, and scalable solutions, Nathaniel Banks continues to drive the future of water technology and sustainability.
Website: http://www.polygonesystems.com
Email: nathanielb@projectplastic.site
Dragan Tutic
Dragan Tutic is a mechanical engineer by training and entrepreneur by nature. He is propelled
by a distinctive mix of empathy, curiosity, and determination. Demonstrating an inventive flair
even before entering university, Tutic accomplished the remarkable feat of constructing a fully
operational electric motorcycle, showcasing his ingenuity and passion for sustainable solutions.
Tutic’s journey as an entrepreneur began in high school when he launched a sticker and
signage company. His business acumen and innovative approach allowed the company to
expand its reach to clients in over 30 countries, marking his first foray into the global market.
In his first year of university, Tutic embarked on another ambitious project by launching a racing electric cycle motorcycle team. This venture not only demonstrated his technical skills but also highlighted his leadership qualities, as he discovered the power of assembling a team to achieve goals far beyond individual capabilities.
Tutic’s worldview was profoundly shaped by his travels across the globe, spanning three years.
During this period, he witnessed firsthand the stark inequalities and challenges posed by water scarcity. These experiences ignited a desire to create solutions that would positively impact society and the environment. With a new understanding of global challenges and a curiosity to delve into the ocean environment, Tutic founded Oneka in 2015. His vision was to harness the ocean’s power by combining seawater and waves to produce freshwater, an innovative approach to addressing water scarcity.
Tutic’s involvement in Oneka has been hands-on and multifaceted. In the early years, he was
deeply involved in market exploration, traveling to regions like the Caribbean, the Maldives, and Southeast Asia to meet clients and understand their needs.
He played a critical role in technology development, including ideation, designing and machining to bench testing and ocean deployments. Tutic even took part in diving operations, underscoring his commitment to making the technology work.
With the help of his team, he raised over $50M over four funding rounds, enabling further
development and expansion. Tutic assembled a team of industry veterans specializing in
finance, impact, manufacturing, ocean product development, desalination, and operations.
With over 40 employees, Oneka is now entering a new phase. The company is poised to realize ambitious projects in California, Chile, and the Caribbean, reflecting Tutic’s vision of combining entrepreneurship and engineering to create impactful solutions for society and the environment.
Tia Cavender
Tia A. Cavender, MA I CEO & Founder, Dig Deep Research, LLCTia A. Cavender is a dynamic and results-driven executive with over 24 years of experience in strategic grants planning, capital funding, and public-private partnerships. As the CEO and Founder of Dig Deep Research, LLC, she has built a nationally recognized consulting firm that helps municipalities, utilities, and public-sector organizations secure funding for critical infrastructure projects. Under her leadership, Dig Deep has secured over $49 million in competitive grants and low-interest financing, ensuring communities have access to sustainable resources for water, wastewater, parks, and public works improvements.
With a strong background in qualitative and quantitative data analysis, Tia specializes in helping organizations develop long-term financial strategies that align with their goals while maximizing external funding opportunities. She has successfully worked with city councils, mayors, public works directors, and finance officials to secure funding for essential infrastructure, ensuring financial stability and strategic growth for local governments. Her expertise extends to forging partnerships between municipalities and funding agencies, helping clients navigate complex grant application processes, and advocating for their projects at the state and federal levels.
Professional ExperienceTia founded Dig Deep Research in 2010 (formerly Chase Park Grants) to address the increasing need for municipalities and utilities to secure reliable funding for capital improvement projects. Since its inception, Dig Deep has helped cities across the U.S. develop strategic grant plans, build relationships with funding agencies, and secure vital financial resources. The firm’s successes include:
- Achieving an average 6:1 return on investment (ROI) for government grants over a decade.
- Securing $49M+ in private, state, and federal grants and low-interest financing for municipalities.
- Winning 18 state and federal grants from 11 different agencies, strengthening local infrastructure and sustainability.
- Actively pursuing over $176M in government grants, low-interest loans, and principal forgiveness funding.
Prior to founding Dig Deep, Tia gained extensive experience in grants management, program evaluation, and public sector funding strategies. She served as:
- Program Evaluator at the University of Colorado (2008-2010), leading a statewide study to measure the impact of community-based outreach programs for Medicaid and CHP+. She managed an $1M budget, supervised an 8-member evaluation team, and advanced fundraising efforts for research initiatives.
- Director of Grants at Metro Health Hospital Foundation (2004-2008), where she developed and led a successful grants program for an osteopathic teaching hospital, securing funding for healthcare initiatives and capital improvements. She also worked closely with board members and hospital leadership to cultivate donor relationships and align funding strategies with institutional goals.
- Senior Project Manager at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (2000-2004), where she managed federally funded research studies, handled grant administration, and conducted in-depth data analysis to support national healthcare initiatives.
Industry Leadership & Community InvolvementBeyond her consulting work, Tia is an active leader in municipal governance, public policy, and infrastructure finance. She is a member of the Colorado Municipal League, the City & County Managers Association of Colorado, and the American Water Works Association. She previously held Certified Grant Professional (GPC) status from 2007-2013, demonstrating her expertise in securing and managing grants for public sector organizations.
Her passion for community engagement is evident through her volunteer work and board leadership roles, including:
- Arapahoe County Citizens Advisory Board Member (since 2021)
- Board Member, Energy Efficiency Citizens Advisory Board, City & County of Denver (2017-2021)
- Board Member, Stapleton Development Citizen Advisory Board (2013-2017)
Education & ExpertiseTia holds two Master’s degrees from the University of Colorado: one in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (2004) and another in Clinical Psychology (2000). She also earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology (1998) from the same institution. Her academic background, combined with decades of hands-on experience, has shaped her ability to analyze complex funding landscapes, create strategic financial roadmaps, and drive measurable results for her clients.
Key Areas of Expertise: –Capital Planning & Infrastructure Finance
–Grants Strategy & Public Funding
–Municipal & Utility Finance
–Public-Private Partnerships
–Government Relations & Policy Advocacy
–Data-Driven Decision-Making
Tia continues to be a sought-after advisor, speaker, and strategist for municipalities and public agencies looking to navigate the evolving landscape of public sector funding. Her leadership at Dig Deep Research has transformed the way cities and utilities approach financial sustainability, ensuring that vital community projects receive the funding they need to thrive.
Susan Fortner
Susan Fortner is a dynamic communications and public relations expert with extensive experience in strategic brand development, media relations, crisis management, and corporate growth. As the driving force behind BPR International in Columbus, OH, she oversees company operations, staff development, and event coordination while managing high-level media strategies, social media campaigns, and advertising initiatives.
With a strong background in business and communications, Susan holds degrees from Malone University and Kent State University, along with legal studies from the University of Richmond Law School. Her leadership extends beyond business, as she plays a vital role in numerous professional organizations and committees. She has served as President of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Committees since 2008 and has held key positions in the National PRSA Technology and Marketing Committees.
A dedicated advocate for community involvement, Susan is an active board member of Innovate New Albany, NAWN, the Franklin Park Conservatory Women’s Board, and the Pleasure Guild of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She is also a member of the Junior League and the Childhood League, working to support charitable causes.
Recognized for her expertise, Susan holds the prestigious APR Certification from PRSA and continues to influence the public relations landscape with her innovative strategies and leadership.
Windi Muziasari
Windi Muziasari is an Indonesian-born global citizen based in Helsinki, Finland, since 2010. She is the founder and CEO of Resistomap, a pioneering company specializing in end-to-end laboratory services for monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and pathogens in the environment. By integrating molecular genetics and data science, Windi and her team provide critical insights to help mitigate the spread of antibiotic resistance, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Under her leadership, Resistomap has expanded with the launch of the Resistomap Platform, a water biosecurity intelligence tool that tracks AMR levels across time and locations. The platform offers an antibiotic resistance genes index, gene removal values, and comparative risk assessment scores, serving as a valuable resource for health monitoring, pollution tracking, and process performance evaluation.
With over 14 years of experience in environmental AMR research, Windi has been at the forefront of advocating for global AMR monitoring, especially in sewage, wastewater, rivers, lakes, seawater, drinking water reservoirs, soil, manure, and stool. Recognizing the urgent need for real-world solutions, she transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship to bridge the gap between research and application. Today, Resistomap empowers universities, research institutes, governmental agencies, water utilities, cities, hospitals, food producers, and antibiotic manufacturers to monitor environmental AMR genes efficiently and comprehensively.
Beyond her work in AMR surveillance, Windi is passionate about science communication, believing it is essential for amplifying the impact of research and driving meaningful change in public health and environmental sustainability.
Chelsea Boozer
Chelsea Boozer is a dynamic leader and strategic communicator with a proven track record in public policy, government affairs, and nonprofit management. As the Executive Director ofRogue Water Lab, she is spearheading efforts to sustain and expand programming, securing additional sponsors, and managing a $350,000 budget while overseeing key initiatives such as the Catalyst Summit and Convergence accelerator.
In addition to her executive role, Chelsea serves as an Executive Committee and Board Advisor for the American Water Works Association (AWWA), where she champions emerging leaders in the water sector. She has played a pivotal role in initiatives such as the establishment of a young professionals’ scholarship program, the creation of young adult advisory positions on the AWWA board, and the successful campaign to designate a board seat for professionals aged 35 and younger.
With over five years at Central Arkansas Water, Chelsea has excelled as the Government Affairs & Regionalism Manager, advocating for sustainable water policies, securing $25 million in federal and state grants, and leading public outreach efforts. Her strategic influence extends beyond utilities—she has been instrumental in workforce development, regional partnerships, and legislative affairs.
Chelsea is also the Co-Founder of the Arkansas Water Young Professionals Network, which has grown into a statewide organization dedicated to supporting and retaining early-career professionals in the water industry.
Before transitioning into public affairs, Chelsea built a distinguished journalism career, reporting on government, utilities, and policy for publications such as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and The Commercial Appeal. Her investigative work earned numerous accolades, including the Arkansas Press Association’s Journalist of the Year and the Great Plains Award for Best Beat Reporter.
An Executive Master of Public Administration graduate from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Chelsea completed her studies with high honors, focusing her capstone project on the future of the U.S. water sector. She also holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Memphis, where she graduated summa cum laude and served as Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper.
Her extensive contributions to public service, policy, and communications have earned her numerous industry recognitions, including WaterNow Alliance Emerging Leader (2023), American Water Works Association’s 5 Under 35 (2022), and Arkansas Business 20 In Their 20s (2020).
Chelsea’s expertise in public policy, stakeholder engagement, and strategic communication continues to drive impactful change in the water sector and beyond.
Emily Lewis
Emily assists clients in navigating and solving complex water problems.
She has 14 years of experience advising individual water right owners, water wholesalers, municipalities, mining companies, developers, mutual shareholder irrigation companies, and other water users. Her strategic projects practice extends to innovative policy work and specialty water project management. For example, she recently acted as the Utah Statewide Water Marketing Strategies Project Manager, produced a comprehensive Water Law Policy Inventory and Assessment to inform the Great Salt Lake Strategic Plan, and hosts a weekly
water podcast Ripple Effect – A Podcast Putting Water in Context.
Emily is quickly becoming known as an innovative thought leader in the water space. She is adept at using humor, candor, and creativity to come to workable water solutions. Her breadth of knowledge allows her to quickly identify the issues, make connections between information silos, and engage the right people. She is developing a niche expertise that combines knowledge of technical solutions, such as telemetry and modeling, market tools, legal and policy recommendations, and collaborative voluntary arrangements for water sharing.
This expertise allows her to craft practical solutions that meet the moment and are adaptive to a changing world. Emily is fortunate to be working on some of the Western United States most pressing water problems, including:
– Compliance with the Colorado River Compact and Colorado River issues and Demand Management
-Promoting and building water markets in Utah and surrounding states
-Engaging in policy and legislative initiatives to modernize western Water Law
-Preparing legal strategies to bring water to the Great Salt Lake, a waterbody of international importance
-Working with large agricultural producers to implement water conservation practices and contemporary
operations
-Navigating complex federal water contracts and federal water projects
-Designing drought and climate resiliency action plans
-Advising on complicated issues of conjunctive management between competing surface and ground water rights.
As an ancillary part of her practice, Emily hosts a well-regarded weekly podcast, Ripple Effect
(clydesnow.com/podcasts/), discussing hot water issues with water experts around the world. She is also a frequent guests on other national podcasts discusses water law and water policy. She is working on expanding her media efforts to create water education videos that explain complicated legal concepts with engaging visuals.
She is also an Adjunct Professor of Water Law at the SJ Quinney College of Law, at the University of Utah and serves as a mentor to young law students.
Kevin Gast
Kevin Gast is the Co-Founder, CEO, & Chairman of VVater, a
pioneering next-generation water treatment company dedicated
to leveraging advanced technologies to address global water
challenges across numerous industries. With over 20+ years of executive leadership experience, Kevin has managed cross-functional and international teams in more than 30 countries,bringing innovative solutions to sectors such as real estate, utilities,
wastewater, oil & gas, food & beverage, defense, and beyond.
Kevin has also held various executive positions in the
pharmaceutical, hotel, and property development industries,
expanding his expertise across multiple sectors. As the Chairman
of another international conglomerate operating in construction,
civil engineering, property development, hospitality, real estate,
and pharmaceuticals—he was involved with thousands of projects
spanning the globe, from mechanical engineering, geosynthetics,
civil engineering, aquatic facilities and construction to industrial
design.
Kevin is an entrepreneur at heart, an avid investor, philanthropist,
technologist, and futurist committed to providing humankind with
sustainable and innovative solutions while delivering exceptional
value to customers, partners, and investors.
George Hawkins
George Hawkins launched his innovation-focused non-profit enterprise Moonshot Missions after stepping down as CEO of DC Water, where he served for eleven years. George helps agencies identify and adopt strategies to deliver better service and lower cost, with a focus on small and under-resourced communities and water utilities.
In 2023, Moonshot was selected by USEPA to serve as one of four national Environmental Finance Centers to help disadvantaged communities access federal funding. Moonshot in 2023 assisted 79 communities of every size and demographic in 28 states, 2 territories and 4 Tribal Reservations.
George transformed DC Water into an innovative enterprise while tripling its investment in clean water. DC Water’s innovations ranged from Green Infrastructure to a $500 million investment in clean energy. DC Water issued the first century bond, first environmental impact bond, and spearheaded programs to support low-income customers and provide for local workforce development.
George served for six years on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, which advises the White House. George is an advisor to Xylem, Inc., is an Executive in Residence for the private equity firm XPV Water Partners and serves on the Board of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. George has served as a Senior Lecturer at Princeton University and an Executive in Residence for American University.
Mr. Hawkins also served as Director of the DC Department of the Environment and served as Director of non-profit organizations and held positions with the USEPA and the firm Ropes & Gray.
George is a popular speaker on water and environmental issues. He has been the recipient of many awards, including Global Water Intelligence’s list of top 20 transformational leaders in the water industry, the AWWA’s Fuller Award, Governing Magazine’s Public Official of the Year in 2015, WEF Public Official of the Year in 2016, and the Water Leader of the Year Prize in 2017. DC Water was awarded the US Water Prize in 2016.
He graduated from Princeton University (Summa Cum Laude) and from Harvard Law School (Cum Laude).
Moonshot Missions: http://www.moonshotmissions.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-hawkins-68899619/
X: https://twitter.com/GeorgeHawkinsDC
Win Cowgar
Dr. Win Cowger (AKA Dr. Trash) is an accomplished environmental scientist specializing in plastic pollution, sustainable resource management, and conservation strategies. Win holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of California, Riverside, a B.S. in Environmental Science from Iowa State University , and an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from Hawkeye Community College.
Currently, Dr. Win Cowger serves as the Research Director at the Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research, where they lead cutting-edge investigations, publish peer-reviewed studies, secure research grants, and mentor emerging scientists. They are also a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Riverside, contributing to student mentorship and laboratory innovations.
Dr. Cowger has a robust professional history that includes roles such as Contract Data Scientist for 5 Gyres, Founding Member of Plant Prudent, Senior GIS Analyst at Prudenterra, and Crew Leader for the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa. Their experience encompasses GIS research, conservation leadership, field data collection, and development of process-based models addressing fluvial transport dynamics and mismanaged waste.
As an active community contributor, Dr. Cowger advises several nonprofit organizations, including Recycle My Battery, National Cleanup Day, and 5 Gyres. They are a board member of the Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research and have provided expertise to global initiatives like Let’s Do It World and the Longest Swim.
A passionate advocate for environmental education and outreach, Dr. Cowger has served in leadership and advisory capacities at universities, professional organizations, and global conservation projects, furthering the mission of sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
José Castro
Jose Segura’s mission is to improve the world’s water quality by lowering barriers to monitoring. Across geographies and industries, there is a common thread: water quality testing is too expensive, slow and inconvenient. By leveraging technologies used in the glucose monitoring industry, we offer near-lab quality results in less than five minutes, on-site, with minimal training, and with a price/test up to 90% lower than traditional methods.
University of Oxford graduate with an Water Science, Policy & Management MSc. Background in Mathematics and Chemistry with experience in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry with particular interests in applied Electrochemistry, AI and Environmental Data Science. Internationally-minded with studies and working experience in Guatemala, India, United States, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Sweden and currently based in the U.K.
Interested in interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial solutions to environmental problems with particular focus on decentralized water quality monitoring, and heavy metal, PFAs and E. coli detection, mapping and remediation. Have recently transitioned scientific work to policy and governance topics, working with utilities in their water quality investment strategies and alignment with (UK) policy, as well as engaging with Citizen Science as a mechanism for water management.
Lauren Enright
Lauren Enright, Program Manager, Water Services, SCS Global
She leads the growing water stewardship practice at SCS Global where she works with organizations on validation, verification, and certification of water metrics, shedding transparency to investors, stakeholders and the general public. She understands where the value lies in going beyond measuring and monitoring water metrics. Due to client demand in the water and climate adaptation space, she developed in tandem with SCS Standards a new Certification Standard for Water Resiliency. Lauren has worked on water risk assessments for water utilities, water supply and climate adaptation measures for the ski industry to wastewater and sewage inspections data in conjunction with America’s aging infrastructure. She is versed in the water/climate adaptation tech community and has traced the financial and regulatory barriers to market. Lauren graduated with a master’s degree in International Relations and Maritime Trade from Regent’s University London in 2010 with a focus on risk management and water-related technologies. Her startup, Axiom Climate connects people with the value of water and ice through their lived experience; both growing the sport of ice climbing and building more resilient and adaptable communities.
Lauren founded Axiom Climate in early 2020. Her background is in climate security and network building, corporate risk management, maritime security, ski instruction, sales strategies and water risks are what form Axiom Climate’s foundation. She has worked alongside intelligence agencies, law enforcement, scientists, farmers, CEO’s, and academic institutions such as Columbia Climate School, Stanford University and the Center for Climate and Security. She is a certified professional consultant through the Alliance of Water Stewardship, trained Close Protection for HNWI, recreational ice and rock climber, professional ski instructor (PSIA) and part of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Elevating the intersection of ice and water through smart water and climate technology, outdoor gear and equipment and education
David Lloyd
David Lloyd is the CEO and Co-Founder of FREDsense Technologies, a pioneer in
biotechnology-driven water quality solutions. An alumnus of the University of Calgary,
David’s passion for synthetic biology was solidified through his award-winning
involvement in the iGEM (international Genetically Engineered Machines) competition,
where he honed his skills in biosensor innovation as a competitor, judge and committee
member. This early success laid the foundation for FREDsense, which under his
guidance, developed portable biosensors capable of detecting a wide range of water
contaminants, a technology recognized globally for its environmental impact. Today
FREDsense is focused on solving the problem of “Forever Chemicals” or PFAS and
introducing the industry’s first rapid PFAS solution to market.
David has been recognized by various groups for his contributions to clean technology.
He has served on the boards of various initiatives in the biotechnology space,
contributing his expertise in synthetic biology and environmental solutions to foster
innovation in the sector. His leadership has propelled FREDsense to collaborations with
global water utilities and governments, addressing critical issues in water sustainability.
Beyond his role at FREDsense, David is a speaker on topics such as biosensor
technology, sustainable entrepreneurship, and the future of synthetic biology. His work
continues to inspire advancements at the intersection of biology, technology, and
environmental stewardship.
Bhavik Barochia
Dr Bhavik Barochia is a Digital Water Consultant and global strategist specializing in the integration of digital solutions across the water and health sectors. With a PhD in microbial
genetics and expertise in AI-driven biological data analysis, he leads innovative public
health surveillance projects, focusing on wastewater-based epidemiology and
environmental monitoring. Dr Barochia has extensive experience in project delivery for
public sector programs and has presented at global conferences, TEDx, and industry
events on the value of novel digital initiatives combining water and health sectors.
Project experience
Subject Matter Expert, Global One Health Program Expansion
Undisclosed US Client (March 2024 – Present)
Providing strategic input for an international industry leader in wastewater surveillance,
Bhavik leads initiatives aimed at expanding market share and monitoring novel health
markers. He plays a pivotal role in strategy development, stakeholder engagement, and
driving international market penetration in health surveillance.
Project Lead, One Health Landscape Review
Bangor University (Feb 2023 – June 2023)
As Project Lead, Bhavik conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the ‘One Health’
landscape, assessing its integration within policy, research, and industry. The study
provided critical insights into the interconnectedness of human, animal, and
environmental health, identifying research and policy opportunities for enhancing
global health outcomes.
Subject Matter Expert, Welsh Government Monitoring Program
Welsh Government (Jan 2023-November 2023)
Bhavik focused on the creation of a digital dashboard visualising wastewater-based
epidemiology (WBE) data for the Welsh Government. His expertise was employed in
developing a digital user centric dashboard that depicted wastewater surveillance data
on the prevalence of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in wastewater across
Wales. Bhavik was involved in dashboard design, data visualisation, UI/UX design,
integration of intricate datasets, and amalgamation of machine learning / AI into data
analytics.
Technical Specialist, ACE Commission C397
Confidential UK Client (2022-2023)
Bhavik provided technical expertise in a technology landscape review that enhanced the
UK’s capability for environmental and health monitoring. This project resulted in the
creation of an assessment framework for technologies which detect infectious
pathogens in-situ within wastewater systems, with applications in national security and
public health.
Lead Biologist, Hampshire and Isle of Wight COVID-19 Testing Program
Department of Health and Social Care, NHS Hampshire & Isle of Wight (2021-2022)
Bhavik collaborated with the lead scientist and a team of engineers to design and
digitally integrate the world’s first semi-automated COVID-19 testing laboratory. His
role focused on integrating biological processes with clinical data to support policy
decisions on lockdowns and regional prevalence. This included overseeing the regional
trial deployment in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as part of the UK’s national
COVID-19 response strategy.
Arian Edalat, Co-Founder & CEO at Active Membranes
Arian Edalat is a chemical engineer and an award winning water tech entrepreneur. He has a Ph.D. from University of Bradford in UK and two decades of experience in design, engineering, construction, operations, maintenance, troubleshooting and optimization of industrial and municipal membrane-based water treatment processes as well as technology development and commercialization.
His unique and diversified experience expands from developing a concept from bench scale through field pilot and large-scale commercialization and deployment.
He has delivered over 60 cutting-edge and challenging water treatment solutions across the globe.
Arian is also a graduate of UCLA’s Anderson School of Management’s Executive Management Program.
His personal interests include landscape and street photography, hiking, and translation of cross-cultural literary work.
Arian speaks, read, and writes in English, Persian, and Arabic.
Ralph Exton
Ralph Erik Exton became the Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation on July 15, 2024, and serves as Secretary of the WEF Board of Trustees and a member of the 2024-25 Board of Trustees. He joined WEF from Grundfos, where he served as the water utility vice president and chief marketing officer. With more than three decades of experience, Exton has held key positions at distinguished companies in the water sector, including Suez, Veolia, and GE Water & Process Technologies.
Exton’s dedication to WEF extends beyond his professional role. Prior to his appointment as executive director, he had been a committed volunteer for more than a decade, serving on WEF’s Board of Trustees for five years.
During his tenure as a WEF trustee, Exton held the position of Treasurer/Officer for three consecutive years and chaired the Audit Committee. He was also a member of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Board Committee and was nominated to the WEF Circular Water Economy Summit Advisory Committee. In recognition of his significant contributions, Exton was honored with the prestigious WEF Fellow Award in October 2023 for his commitment to advancing the global water environment.
In January 2024, Exton joined the board of The Water Tower, a global water innovation center focused on reimagining the future of water through applied research, technology innovation, workforce development, and industry engagement. He is also the co-founder and board director of Partnering for Impact, a not-for-profit platform that inspires influencers in the water sector to achieve sustainability and resiliency goals, drive equitable economic prosperity, encourage the next generation of professionals, create innovations, and build research and development capacity. Additionally, Exton was the founding co-chair of the AIChE International Society for Water Solutions from 2012-2014. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for BlueTech Research and the Accelerator Judging Team of Imagine H2O.
Exton earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1987. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of water, our most precious natural resource.
Dave Russell
Dave Russell’s career has been in the non-destructive testing field since leaving school in the U.K. (grad 1964 with 3 A-levels). Dave holds CGSB Level-III Radiography, Level-II Ultrasonic and Level-1 Eddy Current, plus ASNT Level-III in the same disciplines. In 2017 I achieved MBA degree, Export award and Business Leadership award.
Dave currently owns and manages the following companies:
1) Russell NDT Holdings Ltd.
2) Russell NDE Systems Inc.
Dave is primary owner, founder, and chairman of the following companies:
3) PICA: Pipeline Inspection and Condition Analysis Corp.
4) PICA: Pipeline Inspection and Condition Analysis (USA) Corp.
Specialities: Provision of NDT equipment and services in Eddy Current, Remote Field Technology, Ultrasonic, CUI Bracelet Probe, Smart pigging, VertiScan and other NDT specialities. Dave is also a Level-III auditor for industrial radiography.
To learn more about Pica, please visit picacorp.com.
Michael Connett
Michael Connett is a partner at Siri & Glimstad LLP with extensive civil litigation experience
in both the personal injury and regulatory arenas.Mr. Connett’s civil practice is focused on obtaining justice for individuals harmed by corporate negligence, misguided medical practices, and overreaching government mandates. He has successfully represented individuals and families who have suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of toxic substances, and has spearheaded groundbreaking litigation to challenge outdated chemical safety standards under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Mr. Connett received his J.D., magna cum laude from Temple Law School, in 2011, where he received numerous academic honors and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Temple Law Review.
-Mr. Connett served as a law clerk to the Honorable Judge Michael M.
Baylson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Honorable
Judge Franklin Van Antwerpen of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Recent Representative Matters
-Served as lead attorney for environmental health groups in precedent-setting case
(Food & Water Watch v. EPA) that resulted in a federal court ordering the EPA to
eliminate the “unreasonable risk” posed by fluoridation of drinking water.
-Represented families of mesothelioma victims against a manufacturer of asbestos-
contaminated talc, which resulted in over $50 million in settlements.
-Successfully obtained over $20 million in settlements for two families in lawsuit
against a global aerospace company for birth defects caused by occupational chemical
exposures.
-Spearheaded dozens of FOIA requests which unearthed emails documenting that
federal health officials had suppressed a long-awaited government review on the
health effects of fluoride.
Chris Miller, Founder and CEO, Fontus Blue
Dr. Miller is an accomplished academic and experienced consultant
and business owner founder (Fontus Blue) with technical expertise in drinking water operations integration including treatment plant-treatment process optimization, water quality modeling (plant and distribution system), distribution system optimization, and decision support system development, and water technology evaluation.
Recent projects have focused on simultaneous water quality compliance challenges associated with Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), Disinfection By-products (DBPs), and Lead-Copper and Corrosion Control.
Paul O’Callaghan
Paul O’Callaghan is a aater scientist, sustainability thought leader and documentary producer, who believes the global water crisis can be solved in his lifetime and he is on a mission to help
make it happen.
After being awarded a bio-chemistry degree, Paul’s first role was for the Body Shop working
alongside the pioneering environmentalist Anita Roddick. Paul then volunteered for the
World Wildlife Fund in Malaysia, and after completing a Master’s degree he later returned
to research the effects that deforestation was having on water quality. Paul’s next role was
with Atkins, one of the globally leading engineering management consultancies who are
pioneering in their approaches to projects. It was while working as an engineering
consultant, that Paul first noticed how extraordinarily long it took to get water technologies
to market, which gave him the initial idea for BlueTech Research.
BlueTech Research was co-founded by Paul in 2011, to support technological advancements
in water management and help find the solutions needed to provide clean water and safe
sanitation. The Intelligence Platform was created to improve the intelligence available on
water technologies and their markets, making it easier to identify commercially viable
innovation options.
Paul acted as the executive producer for the award-winning documentary ‘Brave Blue
World’. The documentary was designed to create more awareness about the solutions that
already exist to solve the water crisis and has attracted the involvement on screen of A-list
celebrities Matt Damon and Liam Neeson, as well as activist Jaden Smith. Since its launch on
Netflix, Brave Blue World has been translated to 29 languages and is accessible to over 200
million viewers. Paul is now set to co-produce a new ground-breaking feature documentary;
Our Blue World – A Water Odyssey. This film will explore humanity’s profound relationship
with water and reveal how human agency can help rebalance the planet’s water systems.
Paul now divides his time between the BlueTech Research offices in Vancouver and Cork. He
works with global Fortune 500 corporates including L’Oréal, Microsoft and PepsiCo on their
water strategy policies. He has also recently guest lectured at Harvard and Cambridge
Universities.
Paul recently completed a PhD in Water Innovation from Wageningen University. In his free
time, he is a keen pianist and enjoys kayaking, ocean swimming and free diving.
Thomas Fudge
Dr. Thomas Fudge is the CEO & Founder at WASE:
I specialize in strategic sustainable development and water management for new and existing infrastructure. I founded WASE in 2017 to tackle the global sanitation crisis where we are developing containerized wastewater treatment systems to create biogas, clean water and fertilizer for agriculture. The foundation of WASE is linked to my PhD research at Brunel University into Microbial Electrolysis Cells and their application for wastewater treatment in developed and developing communities.
I have extensive experience in the environmental and social effects on different stakeholders, using a variety of tools to design and implement sustainable strategies into all aspects of an organization, Previously studied Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Design MSc at Brunel University and Product Design BSc at Bournemouth University.
To learn more, please visit https://wase.co.uk
Lauren Roth Venu
3Rwater, Inc. was formed in 2019 to increase access to water management solutions. Founder Lauren Roth Venu is an ecopreneur, a TEDx speaker, and a published author, who is passionate about developing innovative, nature-based solutions to build climate resiliency. While doing her undergraduate at the University of Colorado at Boulder in water resources, she became more aware and concerned about the human footprint on the earth’s resources and the pollution entering into the planet’s water and food systems. During her last year, she underwent a research project where she discovered nature-based solutions- the power of sunflowers in their capacity to break down radioactive materials. This was a breakthrough moment and after graduation, she went on to work for the Bioneer, Dr. John Todd, inventor of the Living Machine technology – an engineered natural treatment system that treats polluted water and produces clean water. Later in 2006, after further study in indigenous Hawaiian water management practices, taking a deeper dive into climate science and receiving her MSc in Oceanography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa she formed Roth Ecological Design International (REDI). REDI develops water resource and climate adaptation strategies, green infrastructure design, and delivery of innovative solutions for onsite water reuse for new and redevelopments. While at REDI, she worked with a diverse array of clients from developers, educational institutions and the public sector where it became apparent that there needed to be a more efficient way to identify stormwater capture opportunities, collect data to measure the value of distributed infrastructure and use metrics to support meeting water management goals, funding and policy development. From there 3Rwater was born and Follow the Drop emerged as a multi-faceted stormwater tool and data center to help both utilities and their communities build climate resiliency. She deeply believes that activating local communities in stormwater management practices and regenerating natural systems in urban spaces will be critical for climate adaptation and mitigating the effects of increased urbanization and climate change.
Russell Schindler
ALBERT “RUSSELL” SCHINDLER, P.G.
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Over 37 years of experience developing, implementing and managing a wide variety of environmental projects and programs including; soil and groundwater remediation projects using various types of remediation, implementation of chemical, liquid waste, hazardous waste, and solid waste management programs and procedures, hydrogeological investigations, industrial regulatory compliance audit programs, sewer and water system needs evaluations, level I and II environmental (ASTM) property assessments, asbestos inspections and remediation, and mold inspections and remediation.
Developed and patented the money saving Enhanced Dissolved Oxygen Technology (E-DOT®) System, a ground water remediation/treatment system, which is becoming widely used across the country.
Developed and patented the Multi-Arrayed Vacuum (MAV®) System, which is an effective and
revolutionary free product recovery system. Also has a patent pending on the Per-Petual® System, a simple and effective hydrogen peroxide injection system for soil and ground water
remediation/treatment and most recently developed the SampleServe.com data management and reporting software application.
CERTIFICATIONS
Professional Geologist #PG-000309-G, Pennsylvania
Certified Underground Storage Tank Professional #103, Michigan
EDUCATION
B.S. Earth Science, 1987, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
ALBERT
Peter Yolles
Peter Yolles is the managing partner at Echo River Capital, a venture capital firm that he founded in 2021 to invest in software-enabled water and wastewater technologies that improve human health, the environment, and climate resilience. With an MBA from Yale School of Management and a Master’s Degree in Water Science, Management and Policy from Yale School of the Environment, Peter has over 30 years of experience in the water industry as an impact investor, entrepreneur, operator, and advisor.
Peter’s mission is to support founders and entrepreneurs who are developing innovative solutions for the water sector, such as data analytics, AI, IIoT, wastewater treatment and reuse, and decarbonization of the water cycle. Peter shares his strategic and operational expertise with emerging companies to help them achieve ambitious growth and impact. Echo River Capital is a certified B Corporation and is recognized by ImpactAssets 50 as a preferred Emerging Manager.
With 30 years of experience in the water industry, Peter is a passionate impact investor, entrepreneur, operator, and advisor. Peter founded and led Echo River Capital (www.echorivercap.com), a venture capital firm that invests in software-enabled water and wastewater technologies that improve human health, the environment, and climate resilience. Echo River Capital is a certified B Corporation and is recognized as an ImpactAssets 50 Impact Fund.
Some of Peter’s talks, panels and presentations include: SXSW, Sustainable Water Investment Summit, WaterSmart Innovations Conference, American Water Works Association, UN Climate Summit, UC Berkeley Haas, UCSB Bren School, Dominican University, Stanford GSB, University of San Francisco, and Yale School of the Environment.
Max Spanier
Former Marketo AE turned GTM Recruiter – Helping Hiring Managers Achieve Pipeline Goals #𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗠𝗮𝘅
Max Spanier is the owner of Sloane Staffing.
Max started his business because his former customers struggled to find talent. While working for Adobe, during his meetings with potential new clients, and every one of his customers asked the same question: “This product is great, but do you have anyone in your network that can manage the platform? We’re not sure if we’ll be able to effectively run your software.” It was then that he discovered one of his biggest challenges in my field: the actual recruitment and hiring of people with a marketing technology background.
Sloane Staffing is now a white glove recruitment service that specializes in making the perfect match between companies who are having challenges finding talent and candidates who aren’t necessarily looking for jobs. Max works with many clients nationwide that leverage Marketo, which are roles can be tough to fill and are in high demand (over 600 new Marketo positions were posted to LinkedIn last month alone.) Some of the roles he places include Directors of Marketo Practice, Directors of Digital Marketing/Demand Gen (with emphasis on Marketo), Marketing Operations Managers, Marketo Architects, etc. At Sloane Staffing, Max and his team are more than just a hiring agency, they are partners.
Inês Lousinha Ribeiro Breda
Inês is the Host of Finding Water Podcast and the Senior Manager of Global Partnerships and Alliances at GRUNDFOS.
Inês is passionate about all things water and on a mission to make a splash in the industry.
She has a strong background in water treatment and a focus on building strategic partnerships.
Inês Lousinha Ribeiro Breda’s professional profile:
Finding Water Podcast Host
In the Finding Water Podcast, Inês explores various water-related topics, from treatment innovations to climate challenges, through insightful conversations with water industry experts.
Senior Manager of Global Water and Climate Partnerships and Alliances at GRUNDFOS
Currently based in Denmark, Inês is responsible for cultivating strategic partnerships and alliances at GRUNDFOS, a prominent player in the water sector.
Water Advocacy
Secretary of the Young Water Professionals Steering Committee, Inês actively supports the development of young water professionals on a global scale. She worked on creating a sponsorship program to enhance the YWP network’s long-term strategy in Denmark as treasurer of the national board.
Water Treatment Expert
In my previous role as Product and Process Manager at Silhorko-Eurowater A/S, Inês drove innovation in water filtration technology and provided support to subsidiaries worldwide. In addition, she holds a Ph.D. in Manganese removal in drinking water biofilters, complemented by a specialization in Data Science from Johns Hopkins University.
Whether you’re interested in water treatment, climate resilience, or simply curious about the Finding Water Podcast, feel free to reach out!
Tom Kennedy
Tom Kennedy has been working in the public and private areas of water and wastewater since the late ’80s in various capacities. His primary experience is in the management of water and wastewater agencies with detailed experience in all aspects of these organizations. If you ask around, you will learn that Tom is focused on innovative solutions to tough problems. In California, Tom has a great deal of experience in matters regarding Local Agency Formation Commissions. He has served on the San Diego LAFCO Special District Advisory Committee since 2015 and has successfully managed several reorganizations.
Kennedy Water Consulting provides a wide range of services to a diverse group of clients. Work is focused in California but also spans around the world through engagements with the Asian Development Bank and United States Trade and Development Agency with projects in Samoa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Uzbekistan. KWC is an affiliate member of the San Diego Chapter of the California Special Districts Association as well as CALAFCO. Work focuses on all aspects of water and wastewater management with emphasis on information systems, water treatment, water operations, and non-revenue water.
Specialties include: Water and Wastewater operations, water system and employee performance management, organizational development, non-revenue water management, LAFCO matters, membrane treatment plant design and operation, management information systems design and implementation, GIS , public policy development, and most importantly delivering value to my customers.
Robbert Lodewijks
Robbert is an enthusiastic entrepreneur, who is cheerful, social, and gets excited about challenges related to managing innovations and people. He loves to use his mechanical engineering background and interest in innovations within a more people-orientated leadership role. With a Masters degree in Business Administration, a lot of learning experience at Acquaint, the chance of starting my own business (HULO) together with companions has been a great step in my carreer.
Thanks to a targeted way of working within teams, he can achieve good results. He is always taking responsibility and is not afraid of a challenge. He has a passion for organizing and (working with) people, where my communication skills come in handy. Besides that, managing innovations and thinking on a strategic level and converting this to more tactical and operational approaches is one of his skills. The chance to show these aspects in reality at Acquaint is fantastic. This fast-growing young and innovative company offers fun and interesting challenges.
With his experience at Acquaint, Robbert founded the company HULO together with three companions. Its mission is to make a big impact in the water industry by doing things differently and saving 10,000,000,000,000,000 Liters of clean drinking water by detecting leakages.
Since knowledge is becoming more and more important for water companies, HULO tries to convert knowledge to those water companies. With innovative research-backed algorithms we detect, localize and quantify leakages based on real-time flow and pressure data.
We don’t like black-box software solutions, HULO is ‘giving water knowledge’.
To learn more, please visit https://hulo.ai/
Andrew and Teisha Vandekop
Andrew Vandekop, Inventor | CEO
Andrew began his career in robotics engineering and sold his first patent at age 29. He’s been in new product development his entire career and has applied these skills to three additional patents. During the time he spent field testing the Well Water Finders prototype, he served as a founding team member of a telecom start-up that went public on the NYSE in 2006.
Teisha Vandekop, Founder | COO
Teisha created Well Water Finders as a way to share the technology with landowners – to help them determine if they have sufficient groundwater under their property to drill a water well and then giving that information to a water well driller. She has spent the last two years working with commercial developers, water well drillers and landowners to determine the groundwater potential for properties. Prior to this, she spent several years as an executive vice president at one of the world’s top PR agencies, executing new product introductions for Fortune 100 companies.
Well Water Finders is a portfolio member of Austin Technology Incubator – the deep tech incubator at The University of Texas at Austin. ATI is the longest active technology incubator in the United States and has helped numerous entrepreneurs effectively commercialize their breakthrough innovations and compete in the global marketplace. Notable achievements:
- Well Water Finders has been named a Semi-Finalist for the Climate Tech Prize at the EarthX E-Capital Summit taking place April 23-25, 2024.
- Well Water Finders was recognized as a Land Tech Accelerator by Realtors Land Institute at their National Land Conference in March, 2024.
- The Well Water Finders technology was recognized as a Featured Start-Up at World Water-Tech North America in Los Angeles in October, 2023
Steve Cavanaugh and Drew Blackwell
Steve Cavanaugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cavanaugh & Associates, P.A.
When it comes to engineering, Steve Cavanaugh believes building a solid, firm foundation is critical to the long-term success of both people and infrastructures. A creative visionary with an unshakeable dedication to environmental stewardship and preservation, Steve combines the principles of an entrepreneur and innovator, with those of faithful servant to others.
“The preservation of our natural resources is critical for future generations, whether in North Carolina or elsewhere in the world. At Cavanaugh, we are not just engineers simply building for the sake of growth. We are stewards of innovation—for our children and the children of the world,” says Steve. “Whether it’s finding a better way to build massive water distribution systems, or simply finding a leak in a town’s water line, it’s our privilege, not just a job.”
From its founding in 1995, to today’s full-service engineering, surveying and utilities service company with headquarters in Winston-Salem and full service offices in Asheville and Wilmington, Cavanaugh & Associates, P.A. is a company where everyone looks to achieve the highest possible standards and solutions.
Specialties: NC State Water Infrastructure Commission, Water Audit Taskforce Chair, Asset Management Taskforce Chair, US Congressional assistant for Superfund Reauthorization Review , Program Manager for NC Rural Economic Center’s Water 2030 O&M Task Force
Experience includes: AWWA Water Audit and Leak Detection, dams, and animal waste management systems
Drew Blackwell, Director of Water Efficiency at Cavanaugh & Associates, P.A.
With more than 18 years experience in water resource management, Drew’s focus and passion continues to grow in helping water utilities save water and reduce costs through water loss control programs. During this time, Drew has had the opportunity to work one-on-one with utilities to design their non-revenue water management programs to administering state and regional water loss control training and technical assistance programs based on the American Water Works Association (AWWA) M36 methodology.
Drew has been fortunate to work with more than 15 states and provinces; with an appreciation that just like every water system is different, so are the drivers, state policies, and requirements where they are located.
Drew is the Secretary of the AWWA Water Loss Control Committee.
Asaf Pras
Asaf Pras is the co-founder and CTO of DataPond. He leads the development of AI-based water quality sensors to monitor e fecal coliforms and other pollutants in drinking water sources. DataPond’s sensors use a novel method that applies a deep neural network model to give a binary answer for the presence or absence of fecal coliforms, using a minimum of water quality and geographical parameters that can be measured in real time with low-cost and in-situ equipment. This method can reduce the time gaps between routine lab testing and improve drinking water quality and safety, addressing the SDG 6 targets.
Asaf Pras is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Engineering at Tel Aviv University, where he conducts research on water quality modeling and analysis under the supervision of Prof. Hadas Mamane. Asaf has a strong background in data science, machine learning, and deep neural networks, as well as a double major in Mechanical Engineering and Earth Sciences, with an emphasis on Environmental Studies. Asaf’s goal is to find, develop, and test innovative ways to better and quickly understand what is in the water, except for H2O.
Chris Macdonald
Chris MacDonald is the President of CPM Pipelines.
He has 25 years of experience providing specification and design support for consultants and clients.
Recent partnerships include Acquaint Technologies from the Netherlands and BulletLiner SystemTM for trenchless pipe rehabilitation.
CPM’s mission is to deliver innovative, best in class products and services while prioritizing integrity, safety, loyalty and environmental stewardship. Employees are empowered to pioneer new technologies, and deliver solutions that transform how asset managers navigate complex issues. Our safety and sustainability focus ensures responsible operations that protect employees, clients, and the environment. We are solution-driven, working closely with our partners to understand their unique needs related to extending the useful life of critical assets while protecting our natural resources.
To learn more, please visit CPMpipelines.com.
Veronika Zhiteneva
Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva is an environmental engineer specializing in water and wastewater treatment. She obtained her BS from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her MS from at the Colorado School of Mines. In 2016 she began her doctorate work in the risk assessment of water reuse systems under the supervision of Prof. Jörg Drewes at the Technical University of Munich. Since obtaining her doctorate in 2020, she has been working as a research scientist and project manager in the Process Innovation team of the Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin.
Dr. Zhiteneva’s background is working on and interested in (non)potable water reuse, removal of chemicals of emerging concern & PFAS using nature based solutions and advanced treatment technologies, microbial and chemical risk assessment, probabilistic modelling, decentralized (waste)water treatment, the intersection of sanitation and public health, and communication – to the public, popsci, you name it.
Fred Adjarian
Fred Adjarian was appointed to the Board of Directors of the El Toro Water District (ETWD) in September 2023 and is currently serving as a Director. Mr. Adjarian was previously elected to the ETWD Board of Directors in 2014 and served through 2018.
Mr. Adjarian’s educational accomplishments include a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography-Ecosystems with an emphasis in water resources from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a Master’s degree with honors from California State University at Long Beach in Public Policy and Administration with an emphasis in Water Policy Analysis.
Mr. Adjarian’s professional background includes 44 years managing and advising public and private water utilities in central and southern California. His experience includes overseeing the rehabilitation of aging water infrastructure, working with decision-makers to achieve utility goals and objectives, implementing proactive public outreach and water use efficiency programs, curating positive professional relationships with legislators and regulatory agencies, and fostering effective business community partnerships.
Mr. Adjarian received a gubernatorial appointment to the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board from 1996 – 1999. The agency is responsible for local compliance with the Federal Clean Water Act in San Diego, Riverside and southern Orange Counties. He also served as an adjunct faculty member and lecturer at university, college and high school campuses throughout central and southern California.
Mr. Adjarian is a passionate bibliophile, enjoys learning foreign languages and follows UCLA Football. He has lived in Orange County for 39 years and has resided in Laguna Hills for the last 18 years. Fred is honored to be back on the Board of Directors, serving the customers of the El Toro Water District as a proud citizen leader.
Fabio Hüther
Fabio Hüther, founder of Umuntu and Evodrop, contracted bone cancer at the age of eight with a 50% survival probability. The positive development of his recovery strengthened his desire to contribute to society and environment.
As a teenager, at the age of fourteen, Fabio founded his first NGO, Bee The Change, in order to bring this cause to life and positively influence as many people as possible. A second defining moment was the loss of his African godchild to cholera, caused by contaminated drinking water. That’s when “Bee The Change” became “Umuntu”. Umuntu’s motto – “I am, because we are” – emphasizes the WE rather than the I.
Fabio started to set up the first aid projects, mainly in Africa, where he could rely on a large local network. The objective was to help people in need to purify drinking water. Other aid projects soon followed, offering help to become self-sufficient in the areas of “clean water”, “clean air”, “organic food” and ” meaningful education”.
The first steps
In parallel with the aid projects, Fabio carried on his engineering studies and worked with geologists on a completely new filter technology. The result was the Umuntu membrane, which can filter out foreign substances and pollutants from water. It is the centerpiece for implementing Umuntu’s vision: “Clean water is a human right”.
When the first tests in Africa turned out to be successful, the first water filter was developed to remove all foreign and polluting substances from the water. Other products were quickly added and the knowledge about water quickly increased. In 2020, Evodrop AG was founded.
A mission for sustainability
Evodrop’s innovative water treatment technologies are the core of its business model. They enable people to have access to clean, healthy and fresh water and can be optimized for every use.
Vision is a priority
Beyond the success of our business, we are also committed to maintaining an intact planet and a sustainable society. We live by the principles of social ecology and this is reflected in our products. We use sustainable materials and choose quality over quantity.
In order to inspire and empower others with our internally applied socio-ecology, we have set up our non-profit association, the Umuntu Movement e.V.. The Umuntu Movement initiates social-ecological aid projects under the motto “help to help yourself”. We empower people in Third World countries in the fields of water, environment, education and agriculture.
Rebecca Shanahan
Rebecca Shanahan is the Interim Executive Director of WaterStart. Prior to joining WaterStart in 2013, Rebecca spent 14 years working on water resources management issues for the Southern Nevada Water Authority gaining an intimate perspective of the challenges in obtaining, treating, and delivering consistently high-quality water to a growing community. While at SNWA, she developed and managed the evaporation data collection and analysis program to support groundwater-basin hydrologic budgets and water-right appropriations, scientific studies for species protected by the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Nevada Revised statutes, and other federal policies, and negotiations for contractual third-party agreements.
WaterStart is a cluster of globally recognized leaders in the implementation of water innovation. Founded in 2013, the WaterStart business model is demand driven, prioritizing the needs of large water management agencies and consumers, and created to accelerate the adoption of innovation that results in more, safer, and cheaper water. Structured as a membership organization, each member brings critical resources that will lead to the commercialization of high-valued technology solutions and delivered to a broad range of public and private sector clients.
To expand participation in its mission, WaterStart founded Channels for Water Innovation (Channels) to engage philanthropic foundations and the impact investing community in supporting viable technology solutions. Channels provides a platform for evaluating, educating, and promoting viable solutions through events and an on-line member-only portal for member engagement and knowledge sharing. Channels further provides an educational resource for a growing membership of small and at-risk water agencies in need of innovative solutions.
As the success of the demand-driven model has expanded, so has WaterStart’s mission, membership structure, and reach from a Nevada-centric initiative to one of global impact. WaterStart has historically been a joint venture between academic, public, and private sectors with economic diversification as its core metric for evaluating success. WaterStart and Channels, through diversified funding sources, is now becoming globally recognized.
To learn more, please visit waterstart.com
Priyanca Ford
Priyanca Ford is the Founder and CEO of Kronos Fusion Energy.
Kronos Fusion Energy is dedicated to pioneering the commercialization of fusion energy, and Priyanca Ford has been instrumental in designing the fusion energy simulation and algorithm tools to help expedite global fusion energy timelines. In this whitepaper, we explore Priyanca Ford’s contributions to the field of fusion energy, her background in mathematics and innovative technology, and her experience across diverse industries. We examine the specific simulation tools designed by Kronos Fusion Energy and how they have advanced the field of fusion energy, including MagnetSim, PlasmaSim, IgnSim, FuelSim, HeliSim, SafeSim, MilSim, DriveSim, TokaSim, QuantumSim, SpaceSim, and RuggSim. Introduction Fusion energy has the potential to revolutionize the world’s energy landscape, offering an almost limitless supply of clean energy with minimal environmental impact. However, the complexities and technical challenges involved in realizing controlled fusion have prevented its widespread commercialization. Priyanca Ford, as the founder and executive board member of Kronos Fusion Energy, recognized the importance of designing and utilizing advanced simulation and algorithm tools to overcome these hurdles and bring fusion energy to market.
Priyanca Ford’s background in mathematics, product management, and innovative technology has shaped her approach to tackling complex challenges in fusion energy. Her experience spans over 17 years across diverse industries, working with renowned companies and applying game theory concepts, market positioning, and strategic executive decision-making. Priyanca Ford’s expertise, combined with the team’s deep understanding of the fundamental processes involved in fusion reactions, has allowed Kronos Fusion Energy to design sophisticated simulation tools to model and analyze confinement magnets, plasma density and dynamics, ignition and transition, fueling, fuel cycle system and tritium breeding, aneutronic fuel systems, safety and security, magnetohydrodynamics and gyrokinetics simulations, tokamak reactors, and materials properties.
Kronos Fusion Energy’s suite of simulation tools has advanced the field of fusion energy, including MagnetSim, PlasmaSim, IgnSim, FuelSim, HeliSim, SafeSim, MilSim, DriveSim, TokaSim, QuantumSim, SpaceSim, and RuggSim. These simulation tools allow Kronos Fusion Energy to explore innovative approaches to confinement, heating, and control of plasma, optimize the geometry, strength, and configuration of confinement magnets, model the intricate processes underlying ignition and the transition to aneutronic operation, analyze plasma fueling and tritium breeding, specialize in aneutronic fuel systems and military and defense applications, perform magnetohydrodynamics and gyrokinetics simulations, model tokamak reactor performance, simulate complex quantum phenomena and interactions, model operation in space and rugged environments, and analyze materials performance and suitability.
Shane Snyder
Dr. Shane Snyder is a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and is the Executive Director of the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. For over 20 years, Dr. Snyder’s research has focused on water quality, treatment, and sustainability, which resulted in over 300 published manuscripts with nearly 30,000 citations. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief for the American Chemical Society journal, Environmental Science & Technology Water and is a Fellow of the International Water Association. Prof. Snyder was featured among the top 25 leading water researchers globally by Lux Research and was featured in 2021 as one of the top scientists in the field of Environmental Engineering (#55 out of 42,482) in a report by Stanford University. Professor Snyder was awarded the Dr. Pankaj Parekh Research Innovation Award from the Water Research Foundation, the Agilent Thought Leader Award, and the Nanyang Humanitarian Award for he and his team’s philanthropic work in water and sanitation, which has benefited over two million people in underserved communities in Asia. Recently, Prof. Snyder was awarded the 2021 Clarke Prize, broadly considered as one of the most prestigious awards for outstanding achievements in water science and technology.
Patrick Keaney
Patrick Keaney’s work experience includes being the CEO of Subeca, a company that uses emerging technology to disrupt the water space and provides simple and easy water technology solutions. Prior to that, Patrick was the Worldwide Head of Development for AWS Water at Amazon Web Services, where they led the global vertical market for water and worked with customers to explore cloud technologies for solving water challenges. Patrick also served as a board member on the Digital Twin Advisory Board at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Earlier in his career, Keaney worked at Arcadis as an Executive Vice President, managing clients and programs globally, and at BBL, Inc as a Senior Vice President.
Patrick Keaney’s education history begins with completing their Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1986 to 1990. Following that, he pursued a Master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning at Boston University from 1991 to 1993. In 2001, Patrick attended Harvard Business School, where they obtained an Executive Certificate in Leading Professional Service Firms in 2002.
Shane Trussell, President and CEO of Trussell Technologies, Inc.
Shane Trussell is back on the podcast, this time to discuss direct potable reuse. Dr. Trussell is a registered Civil Engineer in the State of California with more than 20 years of hands-on experience with the processes used to treat water, wastewater, and potable reuse. Dr. Trussell has extensive involvement in numerous potable reuse projects throughout the state, ranging from feasibility studies and pilot testing to design and regulatory permitting. Dr. Trussell led two major research efforts funded by the WateReuse Research Foundation (now Water Research Foundation): WRRF 11-02 (Equivalency of Advanced Treatment Trains for Potable Reuse) and WRRF 14-12 (Demonstrating Redundancy and Monitoring to Achieve Reliable Potable Reuse), with a combined project budget total of $3.4 million, to advance the implementation of potable reuse in California. Recently, the State Water Board selected Dr. Trussell to co-lead a state-funded project to evaluate strategies for dealing with peaks of chemical contaminants. The State Board is now using the findings from this research to develop statewide regulations for DPR. Dr. Trussell is an industry leader in potable reuse and developing water supplies, leading innovative, effective engineering and research projects throughout California.
Darrin Polhemus
Darrin Polhemus is a Deputy Director for the State Water Board and in charge of the Division of Drinking Water since 2016. The Division of Drinking Water administers the federal and California Safe Drinking Water Acts, regulating over 7,200 public water systems throughout the State to assure the delivery of pure and wholesome drinking water to all Californians. The Division is also a key part of implementing the Safe Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program which is designed to ensure Californians who lack safe, adequate, and affordable drinking water receive it as quickly as possible, and that the water systems serving them establish sustainable solutions. In addition, the Division permits recycled water usage, manages the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, oversees the work of county health departments that have been delegated the authority to regulate small water systems, and develops regulations pertaining to drinking water.
Darrin has also served as Deputy Director for the Division of Water Quality, Division of Administrative Services, and Division of Financial Assistance. In addition, he has led technical teams on special assignments such as the Drinking Water Arrearage program; leading a cross-organization, multi-discipline team to develop the Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems; as well as working on several assignments related to nitrates in groundwater and regulation of irrigated lands.
Peter Annin
A veteran conflict and environmental journalist, Peter Annin spent more than a decade reporting on a wide variety of issues for Newsweek. For many years he specialized in coverage of domestic terrorism and other conflicts, including the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City and the Branch Davidian standoff outside Waco, Texas. He has also spent many years writing about the environment, including droughts in the Southwest, hurricanes in the Southeast, wind power on the Great Plains, and the causes and consequences of the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.
After his time at Newsweek, Annin became associate director of the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, a nonpartisan national nonprofit that organizes educational fellowships for midcareer environmental journalists. In September 2006 he published his first book, The Great Lakes Water Wars, which has been called the definitive work on the Great Lakes water diversion controversy, and received the Great Lakes Book Award for nonfiction in 2007. From 2010 to 2015 Annin served as managing director of the University of Notre Dame’s Environmental Change Initiative, which targets the interrelated problems of invasive species, land use, and climate change, focusing on their synergistic impacts on water resources.
In 2018, Annin published an extensively revised and updated edition of Water Wars which was recognized with a Great Lakes Leadership Award in Communication Excellence from the Great Lakes Protection Fund in 2020.
He currently serves as director of the Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s in international affairs from Columbia University in New York.
In 2000, a transformative climate-driven “megadrought” swept over the Colorado River watershed. By the early 2020s, levels on the river’s two largest reservoirs were hitting record lows and threatening the water supply for forty million people. Outside the West, water stocks are stressed even in states with bountiful rainfall such as Florida. From coast to coast, conventional measures to sustain the most fundamental natural resource on earth—drinking water—are coming up short. Recycled water could help close that gap.
In Purified: How Recycled Sewage Is Transforming Our Water, veteran journalist Peter Annin shows that wastewater has become a surprising weapon in America’s war against water scarcity. Annin probes deep into the water reuse movement in five water-strapped states—California, Texas, Virginia, Nevada, and Florida. He drinks beer made from purified sewage, visits communities where purified sewage came to the rescue, and examines how one of the nation’s largest wastewater plants hopes to recycle one hundred percent of its wastewater by 2035. At each stop, readers come face to face with the people who are struggling for, and against, recycled water. While the current filtration technology transforms sewage into something akin to distilled water—free of chemicals and safe to drink—water recycling’s challenge isn’t technology. It’s terminology. Concerns about communities being used as “guinea pigs,” sensationalist media coverage, and taglines like “toilet to tap” have repeatedly crippled water recycling efforts. Potable water recycling has become the hottest frontier in the race for expanded water supply options. But can public opinion turn in time to avoid the worst consequences?
Purified’s fast-paced narrative cuts through the fearmongering and misinformation to make the case that recycled water is direly needed in the climate-change era. Water cannot be taken for granted anymore—and that includes sewage.
David Sedlak
Author of Water for Water for All: Global Solutions for a Changing Climate
David Sedlak is the Plato Malozemoff Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of the Berkeley Water Center. He is the author of the award-winning Water 4.0: The Past, Present, and Future of the World’s Most Vital Resource. He has written for, or been interviewed or covered by, media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Nature, the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Review of Books, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, Marketplace and Living on Earth. His TEDx talk on this subject has had over a million views. He lives in Berkeley, CA.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A fresh look at the world’s water crises, and the existing and emerging solutions that can be used to solve them
It is not your imagination: water crises are more frequent. Our twentieth-century systems for providing the water that grows food, sustains cities, and supports healthy ecosystems are failing to meet the demands of growing population and the challenges brought on by climate change. But the grim news reports—of empty reservoirs, withering crops, failing ecosystems—need not be cause for despair, argues award-winning author David Sedlak.
Communities on the front lines of previous water crises have pioneered approaches that are ready to be applied elsewhere. Some have resolved shortages by enhancing water-use efficiency, and others have used moments of crisis to resolve historic disagreements over water rights. Still others have employed treatment technologies that unlock vast quantities of untapped water resources.
Sedlak identifies the challenges that society faces, including ineffective policies and outdated infrastructure, and the myriad of tools at our disposal—from emerging technologies in desalination to innovations for recycling wastewater and capturing more of the water that falls on fields and cities. He offers an informed and hopeful approach for rethinking our assumptions about the way that water is managed. With this knowledge we can create a future with clean, abundant, and affordable water for all.
Paul Egan
Paul Egan is the VP of Sales at 8power Limited.
Based in Cambridge UK, Paul is an Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of delivering results in high-technology growth companies. His skillset lies in business development and sales with technical expertise including industrial Internet of things (IIoT), next-generation wireless networks, sensing as a service, LPWAN, semiconductor design, Consumer Electronics, Management, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), WiFi and Bluetooth.
8power is a Cambridge, UK based innovative technology company specialising in remote condition monitoring of rotating equipment. They offer condition monitoring at lower cost and easy installation for water/waste treatment, manufacturing industries and oil and gas industries. The 8power solution uses machine learning algorithms to spot developing reliability and failure issues coupled with multimodal wireless sensors with a10-year service life delivering high resolution data every hour.
To learn more, please visit https://8power.com
Louise Parlons Bentata
An accomplished marketing, brand and sustainability specialist, Louise is the co-founder and CEO of Bluemethane, a renewable energy company unlocking a new source of energy from hydropower.
Louise is on a mission to expedite the renewable energy transition and reduce greenhouse emissions. Her approach is to stop 30 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions being released from water around the world by 2030. How? By capturing valuable methane from water and generating a new source of energy from these captured emissions.
Prior to Bluemethane, Louise launched Aberdare Consulting, providing strategic and operational expertise to clients across industries, primarily CPG, manufacturing, software, medical devices and the service sectors, with engagements including brand development, business integration, acquisitions, market and industry expansion, new product development, sustainability planning, marketing, customer experience, customer conversion, market sizing and pricing. Louise’s formative career focused on global brand development and marketing for L’Oréal and Johnson & Johnson, where she delivered major brand management, marketing execution, new product and innovation pipelines. In addition, Louise led the UK operations of an international fitness wear brand, Running Bare.
Juan Bravin
Juan Bravin is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kairospace Technologies. Originally from Mendoza, Argentina, Juan considers himself a generalist, embodying the qualities of a systemic thinker and a visionary with a compelling goal – to make the world a better place. His life mission is to develop transformative technologies and products across vital sectors: energy, water treatment, food production, health, and construction.
Kairospace Technologies offers groundbreaking and innovative solutions leverage fundamental principles of physics, including plasma, electromagnetism, frequency induction, resonance, ultra fine bubbles, cavitation and fluid dynamics to enhance the physicochemical properties and structure of water without harmful chemicals. Kairospace Technologies optimizes industrial processes that use water, including agriculture and mining, and provide integrated solutions to issues related to sanitation, potability, desalination, river/lake pollution and wastewater.
To learn more about Juan and his work, please visit: https://kairospacetech.com/
Camilo Huneeus
Camilo Huneeus is an Industrial Chemical Engineer from Santiago, Chile with international experience in water engineering, public policy, and emergency response. He is the CEO of AInwater: the go-to platform for optimizing and controlling wastewater treatment systems, for both industries and utilities. Ainwater focuses on energy optimization in the water treatment sector. The company offers a software-based solution that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor and optimize water treatment systems, ensuring regulatory compliance and energy efficiency.
EDUCATION
Yale University, School of Forestry & Environmental Studies New Haven, CT, USA
Master of Environmental Management, specialization in water resource management 2018, Honors
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile
Licentiate in Engineering Science, 2012, GPA: A+
Industrial Chemical Engineer, 2013 (Professional Degree, Equivalent to a UK master’s in engineering), GPA: A+
LEADERSHIP, PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS
Leadership:
- COP22 and COP25, delegate and negotiator for Chile
- Rumbo Colectivo (Think-tank), water and environment lead for the 2021 Constitutional Convention
- Environmental Council of the Pontificia Universidad Católica, President
- Cooperatives working group of the Chilean Ministry of Economy, Advisor
- Sustainable Development in Latin America Conference at Yale, Co-Chair
Publications: - Turning the Tide: Improving Water Security for Recovery and Sustainable Growth in Colombia, The World Bank, 2020 (co-
author). - Cooperative companies start up and management Manual. Huneeus, CJ., Huneeus S., Urbani, P., Chilean Ministry of
Economics, 2016 - Feasibility of creation of Farmer’s Cooperative for Energy Production from sustainably managed forest in southern Chile,
Camilo Huneeus. Thesis, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Available in Biblioteca TUC 2013 H934a - Creating Evidence for Resilience: A Case of Monsoon Flood-affected Communities Living in the Gangetic Plains of South
Asia. Alark Saxena and Camilo Huneeus. Publication under review.
To learn more about Camilo and AInwater, please visit https://ainwater.com/en/inicio-english/
Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of LAIIER.IO, is a dedicated advocate for the transformative potential of smart materials, surfaces, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in shaping the built environment. At the helm of LAIIER.IO, Matt spearheads a team of interdisciplinary experts, collectively committed to pioneering continuous monitoring solutions that boast seamless installation, akin to the simplicity of applying a piece of tape.
Prior to his role at LAIIER.IO, Matt served as the Chief Executive Officer at Bare Conductive, the world’s foremost printed electronics prototyping platform catering to engineers and designers. Recognized as a thought leader in the realm of blue-chip companies, he played a pivotal role in driving innovation and shaping industry perspectives.
Beyond his executive responsibilities, Matt leverages his expertise as a visiting design engineering tutor at prestigious institutions such as Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. This dual commitment underscores his dedication to nurturing the next generation of design and engineering talent.
Hailing originally from Colorado, Matt brings a wealth of experience from his outdoor pursuits, fostering a profound appreciation for the impact of nature on overall well-being. His multifaceted background uniquely positions him as a leader at the intersection of technology, design, and environmental consciousness.
Paul O’Callaghan
Water scientist, sustainability thought leader and documentary producer, Paul O’Callaghan believes the global water crisis can be solved in his lifetime and he is on a mission to help make it happen.
After being awarded a bio-chemistry degree, Paul’s first role was for the Body Shop working alongside the pioneering environmentalist Anita Roddick. Paul then volunteered for the World Wildlife Fund in Malaysia, and after completing a Master’s degree he later returned to research the effects that deforestation was having on water quality. Paul’s next role was with Atkins, one of the globally leading engineering management consultancies who are pioneering in their approaches to projects. It was while working as an engineering consultant, that Paul first noticed how extraordinarily long it took to get water technologies to market, which gave him the initial idea for BlueTech Research.
BlueTech Research was co-founded by Paul in 2011, to support technological advancements in water management and help find the solutions needed to provide clean water and safe sanitation. The Intelligence Platform was created to improve the intelligence available on water technologies and their markets, making it easier to identify commercially viable innovation options.
Paul acted as the executive producer for the award-winning documentary ‘Brave Blue World’. The documentary was designed to create more awareness about the solutions that already exist to solve the water crisis and has attracted the involvement on screen of A-list celebrities Matt Damon and Liam Neeson, as well as activist Jaden Smith. Since its launch on Netflix, Brave Blue World has been translated to 29 languages and is accessible to over 200 million viewers. Paul is now set to co-produce a new ground-breaking feature documentary; Our Blue World – A Water Odyssey. This film will explore humanity’s profound relationship with water and reveal how human agency can help rebalance the planet’s water systems.
Paul now divides his time between the BlueTech Research offices in Vancouver and Cork. He works with global Fortune 500 corporates including L’Oréal, Microsoft and PepsiCo on their water strategy policies. He has also recently guest lectured at Harvard and Cambridge Universities.
Paul recently completed a PhD in Water Innovation from Wageningen University. In his free time, he is a keen pianist and enjoys kayaking, ocean swimming and free diving.
Slava Libman
Slava Libman is the CEO of FTD solutions. He has more than 20 years of experience in water technology, including technology development, analytical services, operations, and management primarily within the semiconductor industry. His experience includes different technical and leadership roles with a semiconductor company, a major A&E firm, and premier analytical laboratory. He received a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. He is a licensed Environmental Engineering Professional.
Dr. Libman’s contributions include more than 50 publications and conference presentations. He is involved with semiconductor industry activities, working on semiconductor water technology roadmap and standards, organizing, and moderating conferences and seminars.
To learn more about FTD solutions, please visit http://www.ftdsolutions.net
Michael Murphy
Michael Murphy is the Director of Innovation Council & Executive committee member of the New England Water Environment Association. As both a member of NEWEA Executive Committee and the Innovation Council Director, Michael fosters connections between
public, private, non-profit, government, and academia to bring innovative solutions to market. Additionally, the Innovation Council organizes industry and knowledge-sharing gatherings showcasing innovations that exhibit a philosophy of ONE Water in New England.
Key Achievements:
Co-led the Innovation Pavilion and pitch contest featuring ten startups at the 2023 NEWEA Annual Conference.
Helped establish and currently coordinate business partnerships with both Evoqua and Watts Water.
To learn more please visit newea.org
Kim Cole
Kim Cole is an Environmental Engineer with more than twenty years of experience in municipal wastewater treatment with a focus on environmental compliance. She has experience in:
- Pretreatment program updates • Equipment design and selection
- Pretreatment program implementation • Site-specific limit development/water quality issues
- NPDES permit renewal assistance • Actively involved in technical committees
- Wastewater treatment design
Her company: KimHEC assists communities on the management of their pretreatment programs and NPDES-related issues including biosolids management and development of site-specific limits. Provide assistance to industrial clients on wastewater sustainability and permitting issues.
Specific roles and functions performed as the Principal at KimHEC include:
Pretreatment Program Updates
- Legal authority
- Enforcement response plans
- Local limit evaluations
Pretreatment Program Implementation - Training for municipal staff and/or industries
- Assistance during inspection activities
- Compliance determinations and enforcement activities
- Industrial user permit development including fact sheets
- Self-monitoring report templates
- Sampling plans for compliance
NPDES Permit Assistance - Review of historical data for reporting limits and coordination with MDNR on the reasonable
potential calculations
To learn more, please visit www.kimhec.com
Shaul Rom
Mr. Shaul Rom is the founder & CTO of Reali Technologies and he is the founder & president of Topco Control & Automation. With more than 30 years of track record in Industrial Control, instrumentation, fieldbus technologies, radio and cellular communication, his core expertise areas are Programmable Controllers, HMIs, Industrial IT and SCADA. Mr. Rom is an entrepreneur in the area of cloud technology for Realtime Remote Control and Monitoring. Under his leadership Reali technologies designed and developed the cutting-edge technology known globally as RealiteQ. Furthermore, Shaul Rom is the founder and president of Topco Control & Automation, a leading Israeli firm in the industrial automation market.Mr. Rom is an Instrumentation & Control Engineer. He is a teacher in Rupin AcademicCenter and in Ariel University and he is a preferable speaker in Telemetry, IndustrialAutomation, SCADA and Control sessions. Mr. Rom has published numerous articles dealing with SCADA, intelligent water systems, remote control of facilities, telemetry, distributed systems, pressure monitoring & dynamic control, energy efficiency, global water supply management over the internet and more.
Founder & CTO of Reali Technologies, developer of RealiteQ.
Founder & president of Topco Control & Automation.
Founder of the Association for Competitive Pilots in Israel.
Member of the Public Administration of the Water Sector of the Israel Export
Institute.
Member of the International Standardization Committee of Smart Cities.
Former member of the International Standardization Committee of Industrial
sewer.
Former head of municipal comity of Beerotaim, Emek Hefer.
Former secretary of Dolphin association.
Accident investigator certified by the Israeli Ministry of Transport – Specialty
aviation disasters.
Expert in sensors and underwater acoustics – former submariner in the Israeli
navy.
Private pilot license holder.
Graduate of the training program for directors of the Ono Academic Center.
Speaks Hebrew (native), English and a bit of German & Arabic languages.
Daniel Lambert
Daniel Lambert is a director, chair, executive, and engineer with over 20 years of board and executive-level experience across the private and not-for-profit sectors with particular experience in management consulting, utilities, and public policy. He is passionate about water, energy, and the environment and delivering positive social and environmental outcomes for customers and the community.
At the board level, Lambert draws on his experience and skills to provide oversight, foresight, and insight. He does that by demonstrating a focus on ensuring a clearly articulated and measurable strategy, accountability, and a strong organizational culture. Board-level highlights include: Global Strategic Advisory Council at International Water Association; Director at Engineers Without Borders Australia; Chair and Director at Carbon8; Technical Advisory Board at Operation Water; Chair of the Expert Review Panel at Australian Water Partnership; Director, Consult Australia National Board; Member of the International Advisory Committee, Global Water Institute.
In an executive capacity, Lambert is currently the Executive Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions at Unitywater. In this role, he is responsible for leading all aspects of long-term strategic asset planning, asset management, asset performance, efficient capital works delivery, laboratory services, water quality management, and property management. Previously, as Australasia Water Leader and a member of the Global Water Executive at Arup, he established and led the growth of the water business with a key focus on helping clients to deliver social and environmental outcomes and respond to emerging trends and disruptors. They have expanded the business into new countries and geographies and positioned the business as advisors to C-suite executives. Previously, he was the Water Leader for South East Asia within the same company., was the Planning Partner Services Lead, and Client Lead at Sydney Water for the first two years of the Partnering for Success program and then served on the SteerCo and PCG.
Finally, Daniel Lambert is an Adjunct Professor, a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a qualified Engineering Executive, and a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders. He has been a recipient of the Australian Water Association Water Professional of the Year Award and recognized as one of Australia’s ‘Most Innovative Engineers’ by Engineers Australia. In 2021, he was awarded the highest honor in Australia for civil engineering – the Sir John Holland Award and in 2022 the Australian Professional Environmental Engineer of the Year.
Ari Goldfarb
Ari Goldfarb is the CEO and Owner of KANDO. Goldfarb is an expert in wastewater monitoring and treatment, with more than 15 years of experience in the field of wastewater management. He is an experienced multidisciplinary environmental management and project manager who serves as the process manager of the Jerusalem wastewater treatment plant. Ari Goldfarb is also a project manager for the development of integrated environmental information systems and a consultant in the field of industrial pollution policy-making for the Israeli environmental ministry director-general.
KANDO provides wastewater network insights to cities by analyzing real-time data that is retrieved from LOT sensors located at strategic points around the network. Understanding the sources of unique events allows cities to prevent harmful events from entering the WWTP and predict future network events.
To learn more about Kando, please visit https://www.kando.eco/solution/
Scott Bryan
Scott is President of Imagine H2O, a water innovation organization that envisions and builds solutions with the world’s best water entrepreneurs. Since 2009, Imagine H2O’s accelerator programs have supported over 165 water startups which have collectively scaled water solutions to over 1.1 billion people and raised more than $850 million in early-stage investment. In 2019, the organization launched Imagine H2O Asia, a Singapore-based accelerator program that bridges global innovation to cities and communities across Southeast Asia. The organization also hosts the Urban Water Challenge, a global deployment program for entrepreneurs reimagining a water-resilient future. Imagine H2O is supported by leading philanthropies, corporate sponsors, and public sector partners.
Scott serves on the National Alliance for Water Innovation’s (NAWI) Innovation and Commercialization Council and is an advisor to the Environmental Policy Innovation Center. Prior to Imagine H2O, Scott developed ESG and cleantech investment strategies for institutional and private clients at Royal Bank of Canada and Piper Jaffray. He has a BA in Economics from the Colorado College.
Gary Eaton, Director of Product at ASTERRA
Gary Eaton has been involved in water utility planning, construction, operations, and maintenance for over 35 years, in positions as varied as construction inspector to senior executive. Fourteen of those years, as Director of Operations & Maintenance for the San Diego County Water Authority. Over his career he participated in the planning, design, construction, and operation of numerous Capital Improvement Projects, including the Olivenhain Dam, Lake Hodges 40 MW Pumped Storage Facility, Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant, Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Facility and San Vicente Dam Raise Project. As a senior member of the executive team, Gary led and participated in numerous value engineering and operations reviews of critical infrastructure projects providing an operations focus to ensure projects would perform as designed when placed into operation.
Gary developed the scope of services and contract for the outsourcing of operations and maintenance for the Lake Hodges Hydrogeneration Facility, resulting in increased revenue to the Water Authority and operational readiness for SDG&E. In addition, Gary provided detailed plan review for all major capital projects and worked closely with Engineering staff to ensure both operations and voice of customer concerns were met prior to construction. During the construction phase, Gary was often asked to review and approve contractor change orders and design changes, seeking solutions the met the Water Authority’s needs while maintaining or reducing the project budget and construction critical path. He led the Water Authority’s Asset Management Program including the communications strategy and finance plan. In 2006, Gary led the team that implemented the first use of acoustic fiber optics to monitor pipeline condition in the United States. As energy program manager, Gary optimized rate schedules, implemented energy conservation measures, and contracted for the purchase of deregulated energy resulting in over $500K savings per year. His passion for high level performance and coordination led him to implement Operations Annual Aqueduct Operating Plan, Weekly Operations & Maintenance Operating Plan, Operations Dashboard and Standard Operating Procedures across eight Departments. He was also responsible for developing the County-wide Treated Water Shortage Allocation Plan, the Water Authorities emergency response plan and served as Incident Commander for major emergencies including the Cedar (2003) and Witch Creek (2007) Fires. Over the course of his career, Gary conducted detailed management studies, participated in the development of Long Range Financing Plans, Climate Action Plan, Facilities Master Plans, developed policy and operating procedures, conducted regulatory and legislative analysis, and led program development in a wide-range of areas. During his final two years with the Water Authority, Gary was selected as their first Chief Innovation Officer. He led the identification and implementation of Authority-wide opportunities for process improvement, which included creation of the Innovation Program strategy, KPI metrics, program tools and tracking dashboard. Gary provided coaching and mentoring to staff and executives in the use of lean tools and process improvement methods and participated in development of the Water Research Foundation’s “Fostering Innovation in Water Utilities” national guidance standards, published March 2017. Gary received his M.S. in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas.
James Perry
James Perry
Executive Vice President, EarthWorks Division, Americas
James Perry has spent over thirty years driving disruptive innovation. In both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, James’ key mission is market adoption and to achieve a deeper foothold into new markets. An experienced Vice President of Business Development with a demonstrated history of working in the computer software industry. Perry is skilled in Business Planning, Go-to-market Strategy, Strategic Partnerships, Management, and Solution Selling. graduated from United States International University. James currently serves as the VP for Business Development at ASTERRA, based in San Diego, CA. In his free time, James likes to sail out of the Mission Bay Yacht Club in San Diego and formerly held the position of Commodore in 2016.
To learn more about Asterra, please visit: asterra.io
New Home
Elly Perets Elly Perets, CEO at ASTERRA, a Technology by Utilis. Elly Perets is the Chief Executive Officer at Utilis. He has over 20 years of experience in executive management, enterprise software sales, marketing, business development, and OEM. Perets joined Utilis in 2015. Previously, he founded Progressive Labs and served as the CEO, providing an…More
Alan Roberson
Alan Roberson is the Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water
Administrators (ASDWA). ASDWA’s members (the state drinking water agencies)
are co-regulators with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He has over 32
years of experience in Washington, D.C. on the development of drinking water
policy, and federal drinking water regulations on water quality, and security and
preparedness issues.
He provides technical and policy input on all aspects of the drinking water regulations, as well as working with Congressional staff on potential amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). He works closely with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on ensuring the safety and reliability of water systems. He has developed both an understanding and an appreciation of the varied perspectives of the federal government, the state primacy agencies, and the water systems, and how to blend those perspectives so that the goal of public health protection is maintained.
He has a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master of Science of Civil Engineering from Virgina Tech. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia. He has served on the Board of Fairfax Water for over 14 years, and currently serves as Treasurer and as Chairs of both the Finance and Audit Committee and the Water Quality and Supply Committee.
Shane Trussell, President and CEO of Trussell Technologies, Inc. Dr. Trussell is a registered Civil Engineer in the State of California with more than 20 years of hands-on experience with the processes used to treat water, wastewater, and potable reuse. Dr. Trussell has extensive involvement in numerous potable reuse projects throughout the state, ranging from…More
Robert Wimmer (President/CEO, Aqua-Aerobic Systems) Bob Wimmer has been President and CEO of Aqua-Aerobic Systems since1998. Bob previously was Divisional Managing Director (Chief Executive) of theProducts Division of Thames Water PLC, a London based company, andcommuted between the U.S. and London. Prior to that he served asPresident/CEO of Thames Water Products and Services Division in…More
Rick Bacon Rick Bacon CEO at Aqua Metrology Systems Limited Rick Bacon has served as CEO of Aqua Metrology Systems (AMS) since 2012. Prior to joining AMS, Rick held senior management and board level positions in the energy, industrial, technology, and water sectors. Rick, who has a keen interest in technology start-ups and innovation, has led…More
Beth McDaniel Beth McDaniel (President Reactive Surfaces Partner at McDaniel and Associates, PC) received her BBA in finance from the University of Texas in 1988, and JD in law from South Texas College of Law in 1996. She has been with Reactive Surfaces since 2006, both as a director/advisor and officer of the company. Beth…More
Chris Kahn Director of Unmanned Ariel Systems at American Water Founder of AlphaRTK Chris is a geospatial professional with over 22 years of progressive experience in large cross-functional organizations performing geospatial program development, GNSS spatial data workflow management, spatial analysis, terrestrial/aerial survey, UAS program development, interactive mapping, and GIS field mobility. What is Alpha RTK?…More
Kim Patrick Kobza Kim Patrick Kobza is a cofounder of True Elements. Mr. Kobza is a technology and social impact entrepreneur with over 20 years of executive experience as a co-founder and CEO. He stewards True Elements’ strategic growth, finance, and cross-functional leadership. Before True Elements, Mr. Kobza co-founded and was CEO of Neighborhood America (NA), a SaaS pioneer…More
Jon Gribble ►Areas I Excel InBuilding and inspiring teams that not only achieve repeated double digit growth and innovation, but also train leaders within those organizations to achieve more today and in the future. I have had the privilege of mentors that have inspired and informed my leadership and business acumen to repeatedly achieve success…More
Sue Mecham and Judy S. Riffle Sue J. Mecham, Ph.D., is Co-Founder and CEO of NALA Membranes, a new-generation membrane company based in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. NALA is developing new chlorine tolerant reverse osmosis membranes from new, chlorine-stable, polymers. Sue has over 25 years of experience building and leading technical and business…More
Johnny H Pujol Johnny Pujol, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of SimpleLab. To learn about SimpleLab home water test kits, visit Tap Score. Johnny Pujul is a water quality expert with a background in commercialization and development of electrochemical arsenic remediation, off-grid water treatment and UV LED technology for pathogen and pharmaceutical inactivation. Johnny has…More
Gregg Semler Gregg Semler is the CEO and Founder of InPipe Energy: a renewable energy and smart water technology company focused on generating renewable energy from water pipelines to improve resiliency and sustainability in cities and communities around the world. Gregg Semler is a veteran entrepreneur with extensive experience in the clean energy and water…More
Aaron Tartakovsky Aaron Tartakovsky is Co-Founder and CEO of Epic Cleantec, a leading water technology company based in San Francisco that deploys water reuse systems into the built environment. Prior to his career in sustainability, Aaron worked in federal politics and has remained active in affecting public policy on the local, state, and national levels. Aaron speaks frequently on urban…More
Ernie Harker
Ernie Harker is an illustrator, author, consultant, and keynote speaker who helps his clients build world-class brands using a powerful but simple framework.
Career Highlights:
- 1993-1995 Storyboard artist and designer for Ad Agency servicing Intel, Iomega, Novell, Netscape, Ask Jeeves, and other tech clients.
- 1995- Started creative production studio; Ernburn Communications
- 2001- rebranded regional c-store company from Country-Store to Adventure’s First Stop
- Produced TV series, animated DVD series, wrote how to draw books- “Making Faces” and “Monster Factory,” a children’s book “They’re Waiting For Me,” and a YouTube channel called “Sketch-e” that teaches kids how to draw.
- 2010-2018 Exec Director of Marketing for convenience store business- increased business value 600% to a multi billion dollar company.
- 2018- Wrote “Your Brand Sucks- How to ignite a brand that doesn’t”
- Currently consults and speaks on branding and business leadership strategies.
Process
Ernie has developed a process that helps business owners and brand managers create a killer brand strategy. The four steps are easier to remember when using the acronym: F.I.R.E.
- Find your brand Spark- The most unique and compelling point of difference.
- Identify your target customers- Who is most likely to care about your brand spark.
- Realize your core belief. Why do you serve the industry you serve?
- Establish your brand adjectives. These adjectives are used to help curate the brand assets (fonts, colors, imagery, language, and tone) for your marketing materials in a way that reinforces your brand strategy.
Download Ernie’s book.
Check out his website for more info!
Jessie Mahr
Jessie is the Director of Technology at EPIC. Prior to joining EPIC, she led business development and strategy for Upstream Tech, a technology start-up that uses satellite imagery to monitor and evaluate natural resources. She has also worked on programs related to regional planning for wetlands restoration and urban climate change resilience for the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration and Stantec. 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.
Chris Desai
Chrisna Jagdish Desai, known in the industry as ‘Chris Desai’ was born to a working class
family in Leicester, United Kingdom in the year 1988, to an English Mother and a Political
Refuge, Ugandan Indian / Gujarati Father. He grew up in a multicultural working-class home being exposed to the Eastern and Western culture from a very young age in his home city of Leicester. Fascinated by the natural world and exploration, he went against the grain of being studious and quickly excelled at everything outdoors, such as running, athletics, flying and sailing and was determined to explore the entire planet in his lifetime. His creative talents also
developed in these early years including literature, poetry and spoken word which was
nurtured by his mother. Through the amalgamation of these interests and cultural experiences, he began producing music and writing songs at the age of 14 about his adventures and views on life, by the age of 21 he became an industry-known recording artist and found himself signed to a major record label in London. Shortly after his music career began, he also entered the apparel world and developed a love for high fashion and couture which flourished over the next decade. After a highly successful decade in the music and fashion industry, he realized the damage that fashion was causing the planet, this was realized on a sailing trip he embarked on which lasted over 3000 miles.
When returning to land, he created an organic sustainable and ethical fashion apparel brand
called Vayyu, which would re-invent sustainable and organic fashion. Vayyu was awarded the second most ethical brand in the United Kingdom, and taking its
designs and inspiration from meditation and the esoteric knowledge that is found within.
Chris then established its own registered environmental charity called The Vayyu
Foundation, which operated The UOcean Project, the project rapidly spread across the
planet in its first 2 years and now has over 50 chapters globally and a mission statement to
remove #1BILLIONKILOS of marine/ocean plastic by 2030.
UOCEAN® 2050 represents a pioneering and practical approach to tackling
the urgent global issue of ocean plastics. As a non-profit charitable grassroots
organization, our mission is to eliminate ocean plastics on a global scale.
Through collaborative efforts with partners from various sectors, including
volunteers, individuals, communities, governments, schools, universities, and
the private sector, we aim to forge a circular economy of sustainable
behaviors that support the removal of ocean and river plastics from canals,
rivers, beaches, and the open ocean. At the core of our mission, we are
committed to establishing agents of change globally.
We recognize that the fight against ocean plastics is not just an environmental
issue but a social equity issue. That is why we are also dedicated to
empowering underprivileged and isolated ethnic minority communities to thrive
in conservation.
In addition to our cleanup efforts, we deploy educational toolkits in academic
institutions, bridging the gaps that are leading to climate change. We also
advocate for stricter laws on plastics, their disposal, and global protection of
our oceans. We welcome collaboration with individuals and organizations who
share our passion for preserving the environment and promoting social equity.
At UOCEAN® 2050, we are committed to creating a more sustainable future
for all.
Bessie Schwarz
At the nexus of big data & citizen empowerment l CEO & Co-founder of Floodbase l Strategist, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication | Echoing Green Climate Fellow
Bessie Schwarz is the CEO and Co-founder of Floodbase. As Co-Founder, Bessie has helped build the most actionable, advanced, and cost-effective flood data platform on the market for insurers and the public sector. Prior to founding Floodbase, she earned a Mastersof Sciencefrom Yale University and founded the consulting arm ofthe Yale Program on Climate Change Communications. In 2022, she was named to Business Insider’s list of 30 Top Climate Leaders.
Since its founding, Floodbase has pioneered the field of satellite flood tracking, with our science appearing on the cover of Nature in 2021. Our Flood Intelligence Platform has enabled the United Nations and several national governments to improve flood disaster response. We are now powering a new type of flood insurance to help flood-vulnerable communities around the world access financial support and adapt in the face of increasing climate disasters.
To learn more about Floodbase, please visit https://www.floodbase.com/
Bruno Tume and Fareed Nazaryfar
Bruno Tume. (Sales manager at ASTERRA) is a self-starting and results-driven leader with expertise in inside sales, outside sales, and account management. He is experienced in driving the full sales cycle and sales strategies across diverse markets. His additional experience includes selling over the phone, virtually, and face to face to C-level executives.
Fareed Nazaryfar (Costumer Success Manager at ASTERRA) has a combination of over 7 years of experience in the Environmental & Environmental/Tech sector ranging from the wastewater pretreatment sector, the indoor air quality sector and most recently the earth observation Tech sector. His foundation in the environmental domain started with a master’s degree in Environmental and Petroleum Geochemistry (MS) from Newcastle University, United Kingdom. He also completed a master’s degree in Psychology (MS) from the University of Leicester, United Kingdom.
To learn more about ASTERRA (one of the Water Entrepreneur Podcast sponsors),please visit asterra.io
James Workman
James Workman (Founder of AquaShares Inc.)
- Graduated Yale, studied abroad Oxford. Prize-winning investigative reporter in Washington, DC.
- White House appointee to US Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt on water, dams, climate, wildfire.
- Senior advisor, communications, World Commission on Dams under Nelson Mandela.
- Strategic communications consultant to global corporations, agencies, NGOs on natural resources.
- Award-winning author of books, articles on successful water, fisheries, energy conservation strategies.
- Established new, interdisciplinary courses as visiting professor Whitman, Wesleyan.
- Framed marine conservation projects and program at Environmental Defense Fund.
- Editor, The Source, print & online magazine offering pragmatic news for 50,000 water professionals.
- Founded AquaShares, first rights-based online conservation market to trade water-saving credits.
Jamie is responsible for developing and adapting AquaShares’ assets to meet demands from our public, non-profit, and private clients. He draws on three decades of experience as an investigative journalist, White House-appointed speechwriter, award-winning author of several books, senior communications advisor under Nelson Mandela’s World Commission on Dams, and program director focused on natural resource conservation markets for water, wildlife, forests, and fish. He graduated with honors from Yale, studied two terms at Oxford, and was visiting professor at Wesleyan and Whitman colleges. But he earned his real education by blowing up dams, releasing wolves, igniting wildland fires, guiding safaris, smuggling water, and becoming a father.
To learn more about AquarShares Inc. please visit aquashares.com.
Josh Mackanic
Josh Mackanic (CEO and Founder of Civil Grid) is a construction tech founder and infrastructure industry expert. Josh is experienced in organizing and leading multidisciplinary teams to implement large capital infrastructure programs and change initiatives. At PG&E, he developed solar power plants on the largest utility owned solar program in the nation, successfully led the integration of safety automation technology new to natural gas utilities, and led lean transformation effort realizing material operational cost efficiencies within back office utility functions, regulatory filings, and process improvement.
About CivilGrid:
CivilGrid is a construction intelligence platform combining layers of utility, environmental, and geotechnical project site data. We aggregate and curate datasets that developers, engineers, and construction companies need to make critical planning and project implementation decisions. CivilGrid accelerates project due diligence, reduces utility research and
project engineering cost, and improves risk identification and construction planning.
To learn more, please visit https://www.civilgrid.com/
Eric Hoek
Eric Hoek is a professor in UCLA’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Institute of the Environment & Sustainability and the California NanoSystems Institute. Dr. Hoek is also Faculty Director of the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, which is a campus wide initiative and partnership with the City of Los Angeles to help LA become the world’s most sustainable megacity by 2050.
Dr. Hoek’s academic work explores the union of nanomaterials, membrane technology and electrochemistry for water, energy and environmental applications – all keys to a more sustainable future. Dr. Hoek has advised over 50 graduate students, published over 110 peer-reviewed scientific publications and filed over 70 patents filed globally. He has written books on Sustainable Desalination & Water Reuse, Oil & Gas Produced Water Management and is co-editor in chief of The Encyclopedia of Membrane Science. He is the founding and current editor-in-chief of npj Clean Water and a former associate editor of Desalination.
Dr. Hoek has also applied this knowledge as an entrepreneur having co-invented/founded several technology companies (e.g., NanoH2O, Water Planet, PolyCera, IntelliFlux) and as a consultant having advised various government agencies, technology companies, investment funds and law firms. Dr. Hoek has a Ph.D. from Yale University, M.S. from UCLA, B.S. from Penn State.
Alex Rappaport
Alex Rappaport CEO & Co-Founder at ZwitterCo, Inc.; Forbes 30 under 30
Alex Rappaport, who studied environmental engineering and entrepreneurship at Tufts, is similarly focused on the environmental impact of production. He cofounded ZwitterCo to take advantage of breakthrough advances in filtration to help companies take more harmful stuff out of their wastewater. ZwitterCo’s membranes can process fats, oils, and grease, and still last for years. The company has raised $44 million in venture funding (deep tech firm DCVC led its Series A) and expects to have more than 1 million gallons of wastewater treatment capacity set up by year-end.
To learn more about ZwitterCo, please visit https://zwitterco.com/.
Emily Hicks
Emily Hicks (President & Co-Founder of FREDsense) is a motivated technology entrepreneur experienced in managing large teams and delivering complex products. Emily is a graduate from the University of Calgary with a degree in Biomedical Science. Winner of multiple awards, including being named as one of Corporate Knight’s top 30 under 30, the winner of the She Loves Tech Global Finals and being recognized as one of Real Leader’s 100 young global leaders. Emily is an avid volunteer, giving back to professional organizations and inspiring the next generation of engineering and scientific leaders through STEM programs. Emily has successfully developed and deployed biotechnology products in the field and leads the Product and Operations team at FREDsense.
To learn more about Emily and her team, please visit fredsense.com.
Ashwin Madgavkar
Ashwin Madgavkar is the Founder and CEO of Ceres Imaging. He grew up in Texas and early in his career worked as an electrical engineer and strategy consultant, primarily in the energy industry.
In 2012, while working for a leading Brazilian sugarcane ethanol producer, Ash saw that large-scale agriculture operations often still make blanket decisions in areas like fertilizer and pesticide use, leading to waste, productivity losses, and environmental damage. In surveying an agribusiness opportunity in Colombia, he saw further evidence of a need in the industry for advanced data sources.
A solution to those problems began to take shape for Madgavkar in his time at Stanford, where he earned an MBA and took earth sciences classes that related to his engineering interests.
He learned about phenomenal advances in spectral imaging that Stanford researchers were applying to study Amazonian tree species and microclimates. Why couldn’t that advanced technology be applied to help farmers improve their yields, while saving water in drought-prone areas like California?
Madgavkar founded Ceres in 2013 and recruited a talented core team of scientists to develop the hardware, software, and know-how that has made the company fast-growing and well-loved by customers.
Greg Newbloom
Greg Newbloom believes that if sustainability was simple, cheap & low-risk – it would be irresistible. Greg states that”Multi-dimensional innovation across technology, services, policy & business models is the path to frictionless & broad adoption of sustainable best practices, but even so we’re not moving fast enough to correct the past.” That’s why Greg is passionate about accelerating innovation towards irresistible sustainability.
Mr. Newbloom’s background blends technology development (10+ years), entrepreneurship (10+ years) and management (7+ years) with an emphasis on bringing together counter-intuitive innovations to deliver extraordinary value (financial & sustainable). He is an action-oriented believer in building diverse teams, fostering a people-first culture, and enhancing idea meritocracy. Greg’s efforts have been recognized with numerous awards including prestigious alumni awards from both his alma maters, professional society early career recognition, and national/regional innovator awards.
Most recently, Greg had the privilege of building Membrion – a company focused on recovering water from “impossible” waste sources. In 6 short years, he founded the company, raised >$10M & built a diverse 20+ person team that invented, scaled & commercialized a world-changing technology. Learn more about Membrion here: Membrion.com
Matt Hurley
Matt Hurley is the GM at McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Hurley leads MAGSA in the development, adoption, and implementation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the sustainable management of groundwater within the MAGSA service area.
As CEO of Water Management Professionals, Inc, Hurley has extensive SGMA knowledge and background having been heavily involved at the State and local levels with the development of the regulations and implementation of SGMA. He served on the Department of Water Resources SGMA Practitioner’s Advisory Panel and the Association of California Water Agencies SGMA Task Force. “I am grateful to the Board for putting their trust in me as the new general manager of MAGSA. I will bring all the energy and expertise I have to implement SGMA for the best possible outcome for the landowners and communities served by MAGSA,” stated Hurley.
As a licensed attorney, Hurley is fully versed in water law, especially groundwater, in the State of California along with having broad experience in water resource and special district management. In addition to his role as General Manager of Angiola Water District, Deer Creek Storm Water District, and Green Valley Water District for the last ten years, Hurley organized and managed the Tri-County Water Authority GSA in the Tulare Lake Subbasin since 2016. He also served as Board Chair for several local water agencies including the Fresno Slough Water District, Atwell Island Water District, and the Tri-County Water Authority GSA. “Groundwater availability is essential for businesses, farms, and residents to thrive in the McMullin Area. Hurley has the experience and knowledge to navigate MAGSA through the challenges of implementing the State’s new groundwater regulations while minimizing the impacts to our local economy,” stated MAGSA Board Chair Don Cameron.
Sol Rosenbaum
Sol Rosenbaum is a Licensed PE with 19+ years in the energy engineering world. He is the Founder of http://www.TheEngineeringMentor.com with a passion for mentoring younger engineers.
He is a mechanical/energy engineer who enjoys helping building owners with financially viable energy savings projects. In Sol’s early positions, he worked on large ESPC projects where his tasks included climbing through mechanical rooms & calculating/designing the systems, construction/project management, and through the M & V phase. Since then, he has moved towards the management side of things, but still maintains a strong foothold on the technical side by providing oversight and general guidance to the engineering team. Currently, as Director, Green & Energy Services, he is involved in both technical work overseeing & guiding the engineering team as well as business & marketing to increase the revenue stream from this department. My firm, GRS Group provides due diligence transactional services related to the mortgage finance/CRE world.
Sol believes in helping out the next generation of engineers. Please check out his work and services here: www.TheEngineeringMentor.com
Jon McClean
Dr. Jon McClean has worked in the field of water treatment since 1986. He is recognized as an expert in the field of Ultra Violet disinfection and has a particular interest in Advanced Oxidation Processes. He won the Queen’s Award in 2001 for innovation in UV light that now forms an integral part of state-of-the-art AOP systems and has been awarded several patents. He sold his business in 2016, which is now part of Evoqua Water Technologies. Dr. McClean currently has responsibility for technology and innovation across Evoqua Water Technologies. Evoqua is a $1.5B provider of water and wastewater solutions that Transform Water and Enrich Lives. Filtration is a core competence and critically enables the other treatment processes to perform optimally.
Dr. McClean received his undergraduate degree in Physics from Imperial College, London and his MBA from Henley Management College and Instead, Paris. He received his Doctoral Degree from Xavier University, Cincinnati. His Ph.D Dissertation subject was the moderating effect that self-awareness has on the relationship between personality and Transformational Leadership.
Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company (“Xylem”), and Evoqua (NYSE: AQUA), a leader in mission-critical water treatment solutions and services, announced in January 2023 that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Xylem will acquire Evoqua in an all-stock transaction that reflects an implied enterprise value of approximately $7.5 billion.
George Demosthenous
George Demosthenous is the CEO of VODA.ai – an award-winning, software company, powered by artificial intelligence and focused on risk modeling. George co-founded VODA.ai in 2017 to help utilities leverage their data to assess risk and make infrastructure decisions quicker and with improved accuracy. Prior to VODA.ai, George worked at a public company, helping utilities manage their assets and lower NRW.
How was VODA.ai founded?
George Demosthenous worked in the water industry for years, and often heard his utility friends complain by the amount of pipe failures they had to deal with. They shared their frustration over bad press and felt that planning was time-consuming and complicated.
While George was working on a master’s degree at Harvard, he took an innovation course from Jim Fitchett. Jim had previously run a company that used advanced technology to predict the health of people. They found patterns that led to health events and then applied those patterns to groups of people, predicting the likelihood of diabetic complications, cardiac episodes, and other avoidable events.
Over coffee one day, George told Jim about the problem of poor health of water pipes. A lightbulb went off in Jim’s head. If the health of people could be predicted, why not water pipe health as well? Soon after, they founded VODA.ai to help water professionals plan more effectively, easier, and faster – way faster.
To learn more about VODA, please visit https://voda.ai/.
Greg Quist and David Drake
Greg Quist is one of the original inventors and co-founder of SmartCover. He served as President & CEO of SmartCover since founding for over 16 years. A long-time member of the water community, Greg was elected to the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District Board of Directors in 1990, where he has served for the past 32 years in various roles including President, Vice President, and Treasurer. Rincon’s Board appointed Greg to the San Diego County Water Authority Board in 1996 for 12 years where he led a coalition of eleven agencies to achieve more than $1M per year in water delivery savings. With a background in the areas of metamaterials, numerical analysis, signal processing, pattern recognition, wireless communications, and system integration, Greg has worked as a technologist, manager and executive at Alcoa, McDonnell-Douglas, and SAIC and has founded and successfully spun off several high technology start-up companies, primarily in real-time detection and water technology. He holds 17 patents with several pending. Greg earned his undergraduate degree in astrophysics with a minor in economics from Yale College where he played football and baseball. He earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has held top-level government clearances and is Chairman Emeritus of the Urban Water Institute.
David Drake has served in engineering and management roles since 1974. He was a Member of the Technical Staff at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Manager of Engineering at Oak Industries, Software Unit Manager at Digital Equipment Corporation, CIO and VP at Mitchell International, Internet Service Architect at SAIC, and Co-founder and Enterprise Architect of SmartCover Systems in Escondido, CA. He holds 14 US and five foreign patents. He won a First Place Design Award from the Electrical Engineering Times. He is active in the AWWA, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is a past Chair of the Escondido Planning Commission and served as the City of Escondido’s representative to the San Diego County Water Authority, where he was a member of the Administrative/Finance and Engineering committees. He graduated from Caltech in Electrical Engineering and is a Life Member of the Caltech Alumni Association. In 2017 he was named a Life Member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and was awarded his Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from USC. In 2020, he was named as the Industry Icon of Water and Wastes Digest.
To learn more about Smart Cover, please visit https://smartcoversystems.com/
Adam Tank
Colleagues have described Adam is their “trusted ‘go-to” when they need a leader to step into complex situations, rapidly identify the moving parts, develop sound business strategies, and execute to completion.
Adam has developed skill sets in negotiations, open innovation, financing, and P&L management over a 10+ year career in Fortune 100 companies, international small businesses, and venture capital-backed technology start-ups.
Some of Adam’s challenging but fulfilling accomplishments have been:
• Leading the Digital Water division at General Electric, developing new IoT products and services for water utilities in addition to spearheading their venture capital efforts
• Graduating from GE’s Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP)
• Founding a venture capital-backed startup developing breakthrough robotic technologies, acquired less than three years later by a publicly traded company.
• Living in Brazil as an expatriate and developing innovative strategies to grow a small CPG business
One constant in Adam’s career has been teamwork – that success simply is not possible without the cooperation of multiple stakeholders. He is fully dedicated to leading teams of individuals to success – enabling them and getting out of their way. He most recently built a team of talented engineers developing robotic technology to save our water infrastructure. Adam is also passionate about non-profit work and volunteers as a mentor with Defy Ventures – a non-profit aiming to end mass incarceration through entrepreneurial and life-skills coaching for currently and formerly incarcerated men and women.
If you’d like to learn more about Adam and his work and connect, please visit his personal website: www.adamtank.com
Austin Meyermann
Austin Meyermann is the founder and current President of Hunter Crown, LLC a consultative, boutique executive search firm dedicated to placing top talent with world-class companies. Clients include portfolio companies of Kleiner Perkins, Khosla Ventures, XPV Capital, Element Partners, SAIL Capital, and True North Venture Partners.
Austin is also the CEO of TalentCMO, LLC. TalentCMO is HR’s recruitment marketing partner and its mission is to develop and deliver a continuous pipeline of top talent to clients through the application of process-driven technical marketing strategies. We help our clients to tell their stories through the development and projection of the employer brand. We drive engagement through social, content, and email marketing. Importantly, we cultivate and engage with talent communities pre-demand, because on-demand is already too late in the talent market of today.
To learn more about Hunter Crown and its services, please visit https://www.huntercrown.com/
David Solomon
David Solomon – Founder & CTO of Aquarius Spectrum
David Solomon is a Serial Entrepreneur and technology leader in the field of Big Data analysis, IOT, Machine Learning, signal processing, and acoustics. David has over 25 years of experience in research and development in the military, medical and water industries. Formerly founder and CEO of EndoRhythm ltd and COO of WideMed ltd. David holds a BSc and MSc degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Technion-Haifa. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david1solomon/
Aquarius Spectrum provides acoustic solutions that enable water utilities to proactively monitor their distribution pipe network, solve infrastructure issues, detect background leaks, reduce NRW and operational costs and assess the pipes’ condition. These solutions combine sensitive sensors powered by sophisticated algorithms, big data analysis, and advanced connectivity (CAT-M/NB-IoT). By using our most innovative water network monitoring platform that enables accurate pinpointing of leaks and identification of poor pipe sections for renewal – water utilities improve the resiliency of their new and aging water network infrastructure. To learn more, please visit: https://aqs-systems.com/
David Solomon
David Solomon is a Serial Entrepreneur and technology leader in the field of Big Data analysis, IOT, machine learning, signal processing, and acoustics. David has over 25 years of experience in research and development in the military, medical and water industries. Formerly founder and CEO of EndoRhythm ltd and COO of WideMed ltd.David holds a BSc and MSc degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Technion-Haifa.
David is the Founder & CT0 of Aquarius Spectrum. Aquarius Spectrum provides acoustic solutions that enable water utilities to proactively monitor their distribution pipe network, solve infrastructure issues, detect background leaks, reduce NRW and operational costs and assess the pipes’ condition. These solutions combine sensitive sensors powered by sophisticated algorithms, big data analysis, and advanced connectivity (CAT-M/NB-IoT). By using our most innovative water network monitoring platform that enables accurate pinpointing of leaks and identification of poor pipe sections for renewal – water utilities improve the resiliency of their new and aging water network infrastructure.
To learn more about Aquarius Spectrum, please visit http://www.aqs-systems.com/
Jack Hartpence
Jack Hartpence serves as a Co-Founder of PowWater. After a near-death car accident in 2017, he recognized that the purpose of life is to help others and this world we call home. Jack and his team started PowWater to provide as many people as possible with access to water, the foundation for quality of life on earth today.
PowWater currently works in close partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and has brought sustainable clean water to over 200,000 people across East Africa and South Asia. In 2021, PowWater was inducted into the Business Call to Action, a UNDP consortium of the top 250 businesses in the world tackling the SDG’s. I have been featured as a panelist on Youth, Technology, and Social Entrepreneurship at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, in Nairobi at the East Africa Social Business Summit, as well as in Dhaka at Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus’ social business incubator, YY Ventures.
To learn more about PowWater, please visit https://www.powwater.com/
Yousef Yousef
Yousef Yousef is an innovator at heart with an entrepreneurial mindset. From developing original technological solutions that are environment-friendly to setting up new businesses and coaching innovative startups into becoming scale-ups. His passion lies with the green scale-ups. Yousef is a proud CEO of LG Sonic, which is a leading example of what a green innovative SME can achieve.
LG Sonic’s mission is to fight environmental pollution and eliminate harmful chemicals in the water treatment industry. They invest in the design and development of innovative technologies to monitor and control algal blooms, a major environmental problem that degrades water quality and its ecosystem. With nearly 10 years of experience, we serve 12 different industries in over 55 countries. LG Sonic’s technology has won multiple awards including Coordinator of several European FP7 projects, Official Innovation Partner of American Water, Aquatech Innovation Award (2015), and Shell LiveWIRE Award (2014).
To learn more about LG Sonic, please visit https://www.lgsonic.com/
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