Whether we work for public water/wastewater utilities or private-sector businesses, our workplaces tend to mirror the increasingly complex and interconnected world in which we live. Research has shown that workforce diversity, meaning not only different kinds of people but a wide variety of perspectives and ideas, is key to organizations becoming more creative, resilient, effective and profitable. This panel will present the value of workforce diversity in the water/wastewater industry through discussion of the benefits of organizational alignment with the population at large, managing a diverse workforce, mentoring the next generation and providing training through STEM programs, and creation of a sustainable, innovative organization through leadership training that embraces cultural diversity.
Workforce Diversity: A Key to Success Tuesday, July 21 at 11:00 AM
AZ Water Past President Panel Discussion Facilitator
Marie Pearthree has over 40 years of experience in the water industry. A registered Professional Engineer (Civil) in Arizona, she has held a wide variety of positions in both the private and public sectors, most notably as Deputy Director of Tucson Water and Deputy General Manager, Central Arizona Project, where she was extensively involved in implementing CAP’s goal to diversify its workforce. She recently co-authored a book entitled “Tucson Water Turnaround: Crisis to Success” with Michael J. McGuire that has been published by AWWA regarding Tucson’s experience with the introduction of Colorado River Water during the 1990s-2000s. A Past President of the AZ Water Association, she received the George Warren Fuller Award in 2018.
Public Works Director Town of Gilbert
Jessica Marlow is the Public Works Director in Gilbert, Arizona, where she oversees the operations of Water, Wastewater, Streets, Solid Waste, and Engineering Services, including the Towns Capital Improvement Program and Traffic Engineering Operations. Jessica began her career as a civil engineer with a focus in water and wastewater treatment and distribution. She has worked for Gilbert since 2014, and previously worked for the Town of Cave Creek as their Utilities Manager. Jessica has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Northern Arizona University, a Masters in Environmental Science and Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, has her 4x4 ADEQ certifications, and is a registered professional engineer in Arizona.
Managing Member DSW Water Strategies
Mr. Williams has over 40 years’ experience in the areas of municipal water, wastewater and recycled water engineering. Mr. Williams holds a BS Degree in Physics from Roosevelt University and a BS Degree in Civil Engineering (with Honors) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a Board Certified Environmental Engineer of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Illinois. Mr. Williams was the founder of Damon S. Williams Associates, LLC (DSWA), a regional water, wastewater and recycled water consulting engineering firm based in Phoenix, Arizona. Later, he was a Managing Engineer for Jacobs Engineering Group after the firm merged with DSWA. He is currently Managing Member of DSW Water Strategies, a water consulting firm, also based in Phoenix. Mr. Williams is a member of the City of Phoenix Citizens Water and Wastewater Rate Advisory Committee.
President TAP Resource Development Group, Inc.
Richard Gerstberger is President of TAP Resource Development Group, Inc., an organizational development, training, coaching and management consulting firm in Denver. He has over 35 years of utility experience, including Public Works Director, Director of Utility Operations and Project Manager for the AWWA Research Foundation (now the Water Research Foundation). He is currently the Chair of the Workforce Sustainability Subcommittee of the WEF Utility Management Committee and a member of the AWWA Workforce Strategies Committee. He will address how to create a sustainable organization that integrates leadership skills at all levels of the organization, culture and process while creating an employer of choice-based organization including cultural diversity.
Vice President STEM Initiatives, Si Se Puerde
Fredi Lajvardi is Vice President for STEM Initiatives, Si Se Puerde in Phoenix. A former high school teacher, he is renowned for taking a team of disadvantaged teenagers to a university-level underwater robotics competition, where they defeated leading schools including top-ranked MIT. The story has been captured in the movie Spare Parts, the documentary Underwater Dreams and the IMAX film Dream Big. He recently led a first-time women's underwater robotics team from Arizona State University to an international competition, where they placed first among teams from the United States. Honored with numerous awards for his spirited passion for teaching, Fredi continues to serve as a prominent advocate about the importance of STEM education nationwide.
Operations Director Central Division EPCOR USA
Art Nunez is the Operations Director, Central Division for EPCOR USA. He previously served as the Water Reclamation Services Director for the City of Scottsdale. He has over 35 years of experience in managing various aspects of water and wastewater treatment and conveyance systems. He is a past recipient of AZ Water’s Operator of the year, Operations Leader of the Year and WEF’s William D. Hatfield Award. As a strong leader, he brings his experience and understanding for the need of a diverse workforce in the water and wastewater industry from the operations and maintenance perspective.
COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Arizona Water Leaders Wednesday, July 22nd at 11 AM
News outlets regularly cover how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting lives locally, regionally and globally. When it comes to the impacts of COVID-19 on Arizona’s water industry, AZ Water has you covered. This panel consists of water professionals who have been on the front lines of planning for and managing these impacts. They will answer your questions regarding how they have adapted, what they have learned, and the next steps in responding to this pandemic.
Principal, GHD Panel Discussion Facilitator
Mike Worlton is a professional engineer and grade 4 certified operator. For the last 23 years, he has focused on planning, design, construction, and operations of water infrastructure in Arizona. He oversees Engineering, Construction, and Operations teams for GHD in Phoenix, Arizona. Mike has served as President of the Arizona Society of Civil Engineers, a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for the City of Peoria, and an Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University. He chaired Arizona’s 2015 Infrastructure Report Card (www.infrastructurereportcard.org/arizona) and founded a regional public outreach group called STORM (www.azstorm.org).
Deputy Director of Water Services City of Peoria
David Burks is the Deputy Director for Water Services for the City of Peoria. Before relocating to the City of Peoria, David was the General Manager of the Water District for the City of Pinetop for 19 years. David also served 12 years as a Fire Fighter III and EMT with the Pinetop Fire Department as well as five years on the Technical Rescue Team for Pinetop Fire Department. He currently holds a Grade Four Water Distribution, Grade Four Water Treatment, Grade Three Wastewater Collection and a Grade Two in Wastewater Treatment certifications with Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Senior Director of Water Services Salt River Project
Michael Mendonca is the Senior Director of SRP’s Water Services, which is responsible for the annual delivery of 800,000 acre feet of raw water to 10 cities and 25,000 agricultural and irrigation customers in the Phoenix metropolitan area. His responsibility is focused on delivering sustainable, reliable and affordable water to the valley through a system comprised of 1,300 miles of canals and laterals. Michael has been with SRP for over 20 years. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Information Systems and Marketing as well as an MBA in Marketing.
Operations Director – Central District EPCOR
Director of Field Maintenance Central Arizona Project
Phil Rettinger is the Director of Field Maintenance Manager for the Central Arizona Project and is responsible for work execution teams that perform maintenance on Aqueduct and Pumping Plant assets. These assets are civil, mechanical, and electrical including pumping / generating stations, open channel aqueduct, pipeline, siphons, dams, and recharge projects. Phil has been with the Central Arizona Project for over ten years starting in 2009. Prior to joining CAP, he served as Maintenance West Manager responsible for Aqueduct and Pumping plant assets for one half of the canal system geographically from Parker to Mesa, Arizona. Phil started his professional career working for almost fifteen years in the steel industry and held various positions in supervision, management, and reliability engineering for Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Phil is a graduate of Purdue University holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineer. Phil holds reliability certifications as both a Certified Reliability Leader and Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional. He has been a member of both organizations that helps to foster the use of maintenance best practices throughout industry.
Governor's Water Augmentation, Innovation and Conservation Council Update Thursday, July 23rd at 11:00 AM
The Governor’s Water Augmentation, Innovation and Conservation Council (GWAICC) was formed in January 2019 by Executive Order. Comprised of 38 Governor appointed members and four legislators, it has formed four focus committees: Desalination, Long Term Water Augmentation, Non-AMA Groundwater and Post 2025 Active Management Areas. This panel session will focus on what challenges the state is facing in each of these areas and what the current conversation is on how to develop tools and solutions. While each committee has a unique focus area, many issues overlap and are interconnected. The panel will discuss the approach to many of the State’s water challenges and the complexities of having hard public conversations that move the State into the next era of water management.
Water Resources Policy Manager, City of Scottsdale Panel Discussion Facilitator
Gretchen Baumgardner is the Water Resources Policy Manager for the City of Scottsdale. She has a BS in Ag and BioSystems Engineering from the University of Arizona and a MS in Water Resources Engineering from Arizona State University. Prior to working in local government, she worked as a consulting engineer in master planning and hydraulic modeling.
Attorney, Law Offices of Jamie Kelley PLLC GWAICC Non-AMA Groundwater Committee Co-Chair
Jamie Kelley is an attorney in private practice in Mohave County. She currently serves as general counsel for Mohave County Water Authority. Throughout her career she has represented small districts. She currently serves on the Governor's Water Augmentation, Innovation and Conservation Council and is a co-chair on the Non-AMA Groundwater sub-committee.
Attorney Noble Law Office GWAICC Long Term Augmentation Committee Chair
In addition to serving as the current Chairman of the Governor’s Water Augmentation Innovation and Conservation Council (GWAICC) - Long Term Water Augmentation Committee, Wade has served and is serving on other many water coalitions, advisory councils and committees including: Member of the Governor’s Water Augmentation Innovation and Conservation Council (GWAICC) and the Arizona Lower Basin (Colorado River) Drought Contingency Plan Steering Committee, Chairman of Arizona Navigable Streams Adjudication Commission, President (2011-2012) of the National Water Resources Association (NWRA) and chairman of NWRA Policy Development Committee, and Chairman of Colorado River Water Users’ Association (CRWUA) - Resolutions Committee.
Wade and his wife Kathy are the parents of five children. He is a fifth-generation native Arizonan. His Bachelor’s Degree is from the University of Arizona (1973) – with graduate credits from Arizona State University. St. Mary’s University of San Antonio awarded him a Juris Doctor in 1977.
Wade has been in private practice in Yuma since 1978. His primary clients include: Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, Yuma Irrigation District, North Gila Valley Irrigation and Drainage District, and Unit B Irrigation and Drainage District.
Manager of Water Resource Management Arizona Public Service Company GWAICC Desalination Committee Chair
Philip Richards is the Manager of Water Resource Management at APS. The team works to secure and maintain a reliable supply of water for two coal power plants, six gas and oil power plants, and the Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Facility. His team also supports development inside APS’s service territory. He is a professional engineer licensed in the States of Arizona and Colorado. Philip has over 20 years of experience in water resource management. He is currently working with several organizations, including the Governor’s Water Augmentation Innovation and Conservation Council, where he serves as Chair of the Desalination Committee, finding innovative solutions to meet Arizona’s most difficult water challenges. In their spare time, Philip and his wife enjoy kayaking the Verde and Salt Rivers and mountain-biking the Arizona trails.
Natural Resources Policy Advisor Office of Governor Doug Ducey
Chuck Podolak is the Natural Resources Policy Advisor for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. In this role he coordinates policy decisions across 8 state agencies on topics including water, forestry, land, environmental regulations, energy, wildlife, and agriculture. He also provides the Governor with advice on legislation on these same topics. Prior to serving in the Governor’s office Chuck served as the Natural Resources Policy Advisor for Senator Jeff Flake, and the Director of Water Rights and Contracts at the Salt River Project. Dr. Podolak has a PhD in River Sciences from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelors Degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and former F-16 fighter pilot.
Executive Director Arizona Municipal Water Users Association GWAICC Active Management Areas Post 2025 Committee Chair
Warren Tenney is the Executive Director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association; whose members include the ten major cities in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Warren is a member of the Governor’s Water Council. He was elected twice to the Central Arizona Project Board of Directors representing Pima County. He served as Vice-President of the CAP Board and as Chair of the Board’s Finance, Audit & Power Committee for three years.
Warren served as chair of the AZ Water Association’s Water Resources Committee from 2009 to 2014. Warren is a fourth generation Arizonan. He earned his B.A. at Arizona State University and earned an M.A. at Northern Arizona University.
Paying it Forward: What challenges will today’s water industry trends present for tomorrow's water professionals? Friday, July 24th at 11 AM
As the future leaders of the water industry, this year’s YP Block will focus on the potential impact that today’s choices and trends will have on the future of the water industry. A panel of experts will discuss everything from how past decisions have led to current challenges that are faced in the industry to what future challenges we may face as a result of current choices being made today. The discussion will take a comprehensive look at the lifecycle of water as it is collected, used, and then recycled.
Water Market Leader, Stanley Consultants Panel Discussion Facilitator
Guy has 30 years of experience in water, water resources, pretreatment, wastewater, and reclaimed water operations, consulting, and master planning. He also has experience evaluating technologies and technology providers for mergers & acquisitions, and with commercializing new water reclamation technology. He served for 11 years on the WateReuse Association board of directors, 2 as President. He was also on the Central Arizona Project board of directors for 4 years. Guy is the Water Market Leader for Stanley Consultants, a global engineering service provider.
Executive Director Scottsdale Water
Brian Biesemeyer is the Executive Director of Scottsdale Water and has held that position since 2012. While at Scottsdale, he also served as the acting City Manager from June 2015 to January 2017. Prior to Scottsdale, Brian’s previous positions include Deputy Public Works - Utilities Director for the City of Peoria, Arizona and General Manager for Arizona American Water. He is a registered professional Environmental Engineer and holds Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Grade 4 Operator Certifications in Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection. Brian is a board member of the WateReuse Association, past president of WateReuse Arizona., and a Management Board member of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association.
Past-President, Water Environment Federation (WEF) President, Warner and Associates
Rick Warner is president of Warner and Associates and has over 30 years of engineering and strategic water resource planning experience. Rick is presently serving as Program Coordinator for OneWater Nevada – a partnership of eight agencies exploring potable reuse in Nevada. Rick is also the Program Development Coordinator for the Nevada Water Innovation Institute, a research hub located at the University of Nevada, Reno. Mr. Warner served as the 2017 president of the Water Environment Federation and served from 2014 to 2018 on the Board of Directors of The Water Research Foundation. Recognizing his contribution to water recycling and sustainable practices, in 2018, Rick received the National Advocacy Achievement Award from the WateReuse Association.
President-Elect, American Water Works Association (AWWA) VP & Chief Scientist, Eastern Research Group
Dr. Chi Ho Sham is a Vice President and Chief Scientist for Eastern Research Group, Inc. in Lexington, Massachusetts. Chi Ho has worked on drinking and source water protection, water quality assessment, watershed management, underground injection control, and natural resources conservation issues for over three decades. In his current role, he is developing a “total water solutions” platform that integrates practice areas including wastewater management, water conservation, water resource planning, drinking water protection, and water quality restoration. He provides technical leadership and advice on scientific research and policy development issues, with current projects in source water protection, premise plumbing, and water quality assessment. He has been an active member of AWWA since joining in 1990.
Chi Ho volunteers for not only AWWA, but the University of Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, Dean’s Advisory Council, the Urban Watershed Research Institute, and the Conservation Law Foundation as well. He received the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2016, and now serves as chair of the Technical and Educational Council.
Chi Ho holds a B.A. in geography (with a focus on planning) from the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada. He received his M.A. and Ph.D., both in geography (with focus on fluvial geomorphology and hydrology), from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Currently, he is an adjunct professor at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, teaching a course on natural resources management. When not at work, Chi Ho enjoys visiting national parks and spending time with family and friends.