DURHAM, N.C. – Eighteen rising leaders from water and wastewater utilities across the United States have graduated from Duke University’s Water Innovation Leadership Development (WILD) continuing education program. This is the 4th cohort of water professionals to complete the program since 2020.

The WILD program introduces mid-career professionals to new approaches and resources for dealing with some of the most pressing issues facing the water services sector today, from funding shortfalls and aging infrastructure to climate impacts and population growth planning.

Over the course of the program, WILD Fellows take part in monthly online sessions and two intensive three-day workshops at Duke’s campus in Durham, N.C. Industry experts and leading researchers facilitate the sessions and workshops and provide coaching to fellows, but there’s also a big emphasis on peer-to-peer learning, said Martin Doyle, professor of river systems science and policy at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, who serves as faculty lead on WILD.

“The idea is to help emerging leaders build a network of peers they can brainstorm with and seek advice from, even long after the program ends,” Doyle said.

Thanks to generous support from program funders, tuition, travel and lodging costs, which otherwise would be valued at about $14,000, are covered for each Fellow.

The 18 new WILD graduates are:

  • Bethel Abate, Programs Manager, DC Water, Washington DC.  
  • Tirusew Asefa, Systems Decision Support Manager, Tampa Bay Water, Clearwater Florida. 
  • Esther Baptiste, Management Professional – Planning Services, Great Lakes Water Authority, Detroit Michigan.  
  • Elvy Barton, Water and Forest Sustainability Manager, Salt River Project, Tempe Arizona.  
  • William Bulloss, Assistant Director of Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability, Western Virginia Water Authority, Roanoke Virginia.  
  • Terence Byrd, Drinking Water Systems Program Manager, JXN Water, Jackson Mississippi. 
  • Indira Gonzales, Section Manager, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Laurel Maryland. 
  • Kimberly Gupta, Director of Operations, Portland Water Bureau, Portland Oregon.  
  • Patrick Jensen, Principal Civil Engineer, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Chicago Illinois.  
  • Khanh Kim, Managing Engineer, Houston Water Drinking Water Operations, Houston Texas.  
  • Rochelle Larson, Principal Engineer, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, Alburquerque New Mexico. 
  • Jennifer Lee, Environmental Regulatory Compliance Manager, City of Burlingame, Burlingame California.  
  • Andre Miller, Director of Engineering, City of Sanford, Sanford North Carolina. 
  • Andrew Moore, Director of Plant Operations, Lehigh County Authority, Allentown Pennsylvania.  
  • April Nabors, Superintendent of Industrial and Commercial Accounts, Birmingham Water Works, Birmingham Alabama.  
  • Crystal Tulley-Cordova, Principal Hydrologist, Water Resources for the Navajo Nation, Fort Defiance Arizona.  
  • Oscar Vasquez, Deputy Public Works Director, City of Hialeah Municipal Government, Miami Florida.  
  • Andrea Yang, Deputy Executive Director, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Cincinnati Ohio.  

All 18 graduates led solo capstone projects during the program that allowed them to put their new leadership skills and knowledge into practice via a current work or professional project or to help advance their individual career goals.

WILD graduates earn a Certificate of Completion from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.

For more information, contact the Environment+ team at dukeenvironplus@duke.edu

 

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