Applications are now being accepted for the 2016 Water Leaders Class, a yearlong program that educates young professionals from diverse backgrounds about water issues and leadership. The deadline to apply is Dec. 7, 2015. The class begins January 2016.

Since the program began in 1997, about 20 people have been selected each year to participate in the program named for William “Bill” Gianelli, a past president of the Foundation’s board of directors. Criteria for acceptance include a commitment to understanding water issues, and an interest in seeking key staff positions at your workplace and/or leadership roles on public boards and commissions.

After attending a January orientation, individual class members are assigned a top level policy-maker as a mentor. Class members spend one day “shadowing” their mentor and then conduct a one-on-one interview on a specific research topic chosen by the class. In addition to the January orientation, class members are required to attend the Foundation’s signature conference, the Executive Briefing, in March; the Bay-Delta Tour in June, along with one other water tour, and class work-group sessions to develop a PowerPoint presentation and report on the selected research topic for the year. Class members then present their finding to the Foundation’s Board of Directors at the end of the year.

Tuition is $3,900. Some scholarship funding is available from the William R. “Bill” Gianelli and Anne Schneider scholarship funds.

Click here to access an online form. Or, contact Lisa Tran for more information.