Each year, the Board of Directors of the Water Education Foundation votes to accept a member of the graduating Water Leaders class to join the board for a three-year term.

For the 2020 class, the board selected Carl B. Evers III, vice president of water resources for Hancock Natural Resource Group, where he is responsible for the management of water policy at the state and national level for the company’s agricultural investments in the western United States. 

Evers joins a board whose president is Mike Chrisman, who served as California natural resources secretary for seven years under former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Along with Evers’ appointment, the Board of Directors approved additional one-year terms for Chrisman and the rest of the Executive Committee: Vice President Celeste Cantú of Water Solutions Network; Secretary Yung-Hsin Sun with Stantec and Treasurer JaNell Cook, with HDR Inc. Bob Johnson, a former commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, remains as Past President.

In all, a volunteer board of more than 30 directors representing a broad cross-section of water, education, business, environmental, agricultural and public interest communities governs the Foundation, an impartial nonprofit based in Sacramento.

Founded in 1977, the Foundation focuses on producing news, maps, publications, workshops and tours to raise awareness of water issues in California and across the Colorado River Basin. The Foundation team is led by Executive Director Jennifer Bowles.

Members of the Board of Directors voted to approve Evers and the Executive Committee at their final 2020 meeting in December, and their appointments were effective Jan. 1, 2021. The board held its first 2021 meeting on March 15.