Four new members bringing a wide range of water resource experiences and perspectives have joined the Water Education Foundation Board. They include representatives from Environmental Defense Fund, a Southern California water agency, an engineer and a water policy manager for a municipal utility association.  

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

Joining the board as new members in 2023 are:

• Richard Aragon, director of finance for the Coachella Valley Water District and a 2017 alum of the Foundation’s Water Leaders program 
• Cheyanne Harris, a civil engineer with Brown and Caldwell, and a 2019 alum of the Water Leaders program
• Ann Hayden, associate vice president of Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Resilient Water Systems Program
• Andrea Abergel, manager of water policy for the California Municipal Utilities Association. Abergel, a member of the Water Leader Class of 2022, fills that class’ board position. 

Founded in 1977, the Foundation focuses on producing news, maps, publications, workshops, tours and leadership programs 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 the new board members at their final 2022 meeting on Nov. 28. Their appointments were effective Jan. 1, 2023.