Join us for an open house and reception on Thursday, May 2, at our office in midtown Sacramento, where you can meet our staff and learn more about what we do to educate and foster public understanding of water resource issues in California and the Southwest.

The Water Education Foundation has been doing this work for more than 40 years! This open house, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., is an ideal time to meet some of the people behind our Water Leaders program for early to mid-career professionals, our tours and workshops, our Project WET teacher training and our Western Water online news. 

Click here to RSVP and get more information, including testimonials from people who have gone through our programs.

We’re holding our open house in conjunction with Big Day of Giving, a 24-hour online event aimed at raising funds for nonprofits and highlighting the good work they do in their communities. You can schedule a tax-deductible donation today or participate on Thursday, May 2. This year’s campaign is in memory of Gary Weatherford, our longtime board member.

Among the staff on hand at the open house will be:

• Nick Gray, our programs manager in charge of water tours who can tell you more about the places you’ll go to and the things you’ll see on one of our upcoming tours. Our next tour is the Bay-Delta Tour, our most popular tour, which will take participants through California’s vital water hub June 5-7. 
• Brian Brown, our Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) coordinator who can discuss training opportunities for K-12 teachers to learn more about watersheds, wetlands and climate change and some neat ways to engage students.
• Kasey Chong, who coordinates our year-long Water Leaders program for early to mid-career professionals and can explain how the program works and when to apply for the next class.
• Patrick Dunlap, our development director who can talk about how you can support the Foundation’s work.
• Doug Beeman, our deputy director, news & publications, and Gary Pitzer, our chief writer, who can talk about the stories we’re covering in Western Water, our online news magazine, as well as our layperson’s guides, poster-size water maps and other publications.

See what people say about the Foundation’s impact:

“The Water Education Foundation helped ignite my passion for California water. Through attending events and participating in the Water Leaders class, I learned how valuable my experience in California agriculture can be in broader discussions about water.”
- Sara Reid, VP, Lead Relationship Manager – Western Region, CoBank, Foundation Board Member, Water Leaders Class of 2015

“It’s exciting to be a part of an organization that highlights the pressing issues in California’s water for the public to be able to truly engage in a topic that is critical to nearly everything, but often doesn’t get the attention it deserves.”
- Rick Aragon, Assistant General Manager, Rancho California Water District, Foundation Board Member and Water Leaders Class of 2017

The Water Education Foundation has been an important constant in my career in water. The programs and publications of the Foundation provide a wealth of information on water topics and challenges facing Californians. As a board member, I had the pleasure of working with the staff to ensure the exceptional programs adapt to new information technologies and to meet the continually evolving needs of water managers and users in California and the West.
-Maurice Hall, Associate VP, Ecosystems – Water, Environmental Defense Fund, Water Leaders Class of 2001

Policy and law in regard to water has never been easy, but the efforts and programs of the Water Education Foundation have always made the discussion easier.”
- Chris Scheuring, Managing Counsel, Natural Resources & Environmental Dept., California Farm Bureau Federation, Water Leaders Class of 2004