A select group of young professionals from a variety of water stakeholder groups were chosen to participate in the 2016 class of the highly respected William R. Gianelli Water Leaders program put on by the Water Education Foundation.

The yearlong program begins Jan. 28 in Sacramento at the Foundation’s office.

2016 Class members are:

• Carlos Carrillo, Assistant Resource Specialist II, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
• Anna Constantino, Staff Engineer, FlowWest & Intelligent Ecosystems Institute
• Carrie Crane, Program Coordinator, Tulare County Farm Bureau
• Matthew Danielczyk, Restoration Project Manager, Audubon California
• Danielle Duncan, Graduate Student, Master’s of Science in Water Resources Management, CSU Fresno
• Andrew Edstrom, Water Resources Senior Analyst, Wonderful Orchards
• Russell Frink, Attorney, Treder Land Law
• Amanda Heise, Water Engineer, CH2M
• Laura Hollender, Attorney, California Department of Water Resources
• Daniel Huang, Environmental Scientist, Delta Stewardship Council
• Danny Kelley, VP of Operations, Stevinson Water District
• Betty Hurley Lindeman, Drainwater Treatment Plant Coordinator, Panoche Water and Drainage District
• Harleen Kaur, Senior Associate, Nossaman LLP
• Casey James LeBlanc, Associate Civil Engineer, East Bay Municipal Utility District
• Henry McCann, Research Associate II, Public Policy Institute of California
• Jennifer Morales, Environmental Scientist, California Department of Water Resources
• Jeffrey J. Patrick, Attorney, The Law Offices of Young Wooldridge, LLP
• Lena Perkins, Resource Planner, City of Palo Alto, Utilities Department
• Amanda Platt, District Manager, Sloughhouse Resource Conservation District
• Oliver Slosser, Senior Water Resources Engineer, MWH Americas
• Salote Soqo, Bay Area Program Coordinator, The Environmental Justice Coalition for Water

The Water Leaders program began in 1997 and several of the “Water Leaders” have gone on to achieve top positions in their companies, the state Legislature, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Each class member this year will be assigned to shadow and interview a prominent water stakeholder – with the goal of matching students and mentors from different communities. Class members attend Foundation tours and briefings as they research and develop an oral presentation to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Last year’s Water Leaders Class studied managing drought for the economy and the environment. Click here to read their report.

Congratulations to the selected 2016 Water Leaders!