Moderators: Jim Janecek, Northern Arizona University; Frank Protiva, Shephard Wesnitzer; and Dana Downs, CH2M Hill.

Overview

During this highly interactive, thought-provoking forum, program managers from a variety of urban and rural areas will discuss their innovative strategies for conserving and managing water supplies. These panelists will represent three states — Arizona, California, and Nevada. After opening comments and overviews of rural and urban issues, we’ll begin the panel discussion. Each panelist will highlight his or her organization’s activities and answer questions posed not only by audience members but also by other panelists.

We hope to blur the line between presenter and audience member by encouraging everyone to participate actively in this forum. Our goal is to shed light on policy and water management issues and to examine the role of conservation. This is an ideal opportunity to exchange information about existing and emergent technologies, to explore what’s working, and — perhaps most importantly — to answer the question, “Where do we go from here?”

Participants

Thomas Babcock
City of Phoenix, Water Conservation Coordinator

Thomas Babcock has worked as a newspaper reporter, a magazine editor, a public relations consultant, and a legislative lobbyist. He served on the American Society of Mechanical Engineers panel that wrote the 1.6-gallon water-use standard for toilets. A trustee of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Conservation Division and member of the AWWA Standards Council, he currently chairs the Water Conservation Committee for the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. Tom has a B.S. from the University of Arizona and an M.S. from Arizona State University. He has authored or co-authored many journal articles, along with an AWWA manual on executing a successful community plumbing retrofit program. He is also a reviewer for the Journal of the American Water Resources Association.

Doug Bennett
Southern Nevada Water Authority, Conservation Manager

Doug Bennett brings more than 25 years’ experience in landscape irrigation and management to this position, including 8 years as an Assistant Professor at New Mexico State University. He has spent the past 10 years developing and managing conservation programs for the City of Albuquerque and the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Doug holds a B.S. in Agriculture and an M.S. in Business and Personnel Management. He is also a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor and a Certified Water Conservation Practitioner.

John W. Leeper
Navajo Nation, Manager of the Water Management Branch, Department of Water Resources

John Leeper has worked for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources since 1997. He currently leads efforts related to a broad range of San Juan and Little Colorado River issues. John has previously held positions with the California State Water Resources Control Board, Stetson Engineers, and Natural Resources Consulting Engineers. He also spent 3 years in Nepal as a Peace Corps Volunteer and technical trainer. He received his B.S. from the University of California, Davis, his M.S. from the California State University at Los Angeles, and his PhD. from the College of Engineering at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

Lynn Lipinski
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, California Friendly Landscape Program Manager

Lynn Lipinski joined the Metropolitan Water District in 2001 and currently heads the California Friendly Landscape Program, a regional advertising campaign urging residents to use less water outdoors. Prior to joining the District, Lynn directed media relations for the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and worked at several public relations and advertising agencies. A native of Tulsa, Lynn earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University in 1990.

Adam Miller
City of Flagstaff, Water Conservation Program Manager

Adam Miller is responsible for developing and administering the City of Flagstaff’s water-demand management efforts. In this position, he has worked to strengthen water-use policy, augment conservation incentive programs, expand reclaimed water use, and develop comprehensive water education for the city. Adam holds a B.S. from the University of Washington in Economics.

Fernando B. Molina
City of Tucson / Tucson Water, Water Conservation Program Manager

Fernando Molina has over 20 years of professional experience in water management, including water rights verification and compliance officer with the Arizona Department of Water Resources. He has served as the Conservation Program Manager for Tucson Water since 1990. This position entails overseeing all aspects of water conservation programming, including planning, development, and implementation of public information, education, training, and direct assistance programs.

Nat A. Nutongla
Hopi Tribe, Director of Water Resources Program

For over 20 years, Nat Nutongla has led various natural resource departments for the Hopi Tribe. His current position involves developing and implementing technical programs in water resources planning, management, and use. One key responsibility is helping the Tribe secure adequate water supplies through the Little Colorado River adjudication process. Nat holds a B.S. in Geography from Northern Arizona University. He also attended Graduate School in Hydrology and Water Resources Administration at the University of Arizona.

Karen Probert
Town of Payson, Water Quality Specialist

Karen Probert has spent the past 10 of her 15 years in water resource management working for the Town of Payson Water Department. She has experience not only in water resource planning and development but also in managing programs related to water conservation, water quality, and public outreach. In 2003, she received a Water Conservation Program Award from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. She also served as a Water Quality Manager for the City of Chandler, where she received an Employee Values Award for innovation. Karen graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S.

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