The Water Entrepreneur

Richard Brown and Brian Cummings  Richard Brown earned his BSEE and MSEE degrees from Brigham Young University and, after six years in industry, completed his Ph. D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Utah in 1985. His doctoral research produced one of the first smart sensors—an array of miniature ion-selective electrodes with integrated electronics. He… More

Tony Searls Anthony V. “Tony” Searls is an accomplished public utility leader with over a decade of experience driving operational excellence, customer service innovation, and strategic financial management within government and utility sectors. Currently serving as the Commercial Services Superintendent at Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Tony oversees a $480M revenue stream and leads a 115-member...

James Perry James PerryChief Executive Officer | ASTERRASan Diego, California, United States James Perry is a seasoned executive and innovation leader with over two decades of experience driving strategic growth, business development, and market transformation across multiple industries. As CEO of ASTERRA, James leads a pioneering team at the forefront of Earth monitoring, leveraging Syntheti...

Ed Rudberg Ed Rudberg, Ph. D.Chief Executive Officer, Nucleic Sensing Systems | CEO, CD3 General Benefit Corporation Dr. Ed Rudberg is a mission-driven executive and environmental innovator with over 20 years of leadership experience across the sustainability and water technology sectors. He currently serves as CEO of Nucleic Sensing Systems, where he leads the development of… More

Craig Beckman Craig Beckman is a dynamic and results-driven executive with over 30 years of experience leading teams, scaling businesses, and transforming organizations in the water technology, industrial systems, and cleantech sectors. From his early days as a sales engineer to his tenure as a CEO, Craig has built a career on integrity, strategic acumen,… More

Scott Jauch Scott Jauch I Condition Assessment Regional Practice Lead, Black & VeatchPhoenix, Arizona, USA Scott Jauch is the Condition Assessment Regional Practice Lead at Black & Veatch, based in Phoenix, Arizona. With 8 years of experience in the water sector, Scott specializes in the condition assessment and rehabilitation of buried infrastructure, particularly large-diameter water&#82...

Erin K. Rothman Climate Scientist | Urban Planner | EntrepreneurInnovating at the intersection of data, design, and resilience With over 20 years of experience at the nexus of climate science, urban planning, and entrepreneurship, Erin Rothman has built a career solving some of the most complex environmental and social challenges facing communities today. Her work… More

Matt Boczkowski Matt Boczkowski has a diverse work experience in various industries and roles. Matt is currently the CEO of Aquaporin A/S, a company focused on water filtration through biotechnology. Before that, he held multiple roles at SUEZ, including Vice President Industrial Strategy, Growth, Market Development, and Global Director of Marketing and Growth Initiatives. Matt… More

Brian Richter Brian RichterPresident, Sustainable Waters | Adjunct Professor, University of Virginia Brian Richter is a globally recognized authority on water science and conservation, with over 30 years of experience advancing sustainable water management practices. He is the President of Sustainable Waters, an international education and advisory organization that supports communities, gove...

Jack Schmidt Jack Schmidt is a Professor at Utah State University and Director of the Center for Colorado River Studies within the Quinney College of Natural Resources. With nearly four decades of experience, he is a leading expert in river science, focusing primarily on the Colorado River, its tributaries, and the Grand Canyon. His research… More

Anne Castle Anne Castle is a senior fellow at the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at the University of Colorado Law School, focusing on western water issues, including Colorado River policy and Tribal water rights.  Castle was appointed by President Biden in 2022 as the U.S. Commissioner and Chair of the… More

James Roberts Founder & CEO | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States James Roberts is the Founder and CEO of WaiHome, a company dedicated to modernizing backyard wastewater treatment. Under his leadership, WaiHome focuses on passive, aboveground treatment systems that are easy to install and provide high-quality, reusable effluent—helping homeowners create sustainable outdoor spaces. Learn more...

 Nathaniel Banks Nathaniel BanksCo-founder & CTO, PolyGone Systems | Forbes 30 Under 30 Fellow Nathaniel is a pioneering innovator in environmental technology, specializing in microplastic monitoring and filtration solutions. As the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of PolyGone Systems, he leads the company’s engineering, research, and product development, driving advancements...

Dragan Tutic Dragan Tutic is a mechanical engineer by training and entrepreneur by nature. He is propelledby a distinctive mix of empathy, curiosity, and determination. Demonstrating an inventive flaireven before entering university, Tutic accomplished the remarkable feat of constructing a fullyoperational electric motorcycle, showcasing his ingenuity and passion for sustainable solutions. Tutic&#...

Tia Cavender Tia A. Cavender, MA I CEO & Founder, Dig Deep Research, LLC Tia A. Cavender is a dynamic and results-driven executive with over 24 years of experience in strategic grants planning, capital funding, and public-private partnerships. As the CEO and Founder of Dig Deep Research, LLC, she has built a nationally recognized consulting… More

Susan Fortner Susan Fortner is a dynamic communications and public relations expert with extensive experience in strategic brand development, media relations, crisis management, and corporate growth. As the driving force behind BPR International in Columbus, OH, she oversees company operations, staff development, and event coordination while managing high-level media strategies, social media campa...

Windi Muziasari Windi Muziasari is an Indonesian-born global citizen based in Helsinki, Finland, since 2010. She is the founder and CEO of Resistomap, a pioneering company specializing in end-to-end laboratory services for monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and pathogens in the environment. By integrating molecular genetics and data science, Windi and her team provide critical…...

Chelsea Boozer Chelsea Boozer is a dynamic leader and strategic communicator with a proven track record in public policy, government affairs, and nonprofit management. As the Executive Director of Rogue Water Lab, she is spearheading efforts to sustain and expand programming, securing additional sponsors, and managing a $350,000 budget while overseeing key initiatives such as… More

Emily Lewis Emily assists clients in navigating and solving complex water problems. She has 14 years of experience advising individual water right owners, water wholesalers, municipalities, mining companies, developers, mutual shareholder irrigation companies, and other water users. Her strategic projects practice extends to innovative policy work and specialty water project management. For exampl...

Kevin Gast Kevin Gast is the Co-Founder, CEO, & Chairman of VVater, apioneering next-generation water treatment company dedicatedto leveraging advanced technologies to address global waterchallenges across numerous industries. With over 20+ years of executive leadership experience, Kevin has managed cross-functional and international teams in more than 30 countries,bringing innovative solution...

George Hawkins George Hawkins launched his innovation-focused non-profit enterprise Moonshot Missions after stepping down as CEO of DC Water, where he served for eleven years. George helps agencies identify and adopt strategies to deliver better service and lower cost, with a focus on small and under-resourced communities and water utilities. In 2023, Moonshot was selected… More

Win Cowgar Dr. Win Cowger (AKA Dr. Trash) is an accomplished environmental scientist specializing in plastic pollution, sustainable resource management, and conservation strategies. Win holds a Ph. D. in Environmental Science from the University of California, Riverside, a B.S. in Environmental Science from Iowa State University , and an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from… More

José Castro Jose Segura’s mission is to improve the world’s water quality by lowering barriers to monitoring. Across geographies and industries, there is a common thread: water quality testing is too expensive, slow and inconvenient. By leveraging technologies used in the glucose monitoring industry, we offer near-lab quality results in less than five minutes, on-site,… More

Lauren Enright Lauren Enright, Program Manager, Water Services, SCS Global She leads the growing water stewardship practice at SCS Global where she works with organizations on validation, verification, and certification of water metrics, shedding transparency to investors, stakeholders and the general public. She understands where the value lies in going beyond measuring and monitoring water&#8230...

David Lloyd David Lloyd is the CEO and Co-Founder of FREDsense Technologies, a pioneer inbiotechnology-driven water quality solutions. An alumnus of the University of Calgary,David’s passion for synthetic biology was solidified through his award-winninginvolvement in the iGEM (international Genetically Engineered Machines) competition,where he honed his skills in biosensor innovation as a co...