2025 Annual Conference
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UWI Annual Conference
Join us August 20-22, 2025, at the Urban Water Institute’s 2025 Annual Conference in San Diego, California. Our Annual Conference Agenda is jam-packed with timely topics and dynamic sessions you won't want to miss!
Leading experts will deliver presentations on today’s most pressing water management issues, representing a broad range of expertise and non-partisan perspectives. Conference highlights include enhanced networking opportunities, access to keynote speakers, meals and happy hours included with your Conference registration.
UWI Conferences bring together elite water leaders from throughout California representing public, private, nonprofit and academic organizations. This conference is sure to be one of the best water conferences of the year!
“UWI is the Goldilocks of water conferences…just the right balance of topical presentations and interactive sessions sprinkled with opportunities to make meaningful connections!”
- Jennifer Persike, Former Deputy Executive Director for the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), Former Executive Director of Leadership California (LC), and President of Jennifer Persike & Co.
Annual Conference Registration
Online registration is now open for UWI's 2025 Annual Conference.
Please note: You will need a user account to begin the registration process. If you are registering multiple attendees, each attendee will need a profile with a unique email address. You can create additional user profiles in your Member Compass under the People tab. Please contact us if you do not see this tab so that we can give you management access on your account.
A printed registration form is also available (upon request) if you are unable to register online.
Cancellation Policy: Event registration cancellations will be accepted until 8/8/25 and will be subject to a $50 processing fee. Cancellations received after 8/8/25 are not eligible for refund.
Annual Conference Agenda
The 2025 Annual Conference Agenda is available through the Agenda tab above. If you have suggestions for future conference speakers or topics, please use the Contact Us form to submit your ideas.
“UWI conferences provide a forum for frank discussions around the most pressing issues affecting the water sector. We don’t shy away from controversial topics – rather we tackle them head on and look for solutions. I’ve attended more than 20 UWI conferences and always look forward to the next one because of the unique expertise they bring to the table for the benefit of the group.”
– David Pedersen, General Manager of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
Annual Conference Date & Time
The UWI 2025 Annual Conference dates and times are as follows:
- Conference begins: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
- Conference ends: Friday, August 22, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Annual Conference Location
Paradise Point Resort & Spa
1404 Vacation Rd
San Diego, CA 92109
858.240.4913
UWI Hotel Room Block - Available now!
A limited number of discounted hotel rooms are available to UWI Conference attendees. We recommend booking your room early to access the group block. If you have any issues booking your hotel room, please contact our Events Director, Paula Currie: events@urbanwater.com.
Conference Sponsorship Opportunities
Sponsorships and exhibitor opportunities are now available for our 2025 Annual Conference. Please visit our Sponsorship page for more information. Thank you to our sponsors!
Agenda
| August 20 | |
| 1:00 PM - 1:15 PM |
Welcome: Native American Tribal Blessing
Raymond J. Welch, Tribal Chairman, Barona Band of Mission Indians |
| 1:10 PM - 2:00 PM |
Opening Keynote: USEPA Region 9's Priorities
Josh F.W. Cook, Regional Administrator, U.S. EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region Moderator: Andree Lee, UWI Board Chair; Vice President, EKI Environment & Water |
| 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM |
Coping with Cybersecurity Risk: Interactive Dialogue with National, State & Regional Experts
Doug Novak, Deputy State Chief Information Security Officer, CA Department of Technology Mark Ghilarducci, Director, CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Retired) Vitaliy Panych, Chief Information Security Officer, State of CA Heather Collins, Director of Water Treatment Operations, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Kevin Morley, Manager Federal Relations, AWWA Moderator: James Waterman, General Manager, Agilsoft |
| 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM | Break |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
Running Toward Risk: Water Systems in the Line of Fire
Vicki Osborn, Director of Emergency Management, Municipal Water District of Orange County; President, CalWARN Karina Cervantez, Managing Director, California Association of Mutual Water Companies Max Rudsten, VP of Business Development, Watch Duty Moderator: Lisa Ohlund, UWI Treasurer |
| 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM |
Opening Reception
Conference registrants enjoy complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres during a hosted onsite reception. |
| August 21 | |
| 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM |
Breakfast Buffet
Conference registrants enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet onsite at the hotel. |
| 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM |
Risk & Resolve: How Water Conflicts Can Find Peace Through Collaboration
Frank Ury, Board Member, Santa Margarita Water District Brian Probolsky, Vice President, Moulton Niguel Water District Joe Muller, Director, South Coast Water District Scott Petersen, Water Policy Director, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority Moderator: Carol Lee Brady, UWI Board of Directors; Vice President, Rancho California Water District |
| 10:00 AM - 10:20 AM | Break |
| 10:20 AM - 12:15 PM |
Security and Sustainability: Generational Investments in Times of Fiscal Constraints
Karla Nemeth, Director California Department of Water Resources Jennifer Pierre, General Manager, State Water Contractors Jerry Brown, Executive Director, Sites Project Authority Moderator: Paul Brown, UWI Board of Directors |
| 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM |
Lunch
Conference registrants enjoy a complimentary plated lunch onsite at the hotel. |
| 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM |
Financial Risks: What Do the Credit Rating Agencies & Investors Look At?
Robert Porr, Executive Vice President, Fieldman Rolapp & Associates Matthew Hage, Director, MacKay Municipal Managers Valerie Pryor, General Manager, Zone 7 Water Agency Moderator: Shawn Dewane, Board Member, Mesa Water District |
| 3:00 PM - 3:20 PM | Break |
| 3:20 PM - 4:00 PM |
People Power to Manage Risks: Leadership Durability Key to Sustainability
Moderator and Facilitator: Jennifer Persike, UWI Board of Directors; President, Jennifer Persike & Company Co-Facilitator: Liji Thomas, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California |
| 4:05 PM - 5:20 PM |
Successful Risk-Based Communications – How to Tell the Story Without Freaking People Out
Teresa Penunuri, Communications Officer, Santa Fe Irrigation District Amanda Fine, Manager Public Affairs, Eastern Municipal Water District Brad Sherwood, Assistant General Manager, Sonoma Water District Moderator: Darcy Burke, UWI Board Planning Chair |
| 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM |
Board Chair's Reception
Conference registrants enjoy complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres during a hosted onsite reception. |
| August 22 | |
| 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM |
Breakfast
Conference registrants enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet onsite at the hotel. |
| 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM |
Closing Keynote: Pending Confirmation
Adan Ortega, Board Chair, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Nick Serrano, Board Chair, San Diego County Water Authority Moderator: Andree Lee, UWI Board Chair; Vice President, EKI Consulting |
| 10:55 AM - 10:55 AM | Conference Adjourns |
The UWI 2025 Annual Conference will take place at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, California.
Paradise Point Resort & Spa
1404 Vacation Rd
San Diego, CA 92109
858.240.4913
UWI Room Block Reservation Link
A limited number of discounted hotel rooms are available to UWI Conference attendees. We recommend booking your room early to access the group block. If you have any issues booking your hotel room, please contact our Events Director, Paula Currie: events@urbanwater.com.
IMPORTANT:
In order to register attendees for the upcoming UWI Conference, each attendee must have a user profile (with unique email address).
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