Kicking Off the 2026 Water Leaders Program
We’re excited to kick off another inspiring year of Water Education Colorado’s (WEco) flagship leadership program—the 2026 Water Leaders Program! Since its inception in 2006, this program has welcomed more than 280 alumni into a growing statewide network of passionate and skilled water professionals.
In Colorado’s complex and evolving water landscape, the Water Leaders Program equips emerging and mid-career professionals with the leadership skills they need to drive sustainable, forward-looking solutions. The 2026 program officially launched this April.
This year, WEco is once again partnering with Stephanie Scott of Scott Solutions LLC and Ashley Seeley of Excellence Advantage to deliver facilitation and coaching for this transformative experience. The Water Leaders curriculum develops a pipeline of emotionally intelligent, adaptive leaders from across the water sector—individuals who are enhancing the effectiveness of their organizations and strengthening the broader water community.
We’re honored to announce that Josh Boissevain, Senior Staff Attorney for the Colorado Water Trust, has been awarded the Greg Hobbs Memorial Scholarship—named in honor of the late Justice Greg Hobbs, a founding member of Water Education Colorado and a passionate advocate and educator of Colorado water law.
Though the program spans just five months, the insights, tools, and relationships gained create a lifetime of impact.
We’re proud to introduce the 2026 Water Leaders class—please join us in celebrating these dedicated professionals as they take their leadership to the next level in service of a stronger water future for Colorado!
2026 Water Leaders Class
- Adrian Bergere – Executive Director, San Miguel Watershed Coalition
- Alex Bentz – Water Quality & Treatment Lead, Denver Water
- Alex Ratcliff – Principal Scientist, Brown and Caldwell
- Avra Morgan – Water Policy Advisor CO, The Nature Conservancy
- Cadee Oakleaf – Deputy Chief Engineer, City of Greeley
- Candy Meehan – Mayor, Town of Norwood
- Cassidy White – Senior Associate, Westwater Research
- Chris Ivers – Program Manager, Rio Grande Water Conservation District
- Erik Jorgensen – Water Resource Project Manager, Parker Water & Sanitation District
- Jason Messamer – Engineer IV, Colorado Springs Utilities
- Jenna Battson – Lead Drought Conservation Analyst, Colorado Water Conservation Board
- Jenna Lohmann – Project Manager, RESPEC
- Jennifer Scanga – Manager of Office Operations, Customer Service, Augmentation Sales, and Processing, Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy district
- Jocelyn Brink – Enforcement Specialist, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control Division
- Josh Boissevain – Senior Staff Attorney, Colorado Water Trust – Greg Hobbs Memorial Scholarship Recipient
- Julie Baxter – Water Resources Manager, City of Steamboat Springs
- Kate Dunlap – Drinking Water Quality Manager, City of Boulder
- Melissa Guerrero – Policy Analyst, Colorado Senate Majority
- Melissa Wills – Community Funding Partnership Program Manager, Colorado River District
- Stephanie Luce – Senior Program Manager, Spheros Environmental
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