FROM THE CEO
2024 was a year of extraordinary growth and transformation for Texas Water Foundation. We started the year as a team of five facing some big crossroad questions. By the end of the year, our work grew to include clear and aspirational goals.
Above all else, our work as Texas Water Foundation is about a secure water future for Texas. As we looked out and across the work, we were bold in identifying our intended impacts for the next five years:
More statewide policy and decision-makers committed to prioritizing water; An ongoing funding mechanism for water; Informed, skilled, and connected water professionals prepared to succeed; and Everyday Texans who understand, value, and prioritize water.
Pursuing these goals has required us to stretch to the next iteration of Texas Water Foundation. With a generous capacity-building investment by Harte Charitable Foundation, our team grew from five to nine by the end of 2024.
Among the many crossroad decisions in 2024, there are a few paths taken that shape where we go next. Chief among those is being selected by Texas Water Development Board for the statewide water awareness campaign. Building on the success of Texas Runs on Water®, we feel fortunate to be a part of this historic opportunity.
Beyond statewide awareness, TWF’s work found momentum in our role as a convener, bringing together leaders, stakeholders, partners, and changemakers to discuss the State of Texas Water. Whether for Texas Water Caucus educational events, Binational River Symposiums, coalitions and chambers, or media, we were proud to lean into our unique ability to zoom out and accurately represent how Texas water issues are converging in a unique and urgent moment.
This report highlights just a sample of our work in 2024. As either a supporter and or partner, we hope you feel the same pride we do for all that has been achieved for Texas water. And for that, we thank you.
As we look towards the future and navigate a generational legislative session for water, we know there is still growth on our horizon. We look forward to navigating the waters with you.
Sarah Rountree Schlessinger Chief Executive Officer Texas Water Foundation
WATER POLICY CONVERSATION TRAVELS
Photos, clockwise from top:
Texas Rep. Terry Canales, State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, and State Senator Morgan LaMantia join CEO Sarah Schlessinger at the Deep South Texas State of Water Symposium
Attendees at the virtual Binational Bridge Event hear from IBWC Commissioners Maria-Elena Giner (US Section) and Adriana Reséndez Maldonado (Mexican Section), as well as
Commissioner Bobby Janecka of the Texas Commision on Environmental Quality TWF’s Colin McDonald moderates a panel with Jeremy Mazur (Texas 2036), Temple McKinnon (TWDB), and Vanessa Puig Williams (EDF) for the Texas Demographics Center
ACROSS THE STATE (AND THE BORDER)
True to our roots, policy weaves through all of TWF’s work. As an interim year for the Texas Legislature, 2024 provided opportunities for us to engage subject matter experts, decision makers, and local stakeholders across the state in meaningful dialogue around the water issues impacting Texas. Amidst weekly “State of Texas Water” presentations, statewide speaking engagements, media requests, and policy convenings, the TWF policy team emerged as conveners and connectors across the state and the border.
TEXAS WATER CAUCUS
As part of work supporting the educational activities of the Texas Water Caucus, TWF’s policy team partnered with Caucus members to bring educational Town Halls to their districts. The first, an in-person Deep South Texas State of Water Symposium, was hosted by Representative Terry Canales and drew more than 200 attendees to Pharr, Texas. Together with Congresswoman De La Cruz, Congressman Gonzales, Senator Hinojosa, Senator LaMantia, and local water professionals, the panels focused on regional opportunities to increase water security in the Rio Grande Valley.
Our second Town Hall, the virtual State of Water: Houston, was hosted with Rep. Penny Morales-Shaw and platformed experts on emergency response, subsidence, water planning, treatment, and regulation. With an online audience of 63, these panel conversations explored the challenges of delivering safe, reliable water to the 5.6 million people in the greater Houston area.
BINATIONAL BRIDGE EVENT
Building on the success of the Binational River Symposium in 2023, Texas Water Foundation hosted a virtual Binational Bridge Event to continue the conversation and forecast a 2025 in-person gathering. More than 325 stakeholders from both sides of the Rio Grande joined the half-day event to discuss the latest on river policy, science, supply, use, and hope.
Commissioners Maria-Elena Giner (US) and Adriana Reséndez Maldonado (Mexico) of the International Boundary and Water Commission joined Commissioner Bobby Janecka of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in setting the tone for open dialogue around the current realities of our shared river as well as hope for its future. The 2025 event is scheduled for November of 2025 and anticipates a larger focus on the future of the Rio Grande.
POLICY BRIEFINGS
TWF organized and participated in various policy briefings across the state. Highlights include:
● Representative Armando Walle’s Legislative Study Group Policy Summit on the water and energy panel
● Texas Demographics Center and TWF-hosted legislative briefing on water and demographic trends
● Dallas Regional Chamber’s State of Infrastructure
● North Texas Legislative Summit
● Texas 2036/ WFX / TWF stakeholder series
WATER WORKFORCE
Following the publication of our first workforce study in 2023, TWF expanded that effort to a statewide workforce needs assessment. In collaboration with the Texas Rural Funders Network, Jobs for the Future was engaged to complete a new report: Creating Infrastructure Pathways in Texas: Water and Broadband. Statewide stakeholders and partners were included in a several months-long research process. The report proved timely as interim drew to a close and legislators identified workforce as a critical issue to consider in the 89th. As such, TWF was proud to provide testimony for Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs interim hearing, and be included in their interim report.
LEADERSHIP ROLES
● Appointed member of the Water Conservation Advisory Council
● Meadows Center for Water and the Environment’s Stewardship Council
● Board of Directors: OpenET, Texas Water Trade
● Sul Ross West Texas Water Research Center Steering Committee
● Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi College of Science’s Dean’s Advisory Board
TEXAS WATER LEADERS GRADUATES ITS 100TH
It was a milestone year for the Texas Water Leaders Program (TWL). Designed to support leaders in the Texas water sector and support trust across sectors, the TWL program celebrated five years and graduated its 100th alumni in November 2024.
These outstanding water champions connect directly with leaders from their fields through a curriculum that includes water policy, conflict resolution, public speaking, and team management. Additionally, the program recognizes the value of developing future leaders professionally and personally. Professional coaching and mentorship round out the TWL experience. The result is a strong, connected network of alumni with the tools and relationships necessary to pursue a secure water future for Texas across all fields.
This milestone year allowed the program to expand the TWL alumni network and its offerings. Following a successful inaugural alumni paddle in 2023, the Second Annual Water Leader Paddle included 40 water leaders in an educational and entertaining paddle event on the San Marcos river. Looking beyond the alumni network alone, a “Sewer Tour of the Future” event allowed Texas Water Leaders to connect with members of the Texas Water Caucus, legislative staff, and other water professionals while learning about the $1B investment to turn Austin’s Walnut Creek Sewer Treatment Plant into a future water source. The event drew 40 water leaders and legislative staff into discussions about innovation in water management and production.
The success of these alumni offerings showed us that TWL’s value extends well beyond the initial program year. In 2024, we started gathering data to map that value with the first Texas Water Leader Alumni Survey, designed to establish a baseline of connectivity and track career advancement. This data will assist program and network management as we continue to explore the long-term impact and use of the ever-expanding water leader network by alumni. While the scale of the program’s impact continues to be studied, the alumni network alone is a clear indicator of its influence on the future of Texas water.
PROGRAM ALUMNI
Photos, left to right:
Texas Water Leaders collaborate during an in-person session
Water Leaders, colleagues, and family members paddle the San Marcos River in the Second Annual Water Leader Panel
The TWL Class of 2024 celebrates graduation and 100 TWL Alumni
TEXAS RUNS ON WATER MAKES STRIDES
Photos, left to right:
Burnet County Runs on Water billboard campaign covered the Texas Hill Country Texas Runs on Water Mural in Kerrville.
TOWARD TRUE STATEWIDE AWARENESS
Texas Runs on Water® emerged from decades of discussion and vision for a statewide water campaign that would serve as a unifying banner to inspire Texans to value water. In 2024, that vision took significant steps forward, culminating in a landmark partnership that will shape water awareness across the state.
This year, TROW’s network of affiliate campaigns grew, with 25 new water entities adopting a new toolkit to develop local “Runs on Water” campaigns. In addition to those efforts, we continued to drive impact through social media, launching a new campaign in McAllen that garnered one million impressions. Water-driven art initiatives, such as local murals and youth art initiatives, deepened community engagement and forged partnerships in Kerrville, Blanco, and Abilene.
In addition, this year marked our first billboard campaign in partnership with the Central Texas Groundwater District and the Burnet County Runs on Water campaign. The campaign earned more than 7.4 million impressions, emphasizing the power of large-scale, community-driven messaging.
The most significant Texas Runs on Water milestone in 2024 arrived at the end of the year with Texas Water Development Board formally selecting Texas Water Foundation for the statewide water awareness campaign contract. Established through the Texas Water Fund. This $10 million state investment realizes decades-long vision for a dedicated statewide water awareness campaign. We are proud to build on our work with Texas Runs on Water and to work with Texas Water Development Board to build a statewide water awareness campaign.
SPECIAL EVENTS CELEBRATE TEXAS WATER
A Decade of Rainmakers: Comptroller Glenn Hegar Awarded 2024 Rainmaker of the Year
The water world gathered on September 23, 2024 to celebrate the 10th Annual Rainmaker of the Year, Comptroller Glenn Hegar. More than 300 water champions gathered to celebrate the connection between Texas water and the economy. Past Rainmakers joined lifelong friends and colleagues to honor Hegar’s strides to bring water to the forefront of economic conversation.
Photos, clockwise from top left: Iconic poster for 2024’s Texas Rainmaker of the Year, Comptroller Glenn Hegar Comptroller Hegar, Texas Water Development Board Members L’Oreal Stepney and Chair Brook Paup, and water icon Carole Baker More than 300 attendees joined to celebrate at the Rainmaker of the Year Award Dinner Three Rainmakers: The Hon. Tracy O. King, Comptroller Hegar, and Senator Charles Perry
Water, Texas Film Festival Highlights the Intersection of Water and Art through Film
The Austin Film Society Cinema welcomed 150 water enthusiasts for the 9th Annual Water, Texas Film Festival on April 30, 2024. Believing that storytelling can play a critical role in how Texans shape our water future, the festival opened with a sneak peek of the PBS docuseries Chasing the Tide, followed by a panel discussion with filmmakers Jay and Chrissy Kleberg. Prizes were then awarded to winners in our short film categories, judged by award-winning filmmaker and TWF Board Member Rick Linklater.
Photos, clockwise from top left: Water, Texas Film Festival winners
TWF CEO Sarah Schlessinger moderates a discussion with Jay and Chrissy Kleberg about their PBS docuseries, Chasing the Tide 2024 marked the 9th Water, Texas Film Festival Chasing the Tide crew members
MEET TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION
TWF STAFF
Sarah Rountree Schlessinger CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Beth Hood DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Alan Leonard DIRECTOR OF POLICY
Colin McDonald SENIOR POLICY ANALYST
James Loss COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Ashley Kjos DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOPMENT
Brianna Fuller CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR
Josh Sendejar TEXAS WATER LEADERS PROGRAM MANAGER
Marissa Rodriguez DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE
TWF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Hon. Robert R. Puente CHAIR
Celina Romero VICE CHAIR
Velma Danielson SECRETARY
Ken Kramer TREASURER
The Hon. Buster Brown (Founder)
The Hon. William Callegari
Gregory M. Ellis
Buddy Garcia
Liz Fazio Hale
John Hall
Amy Hardberger
Jace Houston
Wendy Lary
Richard Linklater
Celina Romero
Carlos Rubinstein
Andrew Sansom
Carole Baker (Emeritus)
HONORARY MEMBERS
Mary Ann Dickinson
Thomas Mason
The Hon. Kip Averitt
C.E. Williams
The Hon. Lyle Larson
The Hon. Eddie Lucio III
The Hon. Tracy O. King
The Hon. Four Price
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS
ANNUAL PARTNERS
PLATINUM
North Texas Municipal Water District
San Antonio Water Systems
San Jacinto River Authority
GOLD
Edwards Aquifer Authority
Intera
SILVER
Freese and Nichols, LLC
Lower Colorado River Authority
Panhandle GCD
BRONZE
Guadalupe County GCD
Gulf Coast Authority
Lone Star GCD
RSA H2O
TEXAS RUNS ON WATER PARTNERS
Aqua Water Supply Corporation
Bandera County River Authority & Groundwater District
Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer GCD
Brazos Valley GCD
Brewster County GCD
Central Texas GCD
City of Andrews / Keep Andrews
Beautiful
City of Lakeway
Clearwater UWCD
Corpus Christi Water
Gonzalez UWCD
Hemphill Co UWCD
Hill Country Alliance
Houston Public Works
Llano Estacado UWCD
Lost Pines GCD
McAllen Public Utility
Mesquite GCD
Middle Trinity GCD
Native Plant Society of Texas
Panhandle GCD
Permian Basin UWCD
Pioneer Water Tanks America
Post Oak Savannah GCD
Sandy Land UWCD
South Plains UWCD
Texan By Nature
Trinity River Authority of Texas
WATER CHAMPIONS
$10,000+
Belding Farms, LLC
Coca Cola Southwest Beverages / Arca Continental
Spring Point Partners
Lower Colorado River Authority
Lyda Hill Fund at the Communities Foundation of Texas
North Texas Municipal Water District
San Antonio Water System
San Jacinto River Authority
$5,000+
Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP
Edwards Aquifer Authority
Every Page Foundation
Freese and Nichols, LLC
Ken Kramer
Lyle Larson
Lone Star GCD
North American Development Bank
$2,500+
Anser Advisory
Aqua Strategies
Aqua Water Supply Corporation
Austin Water Utility
Black & Veatch
Dallas Water Commons
Epcor USA Inc
Graves, Dougherty, Hearon, and Moody
Greg Ellis
Gulf Coast Authority
Robert Puente
Sabine River Authority of Texas
San Antonio River Authority
Texas American Water Works Association
Texas Association of Water Companies
Texas Business Leadership Council
Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Halff Associates ICF
Intera, Inc.
Panhandle GCD
The Romero Williams Family Fund
Trinity River Authority
Velma Danielson
Water Environment Association of Texas
Winstead
Yetter Coleman
SUPPORTERS
Averitt & Associates
Ivy Aditi
Mesa Advisors
Margaret Ainsworth
Associated General Contractors Texas
John Bailey
Mary Ann Baker
Kimberly Ballard
Natalie Ballew
Michelle Barton
Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer CD
Lisa Benton
Cristina Bocanegra
Mark Boyt
Bresnen Associates
Buster Brown
Marisa Bruno
Drake Burnette
William Callegari
Anne Campbell
Kim Canseco
Gretchen Chaney
City of Buda
City of Leander
City of Round Rock
Vince Clause
Adam Conner
Robby Cook
Ann-Marie Coyne
Ceara Currie
Wallace Darling
Matt DeMartino
Cheryl Drown
Carol Eckelkamp
Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd
Environmental Defense Fund
Liz Fazio Hale
Dinali Fernando
Perry Fowler
Buddy Garcia
Mike Gershon
Alfred Glassell
Kinnan Goleman
Guadalupe County GCD
Erin Guerra
Matthew Guthrie
Emilie Hammons
Amy Hardberger
Adelina Hernandez
Jake Herrie
Will Huff
Emma Jones
Jessica Karlaruher
Avery Keaton
Taylor Kingsley
Ashley Kjos
Kevin Kluge
Evangelina Kreeger
Bryan La Bissoniere
Chiquitha Laird
Sharlene Leurig
Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, P.C.
Helen Logue
Sherif Mabrouk
Natasha Martin
Tom Mason
Aaron Mendoza
Garry Merritt
Jeff Miller
Scott Moorhead
Dan Mueller
Kymberly Mueller
Kerry Niemann
Dave Nix
Edmund Oborny
Carol Olewin
Opportunity Austin
Ellis Pickett
Holly Prendergast
Vanessa Puig-Williams
Laura Raun
Abby Rodgers
Hunter Rowe
Carlos Rubinstein
Andrew Sansom
Rick Scadden
Kristina Schlegel
Sarah Schlessinger
Justin Schwartz
Josh Sendejar
Sensis
John Shepperd
Caaron Skrobarczyk
SledgeLaw Group
Joe Smith
Steven Walden Consulting
Connor Tabarrok
Ellen Temple
Texas Oil & Gas Association
Texas Water Association
Texas Water Infrastructure Network
Jessica Tran
CJ Tredway
Jeff Trucksess
Kathy Turner Jones
Anastasia Vance
Jeff Vasgaard
Jonathan Wagenknecht
Jennifer Walker
WaterPR
Andrew Wier
Jennifer Windscheffel
Texas Water Foundation is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to lead Texas into a secure water future. Established in 1998, its original objective was to raise public awareness among all Texans regarding the vital role water plays in our daily lives. Today, Texas Water Foundation has grown its vision to include investing in the next generation of water leaders, equipping informed decision makers, and inspiring water advocates across Texas.
