TRWA Launches third Emerging Leaders Class

from Quench 2021 - Issue 3

Letter from the TRWA Executive Director

TRWA LAUNCHES THIRD EMERGING LEADERS CLASS

We are pleased to announce our 2021-22 class of Emerging Leaders! The TRWA Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is TRWA’s professional development and networking program developed to enhance individual leadership skills, and prepare participants to be active and engaged community leaders and advocates for rural water issues.

This year’s ELP program kicked off with an in-person orientation at TRWA headquarters in Austin with the fourteen admitted applicants. During the training, participants heard from TRWA Executive Director Lara Zent, TRWA Deputy Executive Director Allison Kaminsky, leadership consultant Rolando Garza, Texas Water Development Board Director Kathleen Jackson, TRWA Board President Chris Boyd and TRWA Board Vice President Bruce Alexander.

The ELP combines in-person and remote learning specifically designed to enhance leadership, engagement, and advocacy among early- to

mid-career utility professionals. Over the course of nine months, participants earn leadership development credit hours by attending live training sessions and webinars, interacting through an online forum, completing monthly assignments and speaking one-on-one with their assigned coach. Participants will also plan and execute an individual local project benefitting their community as a requirement for graduation.

The curriculum is divided into units that focus on core leadership competencies and focus areas. The core competencies included in

TRWA’s leadership model are:

• Personal Leadership

• People Leadership

• Results Leadership

• Industry Leadership

• Change Leadership

The curriculum focus areas are:

• Advocacy and Grassroots Engagement

• Management

• Public Relations, Community Outreach and Media Relations

• Water Policy in Texas

• Financial Management and Strategic Planning

In addition to professional development, networking opportunities enable participants to connect with influential leaders in the water and wastewater industry.

The program culminates with a graduation ceremony during RuralWaterCon 2022, which will be held April 7-8 in Round Rock.

Previous Emerging Leader alumni continue to engage with the Association through multiple channels, such as TRWA conference programming input, Quench article contribution, serving as an ELP coach, and serving on our Board in Director or Alternate Director positions.

We will feature more information on our program participants and their local projects in future issues of Quench. If you have any questions about the ELP or want to get on the interest list for the next class, please email leadership@trwa.org.

CoBank is a sponsor of our Emerging Leaders Program — we are gratefull for their partnership and investment in our emerging leaders.