Staff
Clare Auld-Brokish is a program associate at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She works on the Alliance’s Equitable Water Future Initiative. Clare's interest in water's role in climate resilience and environmental justice began while researching Dianchi Lake in Southwest China, first as a student and later as a Fulbright fellow. She recently completed a Princeton-in-Asia fellowship with the Beijing and US offices of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Clare graduated from Wellesley College with a double major in biological sciences and Chinese language and culture. She is based in Washington, DC, and enjoys exploring the city’s culinary offerings as well as navigating to its various bodies of water by foot and bike.
Joya Banerjee is a senior fellow at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. Joya provides strategic counsel to social change leaders and organizations, with a particular focus on breaking down silos, building field capacity, and developing new partnerships. She also serves as a senior advisor to the Environmental Policy Innovation Center. Joya is a board member for the Center for Diversity and the Environment, the California Water Data Consortium, and 826 Valencia, and she serves on the advisory board to OpenET and Stanford University’s Water in the West. Previously, Joya led the Environment Program at the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, where she developed a ten-year grantmaking portfolio designed to advance a more sustainable, equitable water system. In her spare time, Joya enjoys climbing trees and building driftwood forts with her two boys.
Scott Berry is the director of policy and government affairs at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. He leads the Alliance's engagement on policy issues, heading up their Washington DC office. Previously, he was director of the Utility Infrastructure Division, Environment, and Trade at the Associated General Contractors of America. There, he spent nine years as their head lobbyist on water infrastructure and water policy issues, and was the member services lead for water, sewer, power, telecommunications, and underground construction. He has served in the leadership of the Water Infrastructure Network, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Coalition, the Common Ground Alliance, and the Waters Advocacy Coalition. He has a BA in political science and geography from the University of Mary Washington.
Morgan Brown is a senior program manager at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She works on initiatives for advancing racial equity in water, One Water management, and equity in climate resilience. Prior to the Alliance, she worked at the Water Environment Federation, managing programs to advance diversity, equity and inclusion, municipal wastewater treatment, water reuse, resource recovery, and innovation in the water sector. Morgan is a certified Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) and holds a BA in biology and environmental sciences from the University of Virginia. Outside of work, Morgan enjoys spending time with friends and family, dancing, and cooking.
Letitia Carpenter is a senior program manager at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She works on the Alliance’s Equitable Water Future initiatives. Letitia is passionate about environmental justice, racial equity, and community centered practices. She began her work on equity and environmental justice while working as a community liaison for the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities in North Charleston, SC, which helped her understand that tackling the environmental injustices communities face requires all sectors to collaborate to leverage their unique skills and strengths. Previously, Letitia worked as a community benefits analyst at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, working on their environmental justice portfolio and staffing their Citizens Advisory Committee. Letitia also worked as a policy and data analyst for the City of Richmond, where she developed community engagement strategies for the their Open Data platform and co-created the Richmond Department of Children and Youth. Letitia holds a master’s in city planning from the University of California, Berkeley. Outside of work, Letitia enjoys spending days at the beach and taking care of her collection of house plants.
Abigail Gardner is the communications advisor for the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She handles press requests and media relations on behalf of the Alliance and for the Value of Water Campaign. For more than a decade, Abigail has worked with communications and media at the intersection of politics, campaigns, and advocacy. Prior to her work with the Alliance, Abigail was a vice president at SKDKnickerbocker, where she served as a communications consultant for several political candidates, issue advocacy campaigns, and clients in need of crisis-management. She also served in the official office of Congressman Dan Maffei (D-NY) and Governor Eliot Spitzer and worked on several political campaigns. Abigail is a graduate of the University of Virginia and a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city famous for its three rivers.
Katie Henderson is a senior program manager at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. Katie manages the Value of Water Campaign and the One Water Hub. Prior to joining the Alliance, Katie was a research manager at The Water Research Foundation, where she managed a large portfolio of research on integrated water management, workforce, and communication. Katie is a strong advocate for effective communication about water’s value and has written blogs, essays, and journal articles exploring how to inspire behavior changes that will lead to better management of and investment in our water systems. Katie holds a Master of Science from Utah State University, where she researched the federal and local response to a fatal landslide that resulted from the failure of a 150-year-old irrigation canal, diving deep into the ways in which water infrastructure is often taken for granted. When she’s not thinking or talking about water, you might find Katie drawing, biking, fiddling, or baking.
Katy Lackey is the director of climate action at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She leads initiatives to accelerate equitable climate resilience and adaptation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and cultivate water culture and leadership for climate action. Katy is passionate about the power water has to shape communities and ecosystems. Prior to joining the Alliance, Katy held positions with The Water Research Foundation; Center for Strategic Latin American Studies, Comptroller General of Costa Rica, and World Camp, Inc. (now Access Health Africa). She has served on the young scientific programme committee for World Water Week, the executive board of the Women’s Aquatic Network, and the board of directors for World Camp, Inc. Katy is a certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P) and an active member of the Good Grief Network. She holds a dual-MA in international affairs from American University in Washington, DC, and in natural resources and sustainable development from the UN-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica. Outside work, you can find Katy hiking with her pup, reading by the river, or napping in a hammock.
Linda Le is the director of Events and Operations at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. Linda works on many key organizational priorities for the Alliance, providing administrative, operational, and developmental support, and she manages the office of the CEO and special projects. Linda brings nearly 10 years of experience in executive assistant positions to top-level executives, and she possesses a track record of strong performance in high-volume, high-pressure environments. Prior to joining the Alliance, Linda served as an executive assistant to the CEO and founder of a local and state government relations and lobbying firm. When she is not working, Linda enjoys spending time with family and friends, crafting, and creating custom events and parties.
Jessica O’Keefe is a Value of Water Campaign Communications Consultant for the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She supports communications efforts for the US Water Alliance through social media management and the Value of Water Campaign, and she helped coordinate this past year’s Imagine a Day Without Water. Prior to working with the Alliance, Jessica spent seven years as a freelance writer and volunteer for Pittsburgh-based politicians. She also worked at an environmental nonprofit, helping to promote energy conservation and aiding local utilities in the process of establishing and building out customer assistance programs. Jessica holds a degree in public relations from Westminster College. In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and three cats and traveling to her favorite ski destinations.
Kyla Peterson is a program manager at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She works on the Alliance’s Equitable Water Future initiative. Kyla is passionate about community engagement, justice and equity, and environmental access and recreation. Her people-focused approach to environmental work flourished through interning at the US House of Representatives, where she gained an in-depth understanding of nationwide water issues and the socio-economic factors that exacerbate/mediate them. Kyla also worked as a team lead at the Texas Water Development Board, managing their agricultural water conservation program and providing technical assistance to stakeholders and communities. Additionally, she interned with the Wilson Center, where she published research articles on pertinent environmental issues relating to water policy, global migration, and the water/food nexus. As a native Texan and an Austin resident, Kyla seizes the opportunity to be in nature whenever possible. Catch her paddling along the Colorado River or cooling off at Barton Springs in her free time!
Sarah Robinson is a program manager at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She works on the Alliance’s Equitable Water Future Initiative. Sarah has experience in both the water utility and nonprofit sectors, focusing on watershed management and program development. Prior to joining the Alliance, Sarah worked at Houston Water, where she developed and provided community programs aimed at improving Houston’s water infrastructure and resiliency. She also worked at Galveston Bay Foundation, serving as the water programs manager. Sarah graduated with a master’s in natural resource management and a BS in environmental geosciences, both from Texas A&M University. She also holds a professional certificate in behavior change for sustainability from University of California, San Diego. Sarah lives in Houston with her husband and dog. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and any activity that is on or near a body of water.
Emily Simonson is the director of strategic initiatives at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She is responsible for supporting high-priority philanthropic engagement and organizational positioning and planning, and she coordinates the Alliance’s Equitable Water Future and Recovering Stronger portfolios. Emily became passionate about the role water plays in social and environmental prosperity while working in Ghana for Global Brigades, a community development nonprofit addressing water and sanitation access. Emily also spent two years at the EPA as an ORISE Fellow with the Urban Waters Program, an environmental justice focused initiative to increase the government's ability to provide an integrated approach when working with communities to restore their waterways. After an internship with the United Nations in Switzerland, Emily graduated from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University with master’s degrees in public administration and international relations. Off the clock, Emily will use any excuse to get outside and especially likes frisbee, biking, paddling, and hiking with her dog and friends.
Anna Yates is a communications associate at the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. She works on website development, disseminating communications for the Alliance, and operational support. Previously, Anna worked with the National Park Service and the Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy, specifically on initiatives that addressed rising sea levels. Additionally, Anna's held communications positions at Make Music NOLA, a nonprofit that provides music education to New Orleans youth, and in Egypt at the American University in Cairo's Center for Applied Research on the Environment and Sustainability. Anna holds a BA in environmental studies and international development from Tulane University. Outside of work, Anna enjoys backpacking, seeing live music, and eating Popeye's on the New Orleans bayou.