Annual Conference Recap
What an exciting return to in-person events! CASA’s Annual Conference held at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront was a resounding success. Together with some of the clean water sector’s best and brightest, we focused on the future and prepared for new challenges, staying true to our conference theme “Building a Resilient Future”. Thank you to all the speakers, moderators and panelists who joined us to share their knowledge and experiences with CASA members.

For those who were unable to attend, check out our website to view the informative presentations and handouts shared by our speakers and panelists.

We kicked off the first day of the conference with concurrent general sessions which consisted of discussions on a number of priority topics in the wastewater sector including, fleet tracking, electrification, AI, the future of work, regulatory deep dives, and gender diversity and pay equity in the workforce. On day two we heard from keynote speaker Jen McDonough about everyday heroes and the importance of their work, followed by a panel on communicating with diverse constituencies and a presentation on the impending drought. During the Thursday afternoon session, we got the opportunity to congratulate and hear from the agencies and associates who received the CASA Award of Excellence in 2021, as well as the recipients of the 2021 CASA Education Foundation Scholarships. Read more about all the winners and recipients in the following article.

Friday morning we received state and federal legislative updates and learned more about what we can expect moving forward in the 2021 legislative session and in Washington D.C. in the coming months. In the closing session, we heard from Kevin Phillips, Town Manager of Paradise, CA on the town’s rise from the 2018 fires and the development of an entirely new wastewater collection system.

The conference concluded with the passing of the gavel and installment of CASA’s new Board President, Jasmin Hall. “It is an honor to continue to serve on CASA’s Board as a voice for clean water agencies on regulatory, legislative and legal issues,” stated Jasmin A. Hall, Inland Empire Utilities Agency Board President and newly appointed CASA Board President. “It is imperative that as a trusted and leading organization, CASA provides reliable information, influential leadership, a top-notch member experience, and meaningful collaboration. These principles are the foundation of CASA and aid in establishing a sustainable world for today and tomorrow.” Congratulations to Jasmin, the CASA staff is pleased to continue working under your leadership and guidance!

Thank you everyone who attended CASA’s 66th Annual Conference in San Diego! We look forward to seeing you at the CASA Winter Conference in Palm Springs in January.

 

CASA 2021 Award of Excellence
Congratulations to the recipients of CASA’s 2021 Awards of Excellence! CASA is proud to recognize the hard work your agencies do to provide an invaluable service to California communities.

Excellence in Innovation and Resiliency

Public Outreach and Education

Organizational Excellence

Outstanding Capital Project

To see the full list of award applicants and a description of their projects check out the Awards Brochure. Interested in submitting your project? Mark your calendar! We will begin accepting applications for the 2022 Awards of Excellence in March: CASA Awards Program.

 

CASA Acknowledges 2021 Education Foundation Scholarship Recipients
The CASA Education Foundation was formed to enhance the future of California’s clean water community by attracting new professionals into the clean water sector through scholarships. Students pursuing higher education in engineering, environmental science, public administration, or other related fields, who show an interest in serving the clean water community are eligible to apply. The CASA Education Foundation presented $5,000 scholarships to three worthy students in 2021. Learn more about the scholarship recipients and view their thank you videos below.

Aiyanna Durepo – Point Loma Nazarene University

Lena Schorkopf – University of California, Los Angeles

Lensaa Temesgen – University of California, Berkeley

 

Registration Deadline Upcoming: CASA Mentoring Program
Ready to take that next step in your wastewater career? Not sure where to start? CASA is here to support you! The CASA Mentoring Program is an 11-month comprehensive program, kicking off in October and concluding in August 2022, that serves to connect clean water professionals from across the state of California. CASA will match 12 mentor/mentee pairs based on their professional goals, preferences, and experience. There are limited spots available so act fast!

*Registration Closes THIS FRIDAY, August 27*

For questions, contact CASA’s Executive Director, Adam Link at alink@casaweb.org.

 

CASA’s Professional Development LISTSERV Officially Launched
Did you receive the new CASA member exclusive benefit in your inbox last week? We have officially launched a specialized LISTSERV to keep members informed of webinars, workshops, trainings, events, and general opportunities for professional development. This LISTSERV will be populated bimonthly with upcoming engagement opportunities in all facets of the clean water sector including biosolids, communications, finance, human resources, regulatory, and more! Do you know a shining star in your agency that might benefit from continued growth and professional development opportunities? Be sure to share this resource with them! To get signed up for the newest CASA LISTSERV, please email Cheryl MacKelvie with your name, preferred email, and affiliated agency or association.

 

We Are Moving!
The CASA office is excited to announce that we are moving!  We will officially be in our new home on September 1, 2021. Don’t fret, we aren’t going far, just a couple blocks down the street (and closer to the Capitol building!). We hope you can come visit us in the near future at our new location: 925 L Street, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95814.