Dr. Suja Lowenthal brings new leadership to the Water Replenishment District as Communications Chief
"WRD is at a point in its 50-year history when a new, higher level of planning means that we will not only launch initiatives, but that we will also work with others who share our goals. Dr. Lowenthal has proven through her experience at other water districts and in her own community that she is a bridge builder," said Whitaker.
"During my career I have sought an organization where I can help build something new that truly helps our cities and people in a real way. Today, WRD is such an organization, one that is at the brink of redefining a collaborative approach toward water management that takes advantage of key opportunities to partner and collaborate," said Dr. Lowenthal.
As Chief of Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Lowenthal will lead internal efforts to organize the public aspects of WRD capital, policy and outreach initiatives. Reporting to the General Manager, she will work closely with the other WRD department heads and lead a staff of professionals with expertise in developing community partnerships and managing government affairs. Dr. Lowenthal will also be the District's main point of contact with the news media.
WRD is currently embarking upon a N.E.W. Initiative that includes natural groundwater storage programs, education partnerships and ramped-up water conservation efforts with other agencies.
"The sum of our N.E.W. Initiative is to give the 4 million residents in our 420-square mile service area in southern Los Angeles County decades of water reliability," added Whitaker. "Our natural groundwater storage efforts will benefit from education programs reaching out to children and their parents - teaching them how to protect our groundwater while adding to its volume through conservation efforts."
For the past seven years Dr. Lowenthal has served as director of government affairs and outreach for the Central Basin Municipal Water District and the West Basin Municipal Water District, two jointly managed public water agencies in Los Angeles County. Prior to her career with water agencies, she led inter-agency affairs for the Los Angeles City Attorney. In addition to her involvement with many community organizations, Dr. Lowenthal is a publicly elected member of Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education.
The Water Replenishment District is a public agency governed by five board members elected by the public. The WRD refills and protects 10 aquifers stretching from beneath the cities of Manhattan Beach to Whittier and Los Angeles to Long Beach. These aquifers store drinking water and reach depths of more than a quarter mile, exceeding the height of the Empire State Building.
[Editor's Note: A color or black-and-white digital image of Dr. Lowenthal can be obtained by calling
Samara Ashley at (562) 407-1979.]
