About Us

Overview

About Us

Facing the challenges of sustainably managing and sharing water — our most precious natural resource — requires collaboration, education and outreach. The Water Education Foundation, an impartial nonprofit that was founded in 1977 in the midst of a deep drought, has put water resource issues in California and the West in context to inspire a deep understanding of and appreciation for water.

Taking a steady pulse of the water world, the Foundation offers educational materials, tours of key watersheds, water news, water leadership training and conferences that bring together diverse voices. By providing tools and platforms for engagement with wide audiences, our team aims to help build sound and collective solutions to water issues.

The Water Education Foundation garnered Candid, GuideStar’s Platinum Seal, which is awarded to nonprofits that achieve the highest level of transparency for donors.

Our Mission & Vision

Mission: To inspire understanding of water and catalyze critical conversations to build bridges and inform collaborative decision-making 

Vision: A society that has the ability to resolve its water challenges to benefit all

How We Get It Done

We support and execute a wide variety of programming to build a better understanding of water resources across the West, including:

Through the written word:

Through in-person/virtual events: 

Our Leadership 

  • Terry Fulp, former Regional Director of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado River region, is president of the Board of Directors, which represents a wide array of interests in the water world.
  • The staff is led by Jenn Bowles, the executive director. She took over in 2014 from longtime executive director Rita Schmidt Sudman.

Where We Work

We are headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., but our work takes us throughout the West and beyond.

Connect with Us!

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You can learn more about the daily comings and goings of the Foundation by following us on Twitter, InstagramFacebook or LinkedIn.