Applications will soon be available for our yearlong Water Leaders class, which will mark its 25th year in 2022, so now is the time to start polishing those resumes and seeking support from employers.

One of our most popular programs, the William R. “Bill” Gianelli Water Leaders class is aimed at providing a deeper understanding of California water issues and building leadership skills with class members by studying a water-related topic in-depth and working with a mentor.

Among other things, members of the Water Leaders class:

• Spend a day “shadowing” a mentor, who is a major water leader from government, urban, agriculture, environmental organization, private business or public interest group
• Develop policy recommendations for California on a specific water topic with their class
• Attend tours of key water regions and Water 101 to gain a deeper understanding of the historical, legal and management aspects of water in California
• Present policy findings to the Foundation’s Board of Directors

The program began in 1997 and now boasts more than 400 graduates. We are particularly proud that several of our Water Leaders graduates have gone on to achieve top positions at the state Legislature, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and leading private companies involved in water.

The program is named for William R. “Bill” Gianelli, a past president of the Water Education Foundation, who made a major financial donation that helped the Foundation create an educational program for early- to mid-career professionals from across California and from various stakeholder groups involved in water issues.

Bill Gianelli served as Assistant Secretary for the Army in charge of the Corps of Engineers from 1981 to 1984 and as director of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) from 1967 to 1973 during major construction on the State Water Project.

He passed away in 2020 in Monterey, Calif., at age 101. A veteran of World War II, he was buried recently in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.