Native Californian Lily Lopez worked in state government and for public relations firms before finding her calling in the water sector.
Today she is the first full-time director of external affairs and sustainability for the Walnut Valley Water District, a position she assumed in 2019. Her responsibilities include legislative affairs, public policy, community outreach and social media.Her influences: Eric Hitchman, who was general manager when I started here, was a fantastic mentor. Our current general manager, Sheryl Shaw, is a strong advocate for professional development. The nonprofit Rogue Water Lab also inspires me — they’ve created a dynamic space for communicators
