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 that fuels my creativity and keeps the ideas flowing.
On the job: I’m out with my team in the community quite a lot. As part of the executive team, I help guide the direction of our agency. I also prepare technical reports and manage our social media channels.
What makes it exciting: The people I work with keep me motivated; I have a wonderful team. In summer, we host interns, and I enjoy supporting their growth and development. I love talking to students about how amazing the water industry is and planting the seed that they could one day join us. We’re also moving into a new headquarters next year; I’m excited about that. It’s a fun time to be in water.
Source of pride: I take pride in sharing what is working well here with other agencies in our region and beyond. I’m especially proud of my team — seeing them grow in their roles, present at conferences and earn recognition. What brings me the most joy is knowing they have a healthy work-life balance — that they leave work feeling fulfilled and return each day with enthusiasm.
Looking ahead: I’m looking forward to my three years as the first young professionals director-at-large on the AWWA board. It’s an opportunity to build a legacy while fostering leadership development and growth for new water professionals.
Advice to young professionals: Get involved with your associations. It’s a great way to grow your network, build relationships and find mentors and friends. There are many ways to engage, from interest-based committees to development programs like AWWA’s Transformative Water Leadership Academy.
The boss’s view: Lily is a passionate leader who enjoys collaborating with her team to create new initiatives that benefit our community. She is instrumental in initiatives from enhancing our onboarding processes to spearheading the Emerging Leaders program.
— Jared Macias, assistant general manager
