Santa Ana River Watershed Ambassador Program for Local Policymakers - Workshop 2: Collaborative Planning in the Face of Uncertainty

Watershed Ambassador Program - Workshop 3

Choose one of the two VIRTUAL workshop dates:

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Workshops will take place from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

with a virtual happy hour immediately following.

Both workshops will be open to participants from all jurisdictions within the Santa Ana River watershed.

Find out more details on the program website at: https://www.lgc.org/sawpa/

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About Workshop Three

The final round of workshops will build on the skills and knowledge gained through the previous sessions to help elected leaders strategize how to most effectively communicate the value of water to their constituents and be culturally sensitive in addressing local water needs.

Expert Co-Facilitators

Melissa Elliot is the Director of Strategic Communication Services for Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. Melissa has 25+ years of experience working with elected officials, stakeholders and the public on issues as diverse as drought, water quality, potable reuse, affordability, rate structure change, impactful construction projects, and demand management. Melissa is President-Elect of the American Water Works Association, a former chair of AWWA’s Public Affairs Council, and a regular volunteer for The Water Research Foundation. She has an M.S. in technical communication and a B.A. in journalism and is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America. Prior to joining Raftelis, Melissa directed the public affairs efforts at Denver Water.

Susana Villegas is the President of SVPR Communications. SVPR provides English and Spanish language communications, media, and crisis management services to reach broad binational audiences and hard-to-reach communities in efficient and culturally effective ways. An award-winning public relations firm, SVPR most recently received the 2018 American Water Works Association Public Communications Achievement Award for Strategic and Comprehensive Outreach Campaign. Susana Villegas is a bilingual communications professional with extensive experience in San Diego city government, political campaigns, the private sector, and community-based organizations. Born and raised in Mexico City, Susana holds a degree in Communication Sciences from the Universidad del Valle.

First Name *

Last Name *

Which date will you be attending? *

Agency/Organization *

Position Title *

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Address 1 *

Address 2

City *

County *

State *

Zip Code *

Did you attend the second round of workshops that occurred in January 2020 (Workshop 2)? *

Yes

In 1-2 sentences, what are the main challenges that your agency faces when communicating about water to your constituents and/or customers? *

Are you an elected official? *

Yes

How did you hear about this workshop? *

I agree that by registering for this event I am consenting to receive email updates about the Santa Ana Watershed Ambassador Program Workshop Series.

Who should attend?

Mayors, city council members, county supervisors, city managers, county commissioners, tribal representatives, elected board members of water districts, city and/or county staff, and other civic leaders involved in water and land-use planning within the watershed.

About the Santa Ana Watershed Ambassador Program Workshop Series

The Santa Ana Watershed Program will occur in three rounds of workshops - September 2019, January 2020, and May 2020 (current). Each round addresses a different topic and includes lectures and skill-based exercises to help participants frame better public policy questions and strengthen relational skills. Materials from the September 2019 Round 1 workshops and January 2020 Round 2 workshops are available on our website: lgc.org/sawpa.

The Santa Ana Watershed Projet Authority (SAWPA) will offer three levels of certification for all local policymakers who attend the Watershed Ambassador Program, recognizing their informed leadership, a commitment to healthy and resilient communities, and their dedication as a public representative of the watershed.

- Individuals who attend all three workshops will be certified as a Watershed Ambassador.

- Individuals who attend two workshops will be certified as a Watershed Champion.

- Individuals who attend one workshop will be certified as a Watershed Steward.

Organized & Certified by

Local Government Commission (LGC) & Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA)

Visit lgc.org/sawpa for more information