The Program

​Join us for four presentations, followed by facilitated Q&A:

The State of Public Works in the Age of Covid-19 – What is the New Reality…?  - Art Shapiro, Howard County Bureau of Utilities

Public Communications – Marybeth Leongini, American Water 

Wastewater Epidemiology for Tracking Covid-19 -  Brad Schmitz, Loudoun Water

Serving over 3 Million Customers in a Pandemic – Sue F. McCormick, Great Lakes Water Authority 

Moderator - Pam Kenel, Loudoun Water

April 13th, 2021 - 12:pm - 1:30 pm   webinar

Utility resilience during covid-19

Nobody can deny that the past 12 months have been an immense challenge to people everywhere.  While much of the country shut down, our essential services never stopped, and in fact, had to quickly adapt to changing service requirements, employee hazards, and fiscal challenges.

This webinar will explore the resilience of four utilities, representing a wide range of community sizes and demographics.  Utility leaders will share their experiences dealing with the past year, as well as insights into serving the future needs of customers.​

Our Panelists

Art Shapiro, PE, PMP - Chief, Bureau of Utilities with Howard County Department of Public Works.  Before coming to Howard County, Art served at Baltimore Department of Public Works as Chief of Utility Maintenance and as Chief of Engineering and Construction.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Maryland Association of Wastewater Agencies.  Art was granted three United States Patents related to water treatment technologies and processes and is a long-distance motorcycle enthusiast.

Marybeth Leongini, Director of Communications, Virginia/Maryland American Water.  Marybeth leads Virginia/Maryland American Water’s external communications department. Marybeth joined Virginia American Water in 2020, from her most recent role as Vice President of Communications for the National Association of Water Companies (NACW). A longtime resident of Alexandria, Marybeth earned a bachelor’s degree from Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C. and a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina.

Bradley Schmitz, Environmental Scientist, Loudoun Water.  Bradley Schmitz is an Environmental Scientist at Loudoun Water in Northern Virginia. He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology from the University of Arizona and previously held two postdoc positions at the National University of Singapore and Johns Hopkins University. During his time in academia, Bradley’s research focused on the intersection between water and public health. As part of his role at Loudoun Water, Bradley is working to increase the organization’s involvement in research, supporting more effective water resources management.

Sue F. McCormick, Chief Executive Officer, Great Lakes Water Authority.  Sue F. McCormick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), a regional water and wastewater authority that services nearly 40 percent of the water customers (3.8 million people), and nearly 30 percent of the wastewater customers (2.8 million people) in the state of Michigan. With nearly 40 years of experience in the water service sector, McCormick was honored in 2018 by the Southeast Council of Governments with the Regional Ambassador Award. She is active in the American Water Works Association, having served as an AWWA-Michigan Director, an association Vice President, and on the Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), as well as the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). She is currently chair of the state of Michigan’s Water Asset Management Council and serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Infrastructure Council.

​​Pam Kenel, Managing Director of Water Resources Programs, Loudoun Water.  Pam is responsible for developing new programs and coordinating strategic issues related to water resources, research, and compliance. Previously Pam served as a consulting practice leader for water resources and sustainability issues, working with water utilities across Virginia and the Eastern US.   Pam is a long-time AWWA member, a former Chair of the Chesapeake Section, and current Chair of the Climate Change & Sustainability Technical Advisory Workgroup for the Water Utility Council.  She has a BS, Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech; MS, Civil Engineering from University of Maryland, and has completed PhD Studies in Civil Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech

Special Thanks to Utility Committee Members:

Teresa DiGenova, Black & Veatch

Chein-Chi Chang, Retired

Sherri Gee, Great Lakes Water Authority

Registration:  $20 AWWA members, $25 for non-members

Sponsorships are encouraged, as they support our ability to deliver this program. Sponsorships begin at $75, and include recognition on this web page, as well as during the event.