AWWA Water Champion – John Albert, Deputy CEO, American Water Works Association

Please describe your New England upbringing. I grew up in Northern Maine in a small town called Fort Kent at the northern terminous of U.S. Route 1. The Saint John River runs the length of Fort Kent and across the river lies Claire, New Brunswick. There is an international bridge in the center of Fort Kent connecting the two towns and countries. I spent countless hours canoeing, swimming and fishing in that river and the many other surrounding rivers and lakes, including the famed Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Winter was one of my favorite seasons because the Saint John Valley would become a great playground for snow sports. In high school I competed on the cross-country and downhill ski teams.

What led you to get involved in the water sector? Educators played a strong role in sparking my interest in water. In high school, my biology teacher, John Kaleta, brought our class into the field to sample macroinvertebrates along the Fish River. I was fascinated at how sampling for these organisms could tell a story about the water quality of the river. (Pictured above from left, John Albert; as a kid dressed as Dr. Who; with his wife, daughters and dad in Quebec City.)

What inspired your interest in research? I have always been interested in how the tiny world of microorganisms could have such a global impact, from cycling methane to impacting human health. What fascinated me most was how we can harness the capabilities of microorganisms in engineered systems designed to treat water. Microbes are employed from bioreactors to biological filters and digesters in the effort to provide clean water.

My research as a graduate student at the Colorado School of Mines helped me further explore this world. I investigated Trichloromethane degradation by methanotrophs, assessed soil microorganisms in on-site wastewater treatment systems, and used bacterial source tracking to investigate point and non-point sources of fecal contamination. My curiosity was supported by the energy and wisdom of Dr. Junko Munakata-Marr and Dr. Luis Tenorio, who still inspire me.

After several years working at WRF, I became interested in how organizations, especially non-profits, were structured to fit the needs of their stakeholders. I took a leap and went back to school at the University of Colorado Denver for my master’s in public administration. During that time, I engaged with other students from non-profits as well as federal, state and city agencies. These interactions were as valuable as the classes themselves. I centered my studies on the impacts of mergers and acquisitions in the non-profit sector and how to measure those impacts.

How will your experience at WRF inform your work at AWWA? During my time at WRF I was incredibly lucky to have opportunities to grow and explore various parts of the organization. First, I was a project manager for several years in the Research Services team, where my focus was on microbes in water. I then had the opportunity join  Subscriber Services, where I would meet directly with utilities across the U.S. and Canada, listen to their needs, inform the research planning process, and make sure they knew about the latest developments from on-going research. After several years of being on the team, I became the manager of subscriber services supporting the subscription program. Finally, in 2017 I became the Chief Research Officer supporting five research programs. All of these experiences helped me to explore different aspects of the water sector, which is an asset I bring with me to AWWA.

Throughout my time at WRF, I was fortunate to work with two CEOs, Rob Renner and Dr. Peter Grevatt, who invested in my growth and challenged me to constantly align WRF resources with the needs of the water sector. While managing several teams at WRF, I learned that people, and the processes they support, are the key to a great organization. I am very grateful to all the team members I got to work with while at WRF. They have all taught me so much! Aligning the energy, insights and talents of a team to the needs of the organization is what I took away from WRF and am very excited to apply at AWWA.

What are you looking forward to in your new position? Engaging in and listening to more One Water conversations. I celebrate how far the U.S. water community has come in thinking beyond the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act and taking on more holistic thinking. I’m excited to engage with Water 2050 because of this type of thinking.

What would you like AWWA members to know about you? I am mission driven and water is at the core of what drives me, like so many of us in the water community.

What has been your most positive interaction with AWWA up until now? I remember being a YP at my first committee meeting, Organisms in Water. Around the room were titans in the microbial world. I had read many of their papers in my graduate program and I was thinking to myself, “how the heck am I going to be able to effectively contribute to this committee and how am I even going to approach any of these water (s)heroes?” My trepidations melted away soon after I walked in the door, as several of them walked up to me and welcomed me in and helped me find my footing. A few years later I became chair of that committee. I am extremely thankful to many of the folks for taking me under their wing and I aim to pay those valuable lessons forward.

Please describe your family and/or hobbies and interests. I am very lucky to be married to Dr. Lynne Albert. We met when she was doing post-doctoral work on a WRF project. After her post-doctoral work, she moved to Denver and worked in industry for several years researching microbial systems to produce biofuels. She now shares her passion for microbiology with students at Red Rocks Community College. We are thankful to have two wonderful daughters, Ana and Elise, who put up with their nerdy parents. When we are not discussing science, you can find us skiing in Colorado or traveling to Maine and Quebec province to have fun with family.

What is something that people would be surprised to know about you? As a kid I was really into Dr. Who, so much so that I dressed up as the Doctor for Halloween. From time to time, I will still sneak in a few new episodes when I can.