AWWA Water Champion — Julie Stokes — Moncton, New Brunswick

Julie Stokes is a supervisor in water distribution and wastewater collection for the city of Moncton, New Brunswick. She has been an active member of AWWA and the Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Association since 2009. She currently serves on the ACWWA board as the membership director and on the AWWA Membership Engagement and Development Committee. Julie received the Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award in 2023 and the ACWWA Volunteer of the Year Award in 2014. 

What led to your interest in a career in the water sector? I chose a career in the water sector because providing safe, clean water is one of the most essential services provided to our community. Water touches every part of our lives daily.

What do you enjoy most about your work? I love the technical challenges and responsibility that the water industry brings, but most importantly, I enjoy belonging to the water community. I have met so many amazing people and continue to work with a great group of like-minded people.

What is a challenge or project you’re currently working on? We recently experienced a 36-foot prestressed concrete transmission line failure on one of two main transmission lines that feed three municipalities. Not only did we have the challenge of the repair, but we also had to deal with much higher-than-normal flows in one transmission line because of high consumption from a heat wave, which caused water quality issues and drops in pressure.

What is one of your proudest accomplishments (either professional or personal)? Raising two children and seeing them become amazing young adults. My son just graduated as an aerospace engineer and my daughter is studying to become a civil engineer.

As a female in a male-dominated industry, however, I am also very proud of where I am in my career in a leadership role.

Do you have any advice for women like you who aspire to leadership roles in the water sector? I’ve learned that earning respect can take time, but once established, the professional bond is exceptionally strong and lasting.

What have you gained from being involved with AWWA? Being involved with AWWA has provided me opportunities to become a better leader, build strong networks, and stay current with new technologies in the industry. The biggest gain is the strong networks, which I have had to use as a resource during many emergencies in my career and was very thankful to have those contacts.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work or an AWWA function? I love spending time outdoors and living the RV life from May to November. I go where the weather takes me. Sometimes it’s hiking or trail running in our national parks, and sometimes it’s finding one of our beautiful beaches to relax with a book.