Kathryn Sorensen to elevate water challenges, public trust in ACE25 keynote

Kathryn Sorensen, a veteran of water management and policy and current director of research at the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, will deliver the keynote address at the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) 2025 Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE25) in Denver, June 8-11.

Her keynote at the Opening General Session on Monday, June 9, is expected to focus on the evolving challenges facing the water sector and the critical  importance of reliable water service delivery.

“When you consider that we must deliver water to an exact place, at an exact time, with near-perfect standards for reliability, pressure and quality – and do so affordably – you begin to understand the immense undertaking that often goes unappreciated by the public,” Sorensen said.

Sorensen’s keynote will draw upon her extensive experience leading water utilities in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona, where she directed operations and ensured reliable water delivery to millions.

“Delivering safe, clean water to a tap is this enormously complex enterprise. It’s just this incredibly complex puzzle,” Sorensen said.

She holds a doctorate in Agricultural and Resource Economics from Texas A&M University, where her dissertation focused on water economics.

“Having grown up in the desert and then falling in love with economics, it was very easy for me to connect the two,” she said. “I have studied the allocation of water resources since my undergraduate days, and I did a Ph.D. in the economics of water.”

Sorensen’s understanding of water issues also stems from growing up in Arizona’s arid climate, where she developed an early grasp of water scarcity.

“I grew up in Tempe, Arizona, which you can imagine is a pretty dry place out in the middle of the Sonoran Desert,” she said. “I think there’s something about growing up in the desert that makes you understand the value of water.”

Sorensen’s diverse career, spanning academic research, utility leadership, and policy influence, positions her to offer a variety of helpful perspectives to ACE25 attendees. Her insights align with the conference’s “Elevate” theme, urging the water community to pursue higher levels of excellence.

Held at the Colorado Convention Center, ACE25 will offer a forum for water professionals to explore solutions and enhance their practices. The June 9 Opening General Session featuring Sorensen’s keynote begins at 9 a.m. MDT. Past ACE attendees should note the 9 a.m. start time differs from past conferences.

More information about ACE25, including registration, is available on the conference website.