Transformative Water Leadership Academy
Great water utility leaders aren’t born; they’re developed.
Transformative Water Leadership Academy
The Transformative Water Leadership Academy (TWLA) is where the next generation of water utility leaders focus on the foundations of sustainable community leadership: how to integrate social, environmental, and financial concerns into important decisions about water utilities.
This 10-month program addresses leadership for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater management, and water reuse. Participants will learn to balance short- and long-term priorities while creating value for all water stakeholders.
About TWLA
About
The Transformative Water Leadership Academy (TWLA) is a collaborative program of AWWA and the WaterNow Alliance.
TWLA will prepare tomorrow’s utility leaders to address emerging water issues and opportunities and to guide utilities through positive transformation. In current times, all organizations (including utilities) must deliver on the triple bottom line: social, environmental, and financial performance. TWLA graduates will be empowered to meet this challenge.
Expanding the Water Workforce & Its Leadership
Much of the nation’s water infrastructure is in urgent need of repair, maintenance, and replacement. The skilled leadership and talent needed to complete this crucial work has been in short supply. Water utilities must reflect the communities they serve; it’s time to broaden the pipeline for the water community.
TWLA seeks participants representing a wide range of regions, lived and career experiences, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Together at TWLA, this cohort of leaders will learn to seek and value a range of perspectives when strategizing to serve community needs.
TWLA will cultivate purpose-driven water leadership by:
- Expanding the pool of qualified utility staff and leadership, to build a stronger water workforce.
- Fostering community-first utilities by instilling in leaders an awareness of, and abiding commitment to, everything it really takes to help communities thrive, by supporting a healthy environment.
- Clarifying a vision for the future. Participants will find and define their leadership objectives and turn ideas into actionable plans.
Measurable Outcomes
Better Leaders. Better Water. Stronger Communities.
By investing in yourself, the benefits of TWLA are shared widely.
Participant outcomes:
- An expansive network of water leaders across North America
- A clear path to professional advancement, promotion, and leadership role
- An abiding commitment to community-first leadership
Utility outcomes:
- An expanded pool of skilled, leadership-ready talent that reflects that communities it serves
- Enhanced retention via increased employee opportunity and recognition
- Innovative approaches to solving community and utility problems
Community outcomes:
- More sustainable, resilient, and economical water services
- Greater voice, visibility, and influence in water issues, from all parts of the community
- Stronger public trust in, and cooperation with, water utilities
- Improved management and stewardship of water and environmental resources
2025 Cohort Sponsor
Pillars of TWLA
These concepts form the foundation of TWLA:
- Community leadership. Expanding the pool of utility talent and leadership to reflect the broad spectrum of the communities utilities serve. Bringing together a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences strengthens utilities’ ability to provide drinking water, wastewater, stormwater management, and water reuse.
- Network. Expanding beyond their cohort, participants will also connect with the TWLA Collaborative: a body of nationally, regionally, and locally influential organizations representing marginalized or underserved populations. The Collaborative will facilitate outreach to potential applicants, provide a resource network to participants, expand awareness of water utility jobs, and help share TWLA results and insights.
- Community engagement. Participants are strongly encouraged to get directly involved in their community — by working on community projects, joining nonprofit boards, supporting school programs, or other activities. This will anchor participants to the community they serve by fostering deeper understanding and empathy for all parts of their community. Mentors and program volunteers will set examples for this involvement.
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Help a Utility Leader. Donate to support a TWLA travel scholarship through the Water Equation.
The TWLA Experience
The TWLA cohort of 50 selected participants will convene from January through October. Participants must attend:
- Two in-person sessions, each lasting three days
- 12 virtual sessions (2.5 hours each) throughout the program
- Four small group sessions (1.5 hours each) throughout the program
Learning experiences will include:
- Lectures and instructor-led discussion
- Small-group discussion and sharing
- Mentoring
- A capstone project or activity implementation
- 1-on-1 and peer mentoring
TWLA participants will have support to discover and define their personal leadership objectives and turn it into action, so they can lead with purpose. They will enjoy the support of staff, volunteers, and peers.
TWLA 2026 Cohort Schedule
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Eligibility Criteria & Program Requirements
We welcome 50 participants in each cohort, which provides an opportunity to learn from a wide network of individuals.
We are looking for TWLA applicants with the following experience:
- 3-10 years of full-time work experience, including at least two years of water-related work (preferably at a water utility or a related field).
- Supervisory and/or Management Experience. Past experience supervising people in your current professional, volunteer, or community work. Your experience may include management of projects, programs, committees, and contractors.
- Availability to attend TWLA sessions and events.
- Access to a computer and broadband internet. TWLA includes online sessions and online coursework that require a reliable, robust broadband connection.
Deliverables
Every participant in each TWLA cohort must deliver:
- Capstone project. You will design and complete a project based on sustainable community leadership principles learned at TWLA. This project should address a problem, need, or opportunity in your organization or community. Estimated work time: 40-60 hours.
- Presentation. Each participant must present what they learned from TWLA. This can happen at an event/conference, or by writing an article for a publication. Your presentation or article need not focus on TWLA, but it should clarify the value of what you learned from the TWLA experience.
Application Requirements
Acceptance into TWLA is based on competitive criteria to ensure a robust learning experience for all participants. Applicants must be ready to engage deeply in the program, and prioritize their commitment to attending all program sessions.
When completing the TWLA application, you will be asked to provide the following information:
Your resume with the following information:
- Education. Provide diplomas, degrees, or certificates received. (Note: a college degree is not required to participate in TWLA. Online education programs should be included.)
- Work experience. Please include full-time jobs as well as temporary or internship positions. You must demonstrate a minimum of 3 years, but no more than 10 years of full-time work experience, including at least two years doing work related to the water sector.
- Volunteer/community experience. List work you have done on a volunteer basis, either for a nonprofit or community organization or program, or informally.
- Leadership experience. For your current job or volunteer/community work, describe your responsibilities for supervising or leading people. You may also describe other life experiences where you’ve led or supervised others.
Personal Statement: You’ll be asked to answer several short answer questions to share more about your leadership and why you are applying for the TWLA.
DEADLINE: Applications for 2026 cohort open on June 1, 2025.
Volunteer for TWLA
Volunteers are essential to the success of TWLA. We offer many volunteer opportunities.
Identify applicants
Identify potential TWLA applicants on your staff and in your community. You may already know some future leaders or key talent for the water community.
Instruction
Do you have special expertise in a core topic of TWLA? Volunteer to teach a virtual or in-person lesson.
Mentor or coach TWLA participants
Help guide tomorrow’s water leaders via direct engagement. Scroll down for more information.
Expand our network
Expand our network of community/nonprofit groups. Help build the TWLA Collaborative by introducing us to groups doing good work in your community or region.
Donate
Donate to support TWLA, individually or through your organization (tax-deductible).
Facilitate
Facilitate small-group discussions within a TWLA cohort. Scroll down for more information.
Tell
Tell water utilities about TWLA, especially how getting involved can benefit utilities and their communities.
Connect TWLA with funders
Introduce us to foundations or other funding organizations whose goals might align with TWLA.
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Mentor & Coach
Are you looking for a way to share your expertise and support the development of the next generation of water leaders?
The TWLA is looking for coaches and mentors who are committed to investing their time to assist in the growth and development of TWLA participants. Mentors and coaches must be willing to share their knowledge, experience, and wisdom and act as a guide and role model.
There are two main responsibilities in this position:
- Provide one-on-one mentoring to two or three TWLA participants.
- Lead four 90-minute small group sessions
Small Group Mentor Description
Become a TWLA Sponsor
Help us keep the TWLA mission alive. Your generous contributions will support essential TWLA programming and allow the expansion of this unique program.
By contributing to TWLA, you will signal a firm commitment to the positive evolution of the water community. TWLA sponsorship also offers opportunities to showcase your organization’s thought leadership on achieving a sustainable, community-focused water future. This can directly support your organization’s environmental, social, and governance goals and commitments.
TWLA sponsorships:
- Travel and per diem scholarships for program participants who may lack resources to attend required in-person events.
- Stipends for keynote speakers to build the strength of the program in leadership, environment, business, community engagement, and workforce development
- Expanding networking opportunities for a robust program for both participants and TWLA graduates
- Technology, connectivity, and software to support the interaction, instruction, exchange of ideas, and information gathering/analysis that are essential to TWLA
Sponsor Prospectus
Hear from the Cohort
The TWLA Experience
The Future of Water
2023 Inaugural Class | Lily Lopez
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