Over the weekend, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy hosted the second in-person Educate 2 Lead (E2L) program session at the LA River Center and Gardens in Los Angeles.
On Friday, April 25, 2025, Heather Dryer (General Manager, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District), along with co-leaders Shivaji Deshmukh (General Manager, Inland Empire Utilities Agency) and Diana Mahmud (Former Board Chair, Clean Power Alliance), led an impactful session on Thriving Together: Coaching & Growth Conversations. Participants explored leadership skills such as navigating crucial conversations, delivering empathetic feedback, and fostering collaboration.
At Friday’s team dinner, the cohort was joined by Jesus Gonzalez, Manager of the Recycled
Water Program, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; E.J. Caldwell, General Manager of the West Basin Municipal Water District; and Craig Miller, General Manager of the Western Municipal Water District. They met with the cohort and offered reflections on their professional paths, the values that guide their leadership, and advice for navigating careers in public service and water management.
On Saturday, April 26, 2025, Miya Cain (Associate Director, FSG) trained the cohort on Public Narrative, an evidence-based method to engage others in organizing work. The method designed by Professor Marshall Ganz connects the Stories of Self, Us, and Now, allowing participants to learn how to craft their leadership stories, define a shared purpose, and respond to the urgent challenges that demand leadership today.
Additionally, the cohort had the opportunity to take a tour of the Los Angeles River, connecting with the local environment and reflecting on the session’s leadership themes.
The E2L program, founded by Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) and the California African American Water Education Foundation (CAAWEF), continues to empower women and underrepresented leaders in the California water and energy sectors.
