March marks both Women’s History Month and World Water Day, and Lotus is highlighting ongoing gender inequity issues related to water, while celebrating the crucial role that women play as experts and agents of change in achieving universal access to water and sanitation.
2.2 billion people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, and women + girls are disproportionately affected by the lack of access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), often bearing a larger responsibility than males for daily activities that rely on water, such as providing water for drinking, cooking, sanitation, and hygiene. Yet, women are regrettably underrepresented in the water sector at just 18%, despite representing nearly 50% of the global population. As primary providers, managers, and users of water at home, women have unique perspectives that are critical to informing and driving productive change in the design and maintenance of water systems, water distribution, water health, and policymaking for our communities and planet as a whole.
adapted from Women in Water Utilities: Breaking Barriers (World Bank, 2019)
Representation Matters
Improving representation is part of the pathway to achieving gender equality in water, and Lotus is proud to count 68% women among its talented team of planners, designers, and engineers. Representation matters, not only because "If she can see it, she can be it”, but also because seeing women in prominent roles—whether it’s as mentors, advocates, technical experts, hiring managers, or decision makers—sets an example of what’s possible for all of us, building confidence in and inspiring future generations of female talent and male peers alike.
In recognition of the accomplishments that women continue to make in the water world, we asked our Lotus team to name women who have made an impact on shaping their professional paths into water.
STEFANI HARRISON
Stefani is a planner, engineer, and project manager whose expertise runs as deep as it does broad, spanning from Left Coast (SF Bay Area) to Right Coast (Boston Area), from wet infrastructure design to resilience policy development, and leading teams as both a consultant and from within the public sector.
- WHY SHE INSPIRES - “In addition to exceptional technical aptitude, Stefani has that rare ability to truly listen, empathize, and perceptively read a room to pinpoint key concerns + priorities, see + reconcile what’s at odds, map out a path forward, and then thoughtfully craft the right story that will resonate with each party involved. Seeing her balance quick + efficient analysis with measured + patient consensus-building is really quite remarkable, and showed me just how crucial an effective communication strategy is to the ultimate success of a project.”
JANE JACOBS
Jane Jacobs was a 1960s activist who fought for equal pay for women, the right to unionize, and perhaps most notably, organized her neighborhood to oppose the construction of new high-rises and a new expressway as part of “slum clearance” plans for Greenwich Village. As a self-taught woman in the male-dominated field of urban + city planning, Jacobs tenaciously challenged established planning practices, and staunchly advocated for mindful development that preserves diversity and empowers local citizens to advocate for their community.
- WHY SHE INSPIRES - “As a young engineer, I was focused on improving the environment, but I wasn't very aware of our ability to impact people's experience within the public realm. Learning about Jane Jacobs and reading her books really introduced me to urban planning and changed how I thought about my role as an engineer. Because of her, I became more interested in how to weave urban planning into civil engineering through projects and policies that bring people together, preserve economic + cultural diversity, and create vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods. This permanently changed the focus and trajectory of my career.”
KIMBERLY O’CONNELL
Kimberly manages UC San Diego’s Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES ) permit + environmental compliance programs related to stormwater pollution prevention. She also runs AQUAholics Anonymous, a collaborative of UCSD students, staff and faculty that works to encourage water conservation on campus.
- WHY SHE INSPIRES - “Kimberly, my first internship supervisor, oversees UCSD's stormwater compliance. She has been a key mentor in shaping my interest in the subject, from learning about stormwater to guiding me to a career and graduate school focused on stormwater design.”
ROBIN WALL KIMMERER
Dr. Kimmerer is a scientist and award-winning author, whose work draws on the wisdom of both indigenous and scientific knowledge in advancing sustainability goals and restoring ecological health + our relationship to the land.
- WHY SHE INSPIRES - “Robin inspires me because she masterfully combines science, ecology, and traditional ecological knowledge in both her writing and advocacy.”
ALISA VIALPANDO
Alisa has been designing + managing engineering land development projects from concept through construction for over 3 decades, leading teams of engineers and inspiring teammates along the way.
- WHY SHE INSPIRES - “I was accustomed to being one of a very small handful of women engineers in college and in the workplace until I joined Alisa's team in my mid-twenties. She managed a large team of engineers, of which half were women, and provided my first real example of a successful engineer, leader, and mom.”
-Lotus Engineer
