Rita Schmidt Sudman

For more than 30 years, Rita Schmidt Sudman led the Water Education Foundation as its Executive Director. She now serves as a senior advisor. The Foundation is an impartial and nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and implement education programs leading to a broader understanding of water issues and to resolution of water supply and quality problems in the West. She directed the development of Western Water magazine, the Layperson’s Guide series, the Foundation’s Colorado River program, public television programs on water, poster maps, tours, press briefings and school programs. Ms. Sudman is a former radio and television reporter and producer and received her master’s degree in telecommunications from San Diego State University. She developed a television production team which has won three Emmys, several regional Emmy nominations and recently (2007) one Telly award for the Foundation’s public television documentaries. She has served on numerous boards including the President’s Advisory Commission on water for the University of California and the board of Water For People, an international program assisting people in developing countries to obtain safe drinking water. In the last couple of years she has received awards - the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Groundwater Resources Association of California for her efforts on groundwater education and the Service to the Water Industry Award from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) for dedication to information and education on drinking water. She also was named a “Superhero” by the California State Fair for her work on educating Californians on water issues.