Board of Managers

Chairman
John P. Sullivan, P.E.
Boston Water & Sewer Commission
John Sullivan is the chief engineer of the Boston Water and Sewer Commission. John also serves on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s Advisory Board and currently serves as a commissioner on the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. He serves on the boards of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, and The Water Research Foundation. John is also a member of the Water Sector Coordinating Council.

Treasurer
Patty Cleveland
Trinity River Authority
Patricia is the executive manager, northern region at the Trinity River Authority (TRA), in Texas. Contributing more than 42 years toward the improvement of the water environment, Patricia has been responsible for directing the operation, maintenance, and expansion of TRA’s regional water and wastewater systems, as well as the development of new projects. She was chair of the Water Sector Coordinating Council, served on the board of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and served as president of the Water Environment Association of Texas and the Texas Association of Clean Water Agencies. 

Susan F. Breau, LG
Maine CDC Drinking Water Program
Susan is a licensed geologist and the Water Resources Team Leader at the Maine CDC Drinking Water Program. She and her team work on drinking water source protection, emergency preparedness, response and recovery, and security for public water systems in Maine. Prior to joining the Drinking Water Program, Susan was the Source Water Program Manager for Maine Rural Water Association for 15 years and served on the National Rural Water Association Peer Leadership Committee. Susan has experience working for a public water system, and in the private sector as a consultant. She has a BA in Geology from Colby College, an MS in Hydrogeology from Duke University, and a certificate in mediation.

Scott Dewhirst
Tacoma Water
Scott is the water superintendent for Tacoma Water. He began this role in October 2017 after serving as the interim director and assistant director for Newport News Waterworks since October 2012 where he oversaw all phases of water utility operations. Formerly, he was the chief of facilities engineering in Newport News. A graduate of Virginia Tech with a BS in Civil and a MS in Environmental Engineering, Scott also has had experience in the private sector as a consultant. Scott served as chair for the Virginia Section of the American Waterworks Association. He also serves on the board of directors of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.

David J. Peterson
Caveland Environmental Authority
David Peterson is the CEO of the Caveland Environmental Authority, in Cave City, Kentucky. He serves on the boards of Kentucky Rural Water, the National Rural Water Association and the Barren County Industrial Authority. David is certified in water, wastewater treatment, collection and distribution in the State of Kentucky. He is also a member of Rotary, Gideon’s International and five local Chambers of Commerce.
 

Nicholas Santillo Jr.
American Water
Nicholas Santillo Jr. is the chief digital infrastructure and security officer at American Water. He has been with the company for 19 years and has held multiple operational and leadership positions there. Nicholas is currently the chair of the Water Sector Coordinating Council. He is and has been active on multiple committees and boards, includes those of the National Association of Water Companies, ASIS, the American Water Works Association, and Rutgers University.

Sue G. Schneider
Spartanburg Water
Sue G. Schneider is the chief executive officer of Spartanburg Water, in South Carolina. She joined Spartanburg Water in 1998 as the assistant general manager and was promoted to CEO in 2007. Before Spartanburg Water, Sue worked for Westinghouse Electric at U.S. Department of Energy sites in New York and Ohio. Sue is also a member of the Water Sector Coordinating Council.  Sue was chair of the South Carolina Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and served on AWWA’s executive board. And she has served in a number of roles with the Water Environment Federation. She also serves in leadership roles in a number of regional non-profit groups.

Robert Walters
Davidson Water Inc.
Robert is the vice president of construction and engineering at Davidson Water Inc., a private non-profit cooperative utility in Lexington, N.C. Robert is also the chair of the Water Sector Coordinating Council. He was an appointee of North Carolina’s governor to the state’s Water Operator Certification Board for eight years and served as its chairman for three years. Robert has served as the vice president of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and as chair of North Carolina AWWA-WEA. He is a member of the AWWA Water Utility Council and is also a certified operator.

Staff

Diane VanDe Hei   
Executive Director

Michael Arceneaux
Managing Director

Scott Biernat
Manager, Accounts

Eugenia Cadena
Manager, Administration

Charles Egli
Director, Preparedness & Response

Mikko McFeely
Manager, Resilience Programs

Jennifer Lyn Walker   
Cyber Threat Analyst