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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses the key water planning, finance, and regulatory institutions of Texas and some of the current issues and challenges facing the state with Brooke Paup, Chairwoman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Brooke Paup was appointed Chairwoman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) by Governor Greg Abbott in January of 2025.  Prior to her appointment to TCEQ, Paup served on the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) beginning in 2018.  In 2021, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Paup as the first woman chair in the history of TWDB. Prior to 2018, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, in the Office of the Attorney General, and at the Office of State-Federal Relations in Washington, D.C. Paup has 19 years of state government experience.

In 2021, Paup was awarded the Texas Water Foundation's Rainmaker Award, which acknowledges exceptional leaders making lasting impacts in Texas water.  She was also recently the recipient of the 2023-2024 Public Official of the Year Award from the Water Environment Association of Texas.

Paup has a Bachelor of Arts from Texas A&M University and a Juris Doctor from Texas Tech School of Law.

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses Texas Proposition 4 with Sarah Kirkle, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs at the Texas Water Association, and Perry Fowler Executive Director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network.

Sarah Kirkle works with members of Texas Water Association to develop policy positions through TWA’s legislative committees and to subsequently advance those policy initiatives through education and advocacy at the Texas Legislature. Previously, Kirkle was at Texas 2036 and the Sunset Advisory Commission.

Perry Fowler is the Executive Director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network (TXWIN) and Principal of Fowler Group Texas, LLC. Fowler also represents Texas811, the statewide damage prevention organization, advocating for safe excavation and utility coordination.

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses the homebuilding boom in Houston area flood zones following Hurricane Harvey with Caroline Ghisolfi, Deputy Data Editor at the Houston Chronicle.

Caroline Ghisolfi combines data analysis, visualization and investigative techniques to drive accountability reporting for Texas communities. She oversees a team journalist-coders and spearheads data literacy initiatives across Hearst Newspapers in Texas.

Caroline joined the Chronicle as a data reporter on the investigative team in 2023. Before coming to Houston, she was at the Austin American-Statesman where she was part of a team selected as a Pulitzer finalist in public service. Caroline trained in data journalism in multiple roles at the Associated Press and holds a journalism master's degree from Stanford University.

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses common western water needs and challenges with Tony Willardson, recently retired Executive Director of Western States Water Council.

Tony Willardson was named as Executive Director of the Western States Water Council in July 2009, and served the Council in various capacities since 1979. He is a member of the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration and has been recognized by the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) with the Mary H. Marsh Medal for Exemplary Contributions to the Protection and Wise Use of the Nation’s Water Resources. Further, he oversees publication of the Council’s weekly newsletter, Western States Water.

For more information about Tony Willardson's decorated service to the world of water, please review his bio here.

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses recent developments in the Rio Grande with Martha Pskowski, a Texas reporter for Inside Climate News based in El Paso.

Martha reports on water, oil and gas, and the impacts of climate change. She was previously an environmental reporter at the El Paso Times and a freelance reporter in Mexico City.

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses extreme weather with Texas State Climatologist, Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon. He is a Regents Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University and also serves as the Director of the Southern Regional Climate Center.

John Nielsen-Gammon has been on the faculty at Texas A&M University since 1991. He conducts research on various types of extreme weather from droughts and floods to air pollution and computer modeling. As Texas State Climatologist, he helps the state of Texas make the best possible use of weather and climate information through applied research, outreach, and service on state-level committees. He is a fellow of the American Meteorological Society. 

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses the 89th Texas Legislative session with Vanessa Puig-Williams, Senior Director of Climate Resilient Water Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund, Jeremy Mazur, Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy at Texas 2036, and Carlos Rubinstein, Principal at RSAH​2O, LLC.

The 89th Legislative Session was a historic, generational water infrastructure-focused session. From legislation geared toward water infrastructure funding, coalitions formed to investigate and address water challenges in Texas, and more, these water policy experts discuss the outcomes of this session over a jovial luncheon.

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses water challenges in the Rio Grande with Martha Pskowski, a Texas reporter for Inside Climate News based in El Paso.

Martha reports on water, oil and gas, and the impacts of climate change. She was previously an environmental reporter at the El Paso Times and a freelance reporter in Mexico City.

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Also, just a note that Talk+Water has been ranked as one of the top water podcasts in the world by FeedSpot and MillionPodcasts!

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses Multidecadal drought impacts on the Lower Colorado Basin with implications for future management with author, Dr. Bridget Scanlon, Research Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Scanlon's current research focuses on various aspects of water resources, including global assessments using satellites and modeling, management related to climate extremes, and water energy interdependence. She has authored or co-authored ~200 publications. Dr. Scanlon is a fellow of AAAS, AGU and GSA and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. 

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In this conversation, Dr. Todd Votteler, Principal of Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor-in-Chief of Texas+Water and the Texas Water Journal, discusses El Paso water resources with El Paso Water's Gilbert Trejo, Vice President of Operations and Technical Services, and Christina Montoya-Halter, Communications and Marketing  Manager.

Gilbert Trejo oversees engineering, operations and technical services. Previously, he served as Chief Technical Officer. Before coming to El Paso Water in 2014, he was the Principal in charge of Arcadis' Water Division in the El Paso, Texas region. In that role, he led business development, designed and managed projects, and ensured financial performance. Trejo is also past chair and former board member for the WateReuse Association and Water Research Foundation. He is a published author on water reuse and water infrastructure topics. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Texas, a Certified Floodplain Manager and a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer.  Trejo earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Master of Science in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from the University of Texas, Austin.

Christina Montoya-Halter has 24 years of media, communications and marketing experience. She is the Communications and Marketing Manager for EPWater, overseeing internal and external communications. A University of Southern California graduate, prior to her role at EPWater, she was a broadcast journalist in El Paso. She is President of WateReuse Texas and is serving her third term on the American Water Works Association's Public Affairs Council.

Take a deep dive into the world of water with those making waves!

Also, just a note that Talk+Water has been ranked as one of the top water podcasts in the world by FeedSpot and MillionPodcasts!