Description

In Rio Arriba County at the confluence of the Rio Chama and Rio Brazos, seven water systems participate in the El Valle de Tierra Amarilla Area-Wide Water Committee to address water and wastewater needs of the community.

EL VALLE DE TIERRA AMARILLA AREA WIDE WATER COMMITTEE'S - FINAL REPORT

Facilitators and Technical Advisors

Kate Kopischke is an independent facilitator and communication consultant based in Albuquerque. Her primary focus is consensus building in the public sector, specializing in policy related cases involving water, energy, land and resource use, and community and economic development. Kate served for five years as Director of Communications for the Policy Consensus Initiative (PCI), a national nonprofit organization working with leaders in state government to strengthen and improve collaborative governance practices in states. She currently is a consultant for both PCI and its research and development arm, the National Policy Consensus Center, both based at Portland State University’s Hatfield School of Government.

Matthew Holmes holds a MA in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics from the University of New Mexico and a BS in Business Economics from the University of Arizona. As the Executive Director of the New Mexico Rural Water Association since 2000 Mr. Holmes represents Rural Water at the Capitol in Santa Fe and on the Hill in Washington, D.C., overseeing grant programs, managing the Association budget, interacting with the Board of Directors and the membership, helping rural communities, and managing fifteen employees. Matt represents rural and small community utilities by serving on committees related to drought, security, sourcewater protection, compliance and infrastructure.