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42 The Authority │ February My role sits at the center of that continuity. I helps ensure that planning decisions anticipate future operations, that design choices support durability and performance, and that projects remain useful long after they are complete. This long view has allowed Capital Region Water to grow a diverse portfolio of infrastructure investments that work together—reducing risk, improving water quality, and contributing to the character and livability of neighborhoods. Public engagement is treated as an ongoing exchange rather than a single milestone. Through meetings, events, tours, and partnerships, Capital Region Water works to make complex infrastructure more visible and understandable. Just as importantly, those conversations influence where and how investments are made, reinforcing trust through consistency and openness. I am especially attentive to what happens after ribbon cuttings fade. Day-to-day operation and upkeep are where sustainability proves itself. Under my leadership, Capital Region Water prioritizes systems that continue to work well, remain safe and welcoming, and reflect care for the public realm. Workforce development, collaboration with local contractors, and thoughtful use of resources all support that effort. Beyond Harrisburg, I am actively engaged in broader professional conversations shaping the future of stormwater, nature-based solutions and public infrastructure. I serve as President of the Board of Directors of the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, a cross-sector network of practitioners, designers, engineers, and—affectionately— green stormwater nerds working across the U.S. and Canada. Through this and other professional networks, I share lessons learned from on-the-ground implementation, reinforcing the value of public utilities as long-term leaders in environmental and community health. Working across traditionally siloed roles in a technical field, I bring a perspective shaped by patience, listening, and persistence. My leadership is not defined by visibility, but by continuity—connecting early vision to built reality and ensuring that systems endure. Through its work, Capital Region Water demonstrates how public institutions can lead sustainability efforts that are practical, inclusive, and grounded in place. In my work, the focus stays on what matters most: infrastructure that serves communities well, now and into the future. S Liesel Gross, CEO, Lehigh County Authority In the 1970s, many girls my age dreamed of their future in roles traditionally held by women of that era: teaching, nursing, cosmetology, etc. However, my dad actively discouraged me from pursuing a career as a music teacher, and my mom told me I should become a computer programmer. In the tradition of young people throughout history, I didn’t take their advice, but the message still came through for me to dream beyond my comfort zone. After completing a bachelor’s degree in journalism and following a few fits and starts at various employers in that field, I was drawn to an advertisement for a public relations coordinator role at a local water authority. I landed the job at Lehigh County Authority (LCA) in 1998, and every year since then I have been offered the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive beyond my wildest dreams. I was fortunate to be hired by LCA, a progressive and growing utility. We were relatively small at that time, with about 32 employees. Our service area was growing rapidly, and LCA had already developed a reputation as an industry leader. Since I brought a non-technical communications background to LCA, I was able to contribute in new ways to many initiatives such as system acquisitions, employee engagement, regulatory reviews, community outreach, youth education, and more. The late 1990s and early 2000s brought a variety of new challenges in the way utilities communicate with the public about the quality of our tap water. The Consumer Confidence Report rule came into effect in 1998, with the first annual water quality reports due to be delivered by mid-1999. This was a lesson in water chemistry that I never expected so soon after joining LCA! Then, in 2002, the revised Public Notification (PN) Rule went into effect, which changed the timing, delivery, and content of required notices we must issue to customers for water quality violations or other compliance issues. A few years later, the PN rule changed again to require delivery of “tier 1” notices by phone to our customers.