Water Workforce Webinar Series
Presented by the Colorado Water Center in collaboration with the US Water Alliance.
About the series
This webinar series explores workforce development in the water sector. Hosted by the Colorado Water Center in collaboration with the US Water Alliance, this series draws from themes identified through our Water Workforce Career Fair & Summit and ongoing programmatic efforts.
Each session highlights practical strategies to build and sustain a strong, inclusive water workforce. The series is targeted towards water professionals that are looking to share and discuss best practices around water workforce development with themes including: job shadowing, internships, recruitment and retention, and regional partnerships that help remove barriers to entry.
Thank you to all who joined us for the 2025 Water Workforce Webinar Series
Explore career pathways, skill development, and industry insights through engaging webinars designed for current and future water professionals.
Past webinar schedule
Time: 12:00-1:15 PM Mountain Time
Job shadowing is a valuable workforce development tool that allows students, emerging professionals, or career changers to observe experienced workers in real world settings. In the water sector, job shadowing offers firsthand insight into the diverse range of careers from operations and engineering to public engagement and environmental justice. It helps participants build connections, clarify career interests, and better understand the skills required in the field.
Panelists:
- Jan Harrison, Public Engagement Specialist – City of Fort Collins
- Jan Harrison, M.Sc. M.Ed., is a Public Engagement Specialist with the City of Fort Collins Utilities. Having been a public educator and school principal for 20 years, she has a unique insight into students’ needs for job shadows, internships, and other opportunities for real-world career exploration. As part of her role with Utilities, she is leading the effort to make access to municipal water and light & power careers equitable, fun, and engaging for students from high school through graduate school. Jan has lived in Fort Collins for over 30 years with her partner, children, and animals, and she loves working with and for her community.
- Chris Madsen, Science Teacher – Jeffco Public Schools
- Chris Madsen, a dedicated educator at Arvada West High School, brings over two decades of experience to teaching and mentoring students. Over the last seven years, he has played a pivotal role in allowing students to earn concurrent enrollment credits through Red Rocks Community College’s Water Quality Management program as part of his Water Quality Management CTE pathway. Collaborating with the Colorado Certified Water Professionals (CCWP), Chris has enabled pre-graduation students to qualify for Class D operator exams, broadening their professional horizons. Additionally, he developed the curriculum for the Colorado Trout Unlimited’s Trout in the Classroom program, effectively integrating academic study with practical environmental stewardship. His contributions reflect a deep commitment to enriching education with meaningful, real-world experiences.
- Kaylee Stone, Operations Technician – Metro Water Recovery
- Kaylee Stone is a full-time Operations Technician with Metro Water Recovery who was recently hired upon completion of her internship at Metro Water Recovery’s Northern Treatment Plant. She was previously a student in Mr. Madsen’s course at Arvada West.
- Matthew Woodworth, Water Source and Supply Operator – City of Fort Collins
- Matthew Woodworth just recently graduated from CSU with a Master’s degree in Water Resources. He most recently worked with the Larimer County Conservation Corps on forest health, trail building, and various other restoration projects. Currently, Matthew works for the City of Fort Collins as a Water Supply Operator up at the Michigan Ditch near the summit of Cameron Pass. Matthew completed the Fort Collins Utilities job shadow program.
Time: 12:00-1:15 PM Mountain Time
Explore internship models that provide meaningful work experience for students and career pathways into the water sector. Details and speaker lineup coming soon.
Speakers:
- Matthew McFadden, Water Quality Management Instructor- Emily Griffith Technical College
- Matt McFadden has been in the water industry for over 20 years with Bachelors and Masers of Science degrees in Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas and the University of Washington, respectively. He worked as a professional consulting engineer for 15 years on projects ‘from source to tap and back’ in the water and wastewater sectors as project manager, design engineer, construction services engineer, start-up and commissioning manager, as well as principal investigator in peer-reviewed research. He is currently in his sixth year as the instructor of Water Quality Management at Emily Griffith Technical College where he provides an immersive, hands on CTE training program for operators entering the industry. Through teaching he has become increasingly focused on developing workforce pipelines in the Colorado’s Front Range.
- Kyla Davis, Extension Internship Program Manager- Colorado State University Extension
- Kyla Davis is the Program Manager for Extension Internships at Colorado State University’s Office of Engagement and Extension. In this role, she leads the design, coordination, and execution of CSU’s statewide summer internship program, an interdisciplinary initiative that provides anywhere from 60 to 90 students opportunities every summer with hands-on, community-based learning experiences. With a background spanning education, nonprofit leadership, and workforce development, she has built systems to support students and mentors through every phase of the internship process, from project development and hiring to training, evaluation and professional development.
- Riley Schleiss, Water Resources Specialist- City of Hillsboro
- After completing her bachelor’s in Watershed Science from CSU in 2020, Riley returned to CSU the next year to work on her master’s in Cultural Anthropology. Driven by a desire to bridge her passion for watershed and human health, Riley participated in the CSU Extension Internship to support the Residential Rain Garden Pilot Program under Jessica Thrasher’s guidance. After graduating, she moved to the Pacific Northwest, served as an AmeriCorps member for the City of Vancouver, Washington’s Urban Forestry Program, then began work as a Water Resources Specialist with the City of Hillsboro, Oregon’s Water Department where she coordinates and implements water conservation and education programming.
- Guillermo Vizarreta Luna, Environmental Engineer & Fulbright Scholar
- Guillermo is a Fulbright Scholar and Environmental Engineer from Peru with five years of experience in water management. A UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV Fellow and Colorado Water Fellow, he recently earned his M.S. in Systems Engineering from Colorado State University. His research focuses on applying Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Large Language Models to strengthen water quality decision-making.
Time: 12:00-1:15 PM Mountain Time
Discover creative and inclusive strategies to attract, hire, and retain skilled professionals across all areas of the water workforce. Details and speaker lineup coming soon.
