Elisa Speranza Email & Phone Number

New Orleans, La, Us

New York, New York

One of two independent directors, and on the Management Development & Compensation Committee, for the Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc. (NPCC). NPCC is one of eight Regional Entities across the North American continent responsible for promoting and enhancing the reliability of the international, interconnected bulk power system. In Northeastern North America, NPCC oversees the development and enforcement of compliance with Regional Reliability Standards; coordination of system planning, design and operations, and assessment of reliability; and the establishment, monitoring, and enforcement of compliance with regionally-specific criteria.

Independent Director on the Board of Harris & Associates, a 100% employee-owned company focused on helping communities solve today's complex challenges in planning, financing, environmental compliance, civil engineering, and construction management. The company's offices and project sites span the West Coast in California and Washington with a staff of over 200 employee-owners. They focus on serving clients in the municipal, water, transportation, and education markets. www.WeAreHarris.com

Member of a three-person expert panel established to review and approve the operations and maintenance budget for the largest P3 water project in North America. The Vista Ridge project includes a 142-mile large diameter pipeline, and is the largest non-Edwards Aquifer supply developed in the city's history, providing up to 50,000 acre feet/year of Carrizo/Simsboro Aquifer groundwater.

Quebec, Canada

Elected Director December 2020; previously served as a board advisor. H2O Innovation is a publicly-traded company listed on Toronto, Alternex and OTCQX stock exchanges (ticker symbol: HEO). H2O Innovation is a leader in customized water and wastewater treatment solutions using membrane technologies. The company designs and fabricates state-of-the-art, integrated water treatment systems for municipal, industrial, and commercial users and specializes in applications for drinking water, water reuse, wastewater treatment and industrial process water. The company's three business pillars are water technologies and services, specialty products, and operations & maintenance. www.h2oinnovation.com H2O Innovation was acquired by Ember Infrastructure Management, LP on December 8, 2023.

Boulder, Co

Member of the team, led by Dr. Richard Kuchenrither, that developed the Water Engineering and Management certificate program at CU-Boulder. The course helps graduate-level civil engineering and distance learning students prepare for a career in the water industry, and includes topics such as: governance, leadership, ethics, finance, communications and management. The course led to a Water Environment Federation textbook, and she co-authored the Leadership chapter. She has also been a guest lecturer on various topics, including communications, utility management, leadership, and sustainable development in the water and sanitation sector at: Loyola University (New Orleans), University of Kansas, University of Northern Colorado at Greeley, University of Denver, Babson College, Boston College.

Served as a Senior Advisor to Encourage Capital, an investment firm working to generate both compelling investment returns and social and environmental impacts for its investors. Member of the Liquid Assets Project team, which focused on generating municipal green infrastructure projects that provide environmental, economic, and community benefits.

Supported policy work and organizational advancement of the US Water Alliance, working to build a sustainable water future for all. The Alliance is a member-supported, national nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the nation about the true value of water, and accelerating policies and programs that effectively manage water resources to build stronger communities and a stronger America.

New Orleans, La

As Senior Vice President and Corporate Director for CH2M, served as portfolio manager for key client accounts and stewarded the firm's innovation and technology, sustainability, government affairs, and corporate citizenship functions. Was president of the CH2M Foundation, and executive sponsor for the company's collaborations with The Nature Conservancy and Encourage Capital. In 2014, elected by the employee and former employee shareholders to the firm's 13-member corporate Board of Directors and its Governance & Corporate Citizenship Committee. The firm's sustainability programs achieved industry-leading status, including winning the World Environment Center's Gold Medal Award for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development in May 2016. See: http://sccr.ch2m.com/ for more information. In 2017, CH2M was named to Fortune magazine's list of 50 companies changing the world, largely thanks to the firm's sustainability and corporate citizenship efforts. http://fortune.com/change-the-world/ch2m/Served as a sponsor and advocate for several Employee Network Groups, and was a member of the firm-wide Diversity Council.

Greater Denver Area

Oversaw corporate marketing, branding, communications and community investment functions during new CEO transition, corporate restructuring and capital-raising exercise. Launched an award-winning (http://www.rebrand.com/2016-showcase) enterprise re-brand and culture program, including leading-edge digital presence; rolled-out a refreshed company strategy; launched Yammer internal social network; started-up stockholder communications program; guided an aggressive internal communications effort; and oversaw award-winning community investment and Foundation programs in support of STEM education and sustainable communities. [From January - June served in transitional role of Global Managing Director of Corporate Affairs during corporate reorganization.]

Greater Denver Area

P&L responsibility for the $380m (2013 revenue) Operations Management Business Group, including operations, sales, client relationship management and strategy. Consistently met or exceeded business plan goals, achieved a 97% contract renewal rate, and oversaw the internal acquisition of a 500-person facilities management services unit. The group’s 2,300-person workforce provided site-based operations and maintenance and facilities management services and operations management consulting to a wide array of private- and public-sector clients, primarily in North America with a few projects in the Middle East and Asia.

Boston, Ma; New Orleans, La

Served in a number of leadership roles, including Market Segment Leader for drinking water and Service Team Leader for utility management solutions. Provided strategic consulting services for water and wastewater clients.

Englewood, Co

Appointed by the CEO to develop and launch a major overhaul of the company's foundation, which grew from essentially a "paper" foundation to a vibrant, award-winning organization. Guided the development of new by-laws and governing documents, a new board and staff, and refocused the foundation's mission to align with the company's values and corporate strategy. The foundation partnered with organizations to develop sustainable communities; to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education; and to foster employee engagement. More information at: http://www.ch2mhillblogs.com/foundation/

Boston, Ma

Provided strategic consulting services to water and wastewater clients and helped develop new business for this UK-based management consulting firm.

Wakefield, Massachusetts

Oversaw the corporate marketing and proposal team, and served on the transition team taking the firm through a change of ownership and restructuring. [Metcalf & Eddy was later acquired by AECOM.]

Boston, Ma

Certified Women's Business Enterprise provided strategic communications and management consulting for public- and private-sector clients, including: Narragansett Bay Commission, Poseidon Resources, EPRI, AWWA, Laidlaw, the City of Cambridge, MA, Philadelphia (PA) Water Department, Columbus (GA) Water Works, USAID (Egypt), and the City of Lynn (MA) Housing Authority and Office of Community Development.

Boston, Ma

Involved in all aspects of leading a wholesale water and wastewater utility serving 2.5 million people and 5,500 industrial users in 61 communities, and managing a 1,700-person, primarily union workforce with a $6-billion capital improvement program. Capital improvement projects included the $4-billion Boston Harbor program (Deer Island WWTP and related facilities) and major upgrades to the regional water supply system. As deputy director, developed and implemented policies on rates and financing, and negotiated consent decrees, mitigation agreements, and state and federal regulatory guidance. Also responsible for maintaining relationships with the agency’s Board of Directors, Advisory Board, local officials, state and federal legislators, regulators, industry, environmental and community stakeholders, and the media.

Boston, Ma

Reviewed capital projects; monitored laws and regulations; and coordinated pollution prevention, water accountability, and public education projects. Mayoral appointee to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Advisory Board, chairing the Finance Committee.

Boston, Ma

Oversaw Boston Harbor program/construction management team's stakeholder involvement and public education efforts.

Boston, Ma

Member of transition team that established the newly-formed quasi-public authority; created and implemented public participation programs for federally-mandated water and wastewater projects; liaison with multiple stakeholders including ratepayer and business groups, citizens' advisory committees, advocates, and local, state and federal elected officials and regulators; spokesperson with print and electronic media.

Boston, Ma

Office Manager, MBTA Advisory Board; field director, various national and statewide political campaigns; Project Manager, Lynn (MA) Housing Authority; freelance journalist

M.P.A., Public Administration

B.A., Political Science

Activities and Societies: News Editor, The Heights (student newspaper); Model United Nations

Women Corporate Directors Program, 2013

Executive Education

Education record

Activities and Societies: Editor, The Blueprint student newspaper; President, International Relations Club (Model United Nations)