Paul J. Schuler is president-elect and a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

He brings more than 30 years of leadership in the water industry, recognized for his advocacy of the One Water approach and the shift toward a circular water economy. As senior vice president and strategic adviser at Carollo Engineers, he leverages experience from executive roles at top water solutions providers to drive innovation, elevate client service, and support company growth. Paul served as a WEF trustee, president of the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association and is currently an elected board member of the West Slope Water District in Portland, Oregon.

His commitment to sustainable water management practices and technologies underscores his dedication to building a more resilient and regenerative water future. Paul's expertise spans drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and industrial water projects. A licensed professional engineer, he is known for his passion for integrating water systems and promoting conservation through holistic water resource management. His strategic insights and collaborative approach make him a trusted partner for clients seeking innovative and comprehensive water solutions.

Paul holds a Master of Business Administration in Management, a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Corey Williams is the vice president and a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

Williams currently serves as president and CEO of SmartCover Systems, the innovation leader for intelligent, real-time sewer monitoring systems. Prior to his role at SmartCover, he served as the CEO of a Suez subsidiary, Optimatics; as vice president and general manager of Inflection Point Solutions, a software development and management consulting firm also serving the water industry; and at Black and Veatch as the director of environmental information systems. 

A WEF member for his over 30-year career, Williams has guided multiple companies, engaged in advisory board positions for startups, and served as project manager or executive in charge of more than 125 projects for water and wastewater utilities throughout the United States, Australia and Europe.  Williams has authored more than 75 papers in IT, OT, IoT, and the smart water and innovation space for the water industry.  

Williams is active in many professional associations and has been the co-principal investigator in research initiatives related to the application of technology to drive business value in utilities.  He is the co-founder and moderator of both the Water and Wastewater CIO and CFO Forums. He founded these forums with the mission of bringing together innovative water and wastewater utility leaders from all over the country and creating a valuable space for knowledge transfer and networking.

Williams earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Kansas State University.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Christine Volkay-Hilditch is the 2023-2026 Treasurer for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

Volkay-Hilditch is employed as the deputy director of public works [and] utilities for the city of Lancaster, PA. She leads the management and operations of the water and wastewater treatment plants and supervises engineering, laboratory, pretreatment, operations and maintenance staff. 

Volkay-Hilditch earned her bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Villanova University, and her master's degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University. She also has a master's of public administration from Villanova University. Christine is a registered professional engineer and a diplomat of the Environmental Engineering Academy. She holds sewage treatment plant operator and water works operator licenses in Pennsylvania.

Volkay-Hilditch has served in the WEF House of Delegates, and has been a member of several workgroups. She chaired the Budget and the Operator Outreach committees. She also chaired the Utility Management Community. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers, and is a recipient of the Arthur Sidney Bedell Award and the Volunteer Service Award.

Volkay-Hilditch is a member of the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA) and the Eastern Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Operators Association (EPWCOAP), and has served as president of both. She has also chaired the EPWPCOA and PWEA pretreatment committees and the PWEA finance committees. She also is a member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network, and currently serves as its treasurer. Volkay-Hilditch is also a member of the Delaware County Professional Engineers Society, and has assisted with the annual MathCounts competition for several years. 

Volkay-Hilditch is avid supporter of operator certification and is an instructor in the wastewater operator training program at the Delaware County Community College. 

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Ralph Erik Exton became the Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation on July 15, 2024, and serves as Secretary of the WEF Board of Trustees and a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees. He joined WEF from Grundfos, where he served as the water utility vice president and chief marketing officer. With more than three decades of experience, Exton has held key positions at distinguished companies in the water sector, including Suez, Veolia, and GE Water & Process Technologies.

Exton's dedication to WEF extends beyond his professional role. Prior to his appointment as executive director, he had been a committed volunteer for more than a decade, serving on WEF’s Board of Trustees for five years.

During his tenure as a WEF trustee, Exton held the position of Treasurer/Officer for three consecutive years and chaired the Audit Committee. He was also a member of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Board Committee and was nominated to the WEF Circular Water Economy Summit Advisory Committee. In recognition of his significant contributions, Exton was honored with the prestigious WEF Fellow Award in October 2023 for his commitment to advancing the global water environment.

In January 2024, Exton joined the board of The Water Tower, a global water innovation center focused on reimagining the future of water through applied research, technology innovation, workforce development, and industry engagement. He is also the co-founder and board director of Partnering for Impact, a not-for-profit platform that inspires influencers in the water sector to achieve sustainability and resiliency goals, drive equitable economic prosperity, encourage the next generation of professionals, create innovations, and build research and development capacity. Additionally, Exton was the founding co-chair of the AIChE International Society for Water Solutions from 2012-2014. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for BlueTech Research and the Accelerator Judging Team of Imagine H2O.

Exton earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1987. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of water, our most precious natural resource.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Howard Carter is the Immediate Past President and a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

Howard is also the director of the Water Resource Recovery Department for the City of Saco, Maine.

A WEF member since 1998, Howard spent five years in the House of Delegates as a representative of the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) and his last year as the speaker of the House. Additionally, he was a founding member of the New England Operations Challenge team "Pump Fiction" that went on to compete nationally in both Division 1 and 2 for a number of years.

Howard is also an active member of NEWEA, where he served as president in 2010. He is also a past president of the Maine Water Environment Association in 2002.

In addition to receiving numerous WEF Operations Challenge team awards over the years Howard is also a recipient of the William D. Hatfield Award, the Arthur Sidney Bedell Award, A WEF Fellow, a WEF Service Pin Recipient, and a member of the Select Society of Sanitary Shovelers.

Howard is a graduate of both the U.S. Naval Nuclear Piping/Mechanical Apprenticeship program and the Southern Maine Technical College Wastewater Treatment/Environmental program.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Tracy Ekola, P.E. is a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA. 

Ekola serves as vice president and Midwest senior director for Brown and Caldwell. As an executive with more than 30 years of experience in environmental engineering and business leadership, Ekola provides clear, effective communication and collaboration to maintain a positive forward-thinking environment. Her leadership experience has focused on organizational strategy, innovation and utility performance, regional and national market analyses, risk management, project management improvement processes, succession planning and leadership training and development. With an extensive background in planning, design, and construction of wastewater treatment facilities, she has worked in various roles from on-site engineer to key leadership roles in both public sector and private/employee-owned organizations. Ekola has worked with industrial clients and public utilities addressing regulatory challenges, technology evaluation, developing innovative utility management approaches, program delivery/implementation, and capital improvement program development.

Ekola has been an active member of WEF and Central States Water Environment Association participating in various committees and leadership roles spanning almost three decades. Ekola has served on the WEF House of Delegates as a delegate-at-large and a second term as a delegate for CSWEA.  She served on the House of Delegates Budget Committee and multiple HOD workgroups.  She has served as the Conveyance and Watershed Community Director and recently as Director for multiple task forces for the Community Leadership Council.  She has also served on multiple WEF committees including Government Affairs, Utility Management, and Program Community.  Tracy has also been an active participant in guiding local, state, and national level regulations.  In collaboration with utilities and supporting organizations, she has provided input on various topics related to water quality, wastewater treatment, biosolids management, and land application to strive for cost-effective, innovative solutions that are protective of the environment.  Collaboration is key to her success in working alongside utilities and their industry partners to evaluate scenarios that benefit the community, stakeholders, and industry partners.

Ekola graduated with a bachelor of civil engineering from the University of Minnesota, and Executive Education Vistage International at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She resides in Minnesota with her husband, who works for the state in natural-resources and forestry planning. They enjoy working and playing in the great outdoors along with their two sons, who are employed as electrical and mechanical engineers. 

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Andrea Hall, PHR, SHRM‑CP, is a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

Hall is a globally minded HR executive and transformational leader, currently serving as Global Strategic HR Director at Thermo Fisher Scientific. In this role, she drives the integration of human capital strategies with core business objectives, while championing inclusive, empowered workplace cultures across global teams.

Andrea brings a deep legacy of leadership within the Water Environment Federation (WEF), where she has served on the Governance Committee, Utility Management Committee, and Program Committee, and currently holds the role of Chair of WEF’s Board of Trustees D&I Committee. Through these roles, she has been instrumental in governance, strategy, and sector-wide programming. A respected voice in the water sector, Andrea has also contributed thought leadership to the Water Research Foundation (WRF) and California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA), lending her expertise to initiatives that shape more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive utility systems.

Her appointment to the WEF Board of Trustees reflects not only her strategic HR acumen but also her unwavering commitment to advancing resilient, future-focused leadership across the global water sector.

Andrea holds a Business degree from Westminster University, as well as executive certifications in ESG and Sustainable Capitalism from UC Berkeley, and in EDI from Cornell University. Her work bridges industries, communities, and discipline, propelling sustainable, people-centered leadership at every level.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Walid Khoury a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA. 

Khoury is the founder and CEO of Desalytics, a company established in 2020 to address water challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. With 25 years of experience in the water industry, Khoury has held leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, including GE Water & Process Technologies and Danaher Water Platform. His expertise spans commercial strategy, operational management and inclusive leadership, where he has successfully implemented sustainable growth strategies.

Khoury is a strong advocate for promoting diversity and empowering women in the water sector, believing that increasing female representation in leadership roles enhances innovation and better addresses the needs of diverse communities.

As a recognized speaker, thought leader and content creator, with a robust online presence and global network, Khoury is frequently invited to speak and moderate sessions at water industry conferences worldwide. Prior to being nominated to the WEF board of trustees, he served on the WEFTEC Advisory Committee for two years.

Khoury holds a master’s degree in management from Harvard University, Bachelor’s degree in Water and Environment Engineering and a Master's degree in Water Sciences from Saint Joseph University.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Rasha Maal-Bared is a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

Maal-Bared is a principal scientist at the CDM Smith Bellevue Research and Testing Laboratories, where she oversees environmental microbiology and innovative water and wastewater treatment research and development projects. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Maal-Bared completed her doctorate in environmental microbiology at UBC and her two master's degrees at the Harvard School of Public Health and Dalhousie University. She proudly chaired the WEF's Community Leadership Council from 2023-2025. She lends her expertise to the editorial boards of Science of the Total Environment, Water Practice and Technology, and Data in Brief.

Maal-Bared was the recipient of several prestigious water industry awards, including the WEF 2020 Water Heroes Award, the 2023 Western Canada Water Analyst Excellence Award, and the 2020 US Empowering Women in Industry STEM Award. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Brian Persing is a member of the 2025-26 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

Persing is a distinguished professional in the water sector who brings nearly a quarter of a century of comprehensive experience to his role as Senior Principle, Operations and Maintenance Consulting at Brown and Caldwell.

His career trajectory began in the field of analytical chemistry within the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries, which laid a solid foundation for his transition into the water sector. Persing's expertise is extensive, covering areas from certified environmental laboratories to the operation/management of water, wastewater, industrial wastewater and biosolids facilities. His experience is further enriched by a blend of contract operations, consulting, and direct municipal employment.

An active contributor to the field, Persing recently held the position of vice chair of WEF's Utility Management Community and is a member of WEF’s Water Leadership Institute Steering Committee, where his insights and leadership continue to shape the future of water management and environmental stewardship.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

Kalpna Solanki is a 2025-26 member of the WEF Board of Trustees and the interim president and CEO of GAMECHANGERS Inc. She works with organizations in the water and agriculture sectors on strategic planning, board governance and capacity-building.

Kalpna has a passion for strategy, culture and purpose, and believes that all organizations have the potential of going from good to great. She has a proven track record of building high-performance teams, developing innovative solutions, and creating value for stakeholders.

Kalpna is a recipient of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, Water Professionals International’s Robert C. McAnespie Award, and the BCIT Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurial Innovation.

She holds a bachelor of science degree and an MBA from Simon Fraser University, as well as a diploma in environmental health from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She is a certified water professional, a certified interim executive, and has recently completed a Harvard Business School program on strategy.

Kalpna also enjoys volunteering, and has 25 years of board experience across multiple sectors, and currently sits on her 12th and 13th boards.

Updated Sept. 29, 2025

A history of the leadership of the Water Environment Federation, from its inception in 1928 as the Federation of Sewage Works Association to the present day.

list of WEF Past Officers (pdf)