Currents

Water Foundation Welcomes New Board Members

News
March 26, 2021
Photos of Hahrie Han and John Echohawk
Hahrie Han and John Echohawk, Water Foundation board members.

The Water Foundation is thrilled to welcome two inspiring, powerful leaders to our board of directors: John Echohawk, executive director of the Native American Rights Fund, and Hahrie Han, inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

“John and Hahrie are tireless champions and visionary leaders for movement building, democracy reform, and systems change,” said Allison Harvey Turner, Water Foundation CEO. “Hahrie’s and John’s guidance and advice will be instrumental as we continue to deepen partnerships with Tribes and Native communities and support diverse coalitions across the country fighting for clean, reliable water for all people and nature.”

As members of the board, John and Hahrie will strengthen our team’s capacity and strategy to advance water justice, resilient rivers, equitable governance, sustainable groundwater, and safe and affordable drinking water, among other vital issues, with our grantee and funder partners.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a small part of an organization working on something that is so vitally important for the world we seek to create,” said Hahrie Han. “Water is life. I look forward to learning from and working with the team at the Water Foundation to think about how to build the partnerships and momentum we need to make water clean, accessible, and reliable for all people.”

“I hope that my knowledge and experience with Native American water issues and needs can be helpful to the Water Foundation in addressing these concerns,” said John Echohawk.

Our growing board of directors now includes:

  • Celeste Cantú, vice chair of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board;
  • David Beckman, president of the Pisces Foundation;
  • Hahrie Han, inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University;
  • Jim Lochhead, CEO of Denver Water;
  • John Echohawk, executive director of the Native American Rights Fund;
  • Laurie Dachs, president and founder of the Laural Foundation;
  • Mike Conner, partner of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Door, LLP; and
  • Susan Bell, principal of Susan Bell & Associates.

Read more about the board and their bios on our website.