Jed Ross also takes seat as a principal board member

DC Water is celebrating a milestone appointment with this week’s swearing in of Dr. Unique N. Morris-Hughes as the new chair of the DC Water Board of Directors. This marks the first time a woman holds the position as the permanent Board Chair for the Authority.

Dr. Morris-Hughes serves on the Board on behalf of the District and is also the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES). After being sworn in, Dr. Morris-Hughes shared her pride in DC Water and praised its 1,300 talented employees and the Authority as the best in the world.

“The work we will do collectively is important. It’s important to the Mayor, it’s important to District residents, it’s important to the residents of the surrounding jurisdictions,” said Chair Morris-Hughes. “I look forward to leading this Board…really understanding where we should be going, what we can do better, and doing a lot of victory laps on the things we’re already doing right.”

Dr. Morris-Hughes is credited with the successful turnaround of DOES’s federally funded workforce programs. Additionally, as State Secretary of Labor, she is responsible for over $150 million in local and federal funding for workforce and jobs programs and over $80 million in active capital projects.

Her leadership at DOES has been key to the success of DC Water’s apprenticeship program and workforce development programs.

“We are excited about the leadership Dr. Morris-Hughes brings to the Board of Directors. She has been a champion of DC Water and supported the work we do,” said DC Water Chief Executive Officer and General Manager David Gadis. “As Director of the District Department of Employment Services, Dr. Morris-Hughes has been an invaluable partner with the Authority’s training and apprenticeship equity programs. She brings an impressive combination of professional and academic credentials to her stewardship of the Board.”

Dr. Morris-Hughes replaces Rachna Bhatt who served twice in 2024 as the interim Board Chair and provided leadership through this transition.

Dr. Morris-Hughes' extensive career spans both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, with experience in education, program development, evaluation, and compliance.

The Board Chair leads the 22-member Board of Directors, overseeing DC Water’s $8.5 billion capital and operating budget.

Dr. Morris-Hughes has a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, an MBA from Trinity University, and a BA in English from Johnson C. Smith University.

In addition, Jed Ross, who formerly served as an alternate board member, was elevated to   a principal board member. He was sworn in along with Dr. Morris-Hughes and represents the District of Columbia. Ross is Chief Risk Officer for the District. Appointed by the Mayor in 2015, he oversees DC’s Office of Risk Management and its 80-person staff and contractors.

Go to the Board of Directors page at dcwater.com for a list of board members, meeting calendar, and to access video and information for past and future board meetings.