At the monthly meeting of the Board of Directors today, Jerry N. Johnson, General Manager of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, announced the appointment of five executives to senior management positions.

“In filling these posts with some of the best professionals in their fields, we are taking steps to ensure that the Authority continues its progress towards becoming a world class organization,” said Johnson.

All the appointments fill vacancies in top leadership positions in major Authority departments, including the Chief Engineer/Deputy General Manager, Office of the General Counsel, Public Affairs, Security, and Risk Management.

Johnson also noted, “We have a number of major challenges that range from resolving litigation that has prevented WASA from expediting our CSO Long Term Control Plan – the largest environmental improvement program in our city’s history, to continuing to push forward on our ten-year $1.6 billion capital improvement program. These appointments will set us more firmly on the path to achieve these goals for our customers and our community.”

The appointments include:

Interim Chief Engineer/Deputy General Manager – John T. Dunn
A consultant to many utilities, including the Allegany County Sewer Authority and the City of Richmond Departments of Public Utilities and Public Works, Dunn has had both private and public sector experience serving as Superintendent of Utilities of Bethlehem Steel Corporation and Corporate Manager of Utilities for Kohler Corporation. Dunn served in similar executive posts for the cities of Richmond and Norfolk, as well as York County, Virginia. With an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and a BS in Engineering Science from Purdue University, Dunn is a PE in five states, and will bring a wealth of experience to his responsibility for managing major wastewater treatment plant and sewer operations, as well as water and engineering services.

General Counsel - Avis Marie Russell
Formerly, the Executive Counsel to the Mayor of the City of New Orleans (legal advisor with responsibilities ranging from negotiating economic development projects and labor agreements to providing oversight for the procurement process and the operation of the local Sewerage and Water Board), Russell is also both the former Chief Legal Officer for the City of New Orleans, managing a staff of 50 attorneys, as well as a Commissioner and Judge Ad Hoc in the Civil Court of Orleans Parish. The position provides legal advice to the General Manager and the Board of Directors, and represents directly or through outside counsel, the Authority and its ratepayers’ interests on legal matters.

Security Manager - Dan Hall
Formerly, the Deputy Chief of Protective Services for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority before his appointment, Hall brings nearly 30 years of experience in law enforcement, security and investigative services to WASA. While at WMATA, Hall coordinated police and security needs during Metrorail system construction projects, and coordinated security operations for Metrorail after 9-11, including police training and security measures for the Metrorail Inspection and Service Yards. His responsibilities include, continually assessing, improving and managing Authority security programs and operations that are required to protect our water delivery systems, physical property, and employees.

Public Affairs Director - Karen DeWitt
An independent writer and producer before joining WASA, DeWitt was a senior producer for ABC Television’s “Nightline” in its Washington Bureau, and at ABC dotcom. Formerly a correspondent with the New York Times and USA Today, she has also written for other widely read publications like National Journal. The position is responsible for internal and external communications, a focal point for the Authority’s organization-wide effort to strengthen outreach programs and to ensure two-way communications with our stakeholders

Risk Manager - Tanya DeLeon
DeLeon is an insurance professional with over a decade of experience in the private sector with CNA Insurance and PMA Insurance, as well as public sector experience as a current WASA employee. In addition she has experience in regulatory compliance, claims management and claims resolution. The position is responsible for enhancing, managing and coordinating the Authority’s worker’s compensation and other risk programs to protect all Authority assets.

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) is a multi-jurisdictional regional utility that provides drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment to more than 500,000 residential commercial and governmental customers in the District of Columbia and also collects and treats wastewater for 1.6 million customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland, and Fairfax and Loudon Counties in Virginia.