Strength in Shared Stories: Inside Our Women in Water Journey
Back in January, far before I even started considering how to approach our annual coverage for Women’s History Month, I happened to see a photo on social media that just grabbed ahold of me. It was of a woman in what looked to be freezing weather, and the caption told that she was scrubbing clarifiers. She looked like a boss. I knew I had to reach out to her, and I hoped we could get the photo for our feature. She agreed, and she is the woman who opens our Women in Water story.
Later that month, Angela Walker, who is the Assistant Director of Wastewater Operations of Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water & Sewer Commission, posted a brief conversation starter in the group. It was entitled “Lift as we Climb” and asked, “What’s one lesson your career has taught you that you wish you’d learned sooner?” Between these two ladies’ posts, an idea for our feature took shape, and a portion of Walker’s answers are included on page 25.
On the cover of this issue is Brenda Staudenmaier, single mother who lost her job during the pandemic and feared for the wellbeing of herself and her child. Scholarships from AWWA and Waste Management allowed her to find stability in her career by entering the water workforce, which as now put a roof over their heads while providing health insurance and retirement plan. Having lost my job three times over the course of my career due to budget decisions made outside of my control, I know her story firsthand. It felt extremely unstable as a single mother, and I too found solace in a position in the water industry.
There is a lot of great coaching in the stories included, and many responses echo similar stories and feelings. It is important to gather these thoughts, to put them in one place, to show people they are not living in a vacuum. The world is brighter when you do not feel alone.
I encourage readers to go to the online version, which is far more comprehensive. In total, 59 women participated in the questionnaire, and to stand by my word that all the voices should be heard, I have included every answer from every woman in the online feature at the link below.
www.waterworld.com/womeninwater2026
Read the digital turnstyle version the print March April 2026 issue.