Melissa Meeker
Chief Executive Officer
Melissa has over 30 years of experience in water resources management with an emphasis on water supply diversity and resiliency through alternative sources including reuse, stormwater, and desalination. Having worked in public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, Melissa's broad range of expertise covers public policy, regulation, and management with a focus on innovative technologies, workforce development, and public engagement. Throughout her career, Melissa has demonstrated a unique grasp of state, federal and international dynamics, keen political instincts, and a proven track record of working with decision makers and boards to develop effective programming to address the water industry’s most pressing challenges. Her ability to quickly form relationships that result in powerful alliances has created water resource management opportunities across the United States and around the world.
Melissa currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of The Water Tower at Gwinnett and The Water Tower Institute, two nonprofits focused on enabling solutions in research, technology, training, and engagement around water. Pursued to take on this role in 2018, Melissa was the primary architect around the creation of this one-of-a-kind innovation center and has been with the project from inception, through construction and marketing, and into full operations.
Melissa views The Water Tower as the culmination of her diverse professional experiences, including running the largest water management district in Florida and multiple water-related research foundations. In 2022, Melissa was recognized with the One Water, Water Innovation Award, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Moxie Influence Award, and was invited to participate in multiple conferences, webinars, and podcasts. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Resources Management and can be found on Twitter @MLMeekerWater and on LinkedIn @mlmeekerh2o.
Kristan VandenHeuvel, ENV SP
Director of Impact and Engagement
Kristan is a strategic engagement professional with over 12 years of experience in the water industry and a passion for helping others understand the importance of water for every aspect of life. Her expertise encompasses research program planning, working with stakeholders and technical experts, project management, and grant administration. In her previous role at The Water Research Foundation (formerly the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation and WateReuse Research Foundation), she successfully managed more than 40 water reuse and desalination projects valued at over $15M and served as Deputy Director for a $4.5M water reuse grant. In her current role at The Water Tower, Kristan leads marketing and communication strategies to elevate visibility and impact, develops meaningful partnerships to foster collaboration, drives fundraising efforts to support our mission to provide innovative solutions for utilities, and directs TWT programming to engage stakeholders, students, and industry professionals.
Chris Impellitteri, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Development
Chris has over 20 years of experience in the water industry with a focus on critical drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and water reuse research. In his previous role as Associate National Program Director at the EPA Office of Research and Development's Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research Program, he led EPA research on water treatment and infrastructure that focused on comprehensive water management in support of EPA’s Program and Regional Offices and State partners for protecting water resources. In his current role at TWT, Chris is responsible for directing applied research, technical assistance, and technology R&D efforts to support our mission.
Courtney Lee
Director of Training Development
Courtney has over 10 years of experience working in curriculum design, science instruction, and community engagement in public school settings. At The Water Tower, she directs Continuing Education courses and coordinates training events with key partners, collaborators, and members of the community. Courtney’s expertise also involves developing and executing outreach programming to engage and recruit the next generation of water workers. She joins us from Gwinnett County Public Schools, where she was a chemistry teacher and curriculum developer.
Peggy Alexander
Office Manager
Peggy has extensive experience organizing and managing dynamic office environments for public, private, and nonprofit settings. In her current role at TWT, Peggy is responsible for overseeing office operations, administrative functions, paperwork management, and keeping the boss out of trouble.
Virgil Welch
Senior Water and Wastewater Specialist
Virgil has over 30 years of technical and laboratory experience with over 6 years in the water industry. He began his career as a laboratory technician for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and later worked as a senior lab analyst for private industry. Prior to joining The Water Tower, he honed his skills as both an industrial and residential wastewater operator, which lead to his position as Assistant Water/Wastewater Director for the City of Flowery Branch, GA. Virgil brings expert experience as GC/MS lab manager, as a team supervisor, and as an essential employee of the water industry to The Water Tower team. In his current role, Virgil provides vital real-world training for water professionals and oversees applied research efforts to advance TWT's mission.
Amanda Willis
Senior Water and Wastewater Specialist
Amanda Willis is a passionate water professional who began her journey in her hometown of Carlton, Georgia, as a city council member. Recognizing the challenges faced by rural water systems, she pursued certification as a Water Operator, eventually joining the City of Elberton as a Class 3 Water Operator for a surface water treatment plant serving multiple communities. Amanda’s dedication led her to obtain dual licensing in Water and Wastewater Operations, enabling her to support flexible operations across all city plants. She later chaired the Broad River Water Association board, fostering collaboration across the watershed. As Mayor Pro Tem of Carlton, she joined the Georgia Rural Water Association, where she provided technical assistance to rural systems, connecting them with funding opportunities and supporting clean water access statewide. At The Water Tower, she connects rural communities with innovations, training, research, and workforce development, embodying her belief that water is life.
Claude David Mbemba
Laboratory Technician
Claude David Mbemba brings a unique blend of military experience and technical and academic expertise in chemistry to The Water Tower. He is currently serving in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he honed his leadership, teamwork, and disciplined work ethic. In December 2024, he will graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Georgia State University. Claude David’s research journey is marked by extensive experience in advanced chemistry techniques such as Spectroscopy, Chromatography, TLC, HPLC, Gas Chromatography, and GC-MS. His research projects have spanned the analysis of food dyes, cannabinoids, and various grades of petroleum, and his work has been instrumental in beta-testing and implementing laboratory course experiments for the forensic chemistry lab at GSU. In his current role at The Water Tower, Claude David is responsible for diverse research initiatives focused on water-related challenges.
Kaitlyn Castrejon
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Kaitlyn is a dedicated marketing specialist who graduated in 2023 with a degree in Business Administration, Marketing concentration from Georgia Gwinnett College. With a passion for the water industry and communications, Kaitlyn brings a fresh and innovative approach to the team. Her expertise includes digital marketing, brand development, and campaign strategy. Prior to joining TWT, she worked for Information & Outreach at Gwinnett Water Resources where she gained knowledge about the water industry and was responsible for communications, outreach and education. In her current role, Kaitlyn is responsible for TWT’s social media strategy, website management, marketing materials, external communication, and data tracking. Her goal is to contribute to the industry’s growth while promoting the importance of sustainable water solutions and innovations.
Carlie Smith
Events and Facility Relations Specialist
Carlie is a detail-oriented professional with a passion for event coordination and facility management. With a strong background in client relations, she excels at creating seamless experiences and ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. Her ability to adapt, problem solve, and stay organized makes her an asset in any fast-paced environment. In her current role, Carlie manages The Water Tower's facility rental, H2Co-working, and tenant engagement programs.
TWT Interns
We have a terrific group of hardworking interns who are working on various projects in applied research, marketing, engagement, and educational programming to support our mission.
Abbey Kennedy, Research Intern
Anna Impellitteri, Research and Engagement Intern
Faith Carlisle, Strategic Projects Intern
The Water Tower Diversity and Inclusion Policy
The Water Tower is committed to a diversity and inclusivity in all of our departments, programs, and facilities. All employees, volunteers, contractors, partners, visitors, and program participants must feel valued and respected whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory and equitable workplace and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all of our departments and programs. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.
We are committed to modeling diversity and inclusion for the water industry nonprofit sector, and to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all. To request a copy of the full policy, please contact admin@theh2otower.org.