Public Affairs and Government Section Leadership

Chair
Rachael Gibson
Director of Government Affairs
Valley Water
San Jose, CA
rgibson@valleywater.org
KNguyen@valleywater.org

Chair Elect
Jennifer Elting
Senior Public Information Specialist (PIO)
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Cleveland, OH
eltingj@neorsd.org

Immediate Past Chair
Enrico Callender
Chief Executive Officer
Valley Water
San Jose, CA
RCallender@valleywater.org

Secretary
Paula Pedene
Owner
Paula Pedene and Associates
Scottsdale, AZ
paula@pedene.com

Social Media Chair
Yesenia Reinoso
Digital Marketing & Media Relations Officer
Y Communicate
Fort Lee, NJ
yesenia.reinoso2@gmail.com

Members At-Large
Joseph Trahan III
President/CEO/InternationalMedia Relations Trainer
Trahan & Associates
Hixson, TN
joe_cajun@yahoo.com

Brook DeWalt
Director of Public Affairs Operations
U.S. Navy
Annapolis, MD
brook.dewalt1@navy.mil

Janelle Guthrie
Communications Director
Building Industry Association of Washington
Tumwater, WA
janelleg@biaw.com

Jennifer Day
Great Lakes Regional Coordinator
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Ann Arber, MI
jennifer.day@noaa.gov

Barbara Burfeind
Independent
DoD - Defense Media Activity
Fairfax, VA
burfante81@yahoo.com 

Lauri-Ellen Smith
Owner
CAT 5 Crisis Communications, Inc.
Ocean Springs, MS
prpro@bellsouth.net

Y'Anad Burrell
CEO
Glass House Communications
Richmond, CA
yanad@glasshousepr.com

Jane Groff
Community Relations Manager
City of Maryville
Maryville, TN
jmgroff@gmail.com

Lori Croy
Director of Communications
MO Dept. of Commerce & Insurance
Jefferson City, MO
lori.croy@dci.mo.gov

Melanie Brown
Community Affairs
State of Michigan
Lansing, MI
Brownm82@michigan.gov