Porras-Mendoza joins Garver as One Water Practice Leader

With an ever-changing industry, water professionals are finding new and innovative ways to help clients and communities with their water challenges. Garver has learned that takes everyone across all sectors, working together towards one goal, to find the right solution. In an effort to continue delivering fanatical client service and being clients’ trusted advisor, Garver decided to add a One Water Practice Leader to the team. This leader had to be someone passionate about people, the environment, and of course, water. Garver found that person in Yuliana Porras-Mendoza.

Porras-Mendoza has spent her entire career working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, starting as a researcher, then advancing to water treatment research program management and strategic planning. During her years at BOR, she executed research projects and increased funding support of the research program, as well as built strategies to share information across federal government departments and the water industry.

Her passion for sharing information, collaborating across the industry, and for water in general eventually led her to One Water. One Water creates a community of practice leaders, spanning reuse, water and wastewater treatment, stormwater, planning, forecasting, and every other area of the industry. Together, a holistic look at water challenges can create unified solutions that may not have otherwise been created. Too often, areas of the industry work in silos, and Porras-Mendoza saw a need for the industry to come together and create true diversification in portfolios for complex water challenges.

So, when she realized Garver was building efforts towards One Water and needed an advocate and leader for it, Porras-Mendoza signed up.

“That’s why I joined Garver. I knew by partnering with the resources and thought leaders at Garver, I could make a bigger impact, help people, and create a community within the industry not silos,” she said.

Porras-Mendoza understands that everyone from engineers and regulators to marketing and educators must be a part of One Water for it to be effective.

“You need a mixed approach that breaks down silos and brings everyone together to tackle challenges in the most efficient way possible,” she said.

With a passion like hers, it’s hard not to be inspired to be a part of One Water.

“Yuliana can connect all our specialists to solve unique problems,” said Garver Practice Area Director Randy McIntyre, PE, BCEE. “She recognizes a need and collaborates across all areas to find the right, most effective solutions.”

To learn more about what Garver's Water and Wastewater Team can do for you, visit our Water and Wastewater services page.