CalDesal Hires Paul Kelley as Executive Director
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (April 18, 2016) – CalDesal, the state’s leading advocacy group in support of water desalination and salinity management, is happy to announce that they have selected Paul Kelley to be their next Executive Director effective May 1 2016.
CalDesal is a membership-based organization of public and private entities in California as the leading advocacy organization supporting ocean and groundwater desalination and salinity management. To boost statewide water supply and reliability, CalDesal is a leader in advocating for funding and policies that promote the use of desalination (ocean and groundwater) where feasible in California. CalDesal is also working to highlight salinity issues and to advocate for funding and policies to address salt management challenges through out the state.
“CalDesal is extremely pleased to have an executive director of Paul Kelley’s caliber to lead our organization,” said CalDesal Board President Shawn Dewane. “Paul has been a respected leader in the water industry and a great spokesperson for CalDesal. Under his leadership we look forward to the coming years of CalDesal as we work with others, and grow our membership and voice as the leading advocate in the state for desalination and salinity management.”
Due to California’s drought over the recent past several years, many water industry experts in the public and private sectors recognize that desalination of ocean and brackish water can help with the State’s need for more sustainable and reliable water supply now and into the future.
“CalDesal is tremendously lucky to have recruited such a quality candidate as Paul Kelley. I have personally worked with Paul in several of his past roles, including that of Sonoma County Supervisor and the President of the Association of California Water Agencies. With his broad background working with individual agencies as well as with associations and consortiums, we are looking forward to his being able to take CalDesal to the next level!” (Jill Duerig, Zone 7 Water Agency)
“I am thrilled to be Executive Director of CalDesal at this time,” said Kelley. “The public needs long-term sustainable water portfolios and desalination of ocean and ground water can be critical components of water supply. I look forward to using my unique experience and background to help CalDesal attain it’s goals”
“California has experienced drought many years over the recent past, and many have recognized that desalination of ocean or brackish water can help with the State’s need for more sustainable and reliable water supply now and into the future.”
Paul Kelley was born and raised in Sonoma County. He served for 16 years as County Supervisor and 16 years on the Sonoma County Water Agency board. His primary focus was on water, wastewater and transportation infrastructure. During his time on the Sonoma County Water Agency board he led the recycled water efforts, the north coast integrated regional water management plan, the Russian river biological opinion, the Pacific Coast Salmon recovery initiative and the Carbon Free Water by 2015 initiative. Paul received the Friend of Farm Bureau award and received other recognition supporting other economic sectors in Sonoma County. Paul served the Association of California Water Agencies as President also serving on it’s board for 10 years, and in 2011 Paul served on the California State Water Commission. Paul started his own consulting business as Paul Kelley Consulting focusing on strategic initiative facilitation in the water, energy, transportation, government, and business arenas. For the past two and a half years, Paul has been the Executive Director of the Bay Area Biosolids to Energy Coalition – successfully guiding the organization in it’s advocacy, technology and project efforts.
