Lunch with Keynote: Pamela Kenel, Executive Director of Planning & Water Resources, Loudoun Water

Pam Kenel joined Loudoun Water in 2017 to support planning and operations for the new Potomac River supply project and to implement a comprehensive water resources program for the utility. As Executive Director of Planning & Water Resources, she is responsible for long term water resources planning and for coordinating strategic initiatives related to research, regulatory compliance, and overall water resource management.

Representing Loudoun Water as a utility member of the Potomac River Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership, Pam led the Agricultural Issues Workgroup, promoting practices that reduce water quality impacts from upstream agricultural activities.
Before joining Loudoun Water, Pam served as a consulting practice leader for water resources and sustainability, advising water utilities across the United States. She managed the 2016 assessment of redundancy and resilience for the Washington Metropolitan Area’s water supply system, evaluating vulnerabilities to a range of unexpected hazards.

Pam is a long-time contributor to advancing water resources management and protection of drinking water sources. Within the American Water Works Association (AWWA), she was the inaugural Chair of the Source Water Protection Committee. She was a co-author of the Operational Guide to AWWA Standard G300, Source Water Protection and a contributing author to the 3rd edition of M50, the Manual of Water Supply Practices on Water Resources Planning. For many years, she chaired the Climate Change & Sustainability technical advisory workgroup for AWWA’s Water Utility Council, collaborating with the Government Affairs team on federal policies affecting water utilities.

In 2024, AWWA’s Water Resources and Sustainability Division honored Pam with the OASIS Award for her “Outstanding Achievement, Service, and Initiative in Sustainability,” recognizing her significant contributions to the field.