Announcing Water Education #Colorado’s New Executive Director

Click the link to read the announcement on the Water Education Colorado website (Jayla Poppleton):

September 6, 2024

Juan Pérez Sáez has been named the next Executive Director of Water Education Colorado. He will succeed Jayla Poppleton, who has been in the leadership role since January 2017. He officially takes the reins beginning on September 23.

Pérez Sáez has spent two decades championing water conservation and environmental stewardship issues. Pérez Sáez was most recently the Executive Director for Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK), a Denver-based organization that educates Colorado youth about science, math, leadership and career opportunities by exposing them to outdoor experiences and service learning.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this organization, and through our programs continue to inform all Coloradans on how to be better stewards for the precious resource of water. WEco’s mission is instrumental to the sustainable future of our state, and our present and future generations,” said Pérez Sáez.         

He comes to WEco with a broad range of experience.

Pérez Sáez previously worked with The Wilderness Society where he managed their strategic partnerships and helped bring together community leaders from many Western states. He also served as Conservation Colorado’s Organizing Manager for its Protégete Program aimed at elevating the Latino community in ongoing natural resource issues.

WEco Board President Lisa Darling introduced Pérez Sáez at WEco’s annual President’s Reception last evening. “Juan brings an incredibly diverse background to the position and we are looking forward to his leadership of Colorado’s foremost water education organization. We see him continuing the excellence of our existing programs and publications, while exploring new initiatives and audiences.”

Pérez Sáez was born in Panama where he graduated from the National University in Engineering and Environmental Management. He later attended Ohio State University on a Fullbright Scholarship graduating with a Master’s of Science degree in Natural Resources with a focus on environmental social sciences.

In Panama he served as the National Coordinator for the “Million Hectares Alliance,” which was an ambitious strategy to restore a million hectares of degraded land in five different watersheds across the country. Following his graduation at Ohio State, Juan worked with Amish and Mennonite farmers in Ohio to learn from successful water quality trading programs.

An accomplished bilingual speaker, Pérez Sáez is a member of the Advisory Council for the Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation, serves as the Chair for the Governor’s Commission on Community Service, and is a National Board Member for the Next 100 Coalition.

WEco is the leading statewide water education organization for informing and energizing Coloradans on water issues. Created by the State Legislature in 2002, WEco’s goal is to ensure that all Coloradans are both knowledgeable about key water issues and equipped to make smart decisions for a sustainable water future.

Please welcome Juan to the Water Education Colorado team!

For further information: watereductioncolorado.org