Click the link to read the article on The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel website. Here’s an excerpt:
January 13, 2026
Shannon Wadas has been hired as the executive director of the Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center (RPHWC), Colorado Mesa University announced Monday. Wadas was chosen for her experience in natural resource and organizational management in the public and non-profit sectors. CMU cited experiences including her support of watershed planning efforts in the region, coordinating and facilitating a water education course for professionals, and helping form a community navigator network in the Upper Rio Grande Basin to accelerate aquatic restoration. Most recently, Wadas worked as a private consultant focused on organizational strategy, partnership collaboration, engagement and capacity building.
“I am excited and honored to join Colorado Mesa University and lead the Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center,” Wadas said in CMU’s announcement. “There is no greater unifying force than water. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to catalyze and strengthen the collaborative efforts of CMU and local and regional partners to support important water issues through educational opportunities, research initiatives and thoughtful conversations.”
“Shannon brings a wealth of experience and collaborative leadership to CMU that will strengthen the Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center’s role in bringing people together, fostering innovation in water resource management and cultivating the next generation of water leaders,” added CMU President John Marshall.
The RPHWC serves as a Western Slope hub for water policy, academic education and applied research. The center also supports student programming and interdisciplinary learning opportunities, including water-focused coursework and research, seminars, continuing education classes and a Water Fellows program.