INTERNATIONAL DESALINATION ASSOCIATION AND REUSE NAMES SHANNON MCCARTHY NEW SECRETARY GENERAL
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL, October 17, 2017 – The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) announces that Shannon McCarthy, Co-founder and a Partner of United4Water and 1st Vice President of IDRA for the 2015-2017 term, has been appointed Secretary General of the Association.
She will assume her duties on October 19, upon the retirement of Ms. Patricia A. Burke, one of IDRA’s founders and Secretary General for more than four decades.
“I am honored to serve the IDRA Board of Directors, our membership, affiliates, partners, public utilities and industrial end-users. IDRA has a strong and vibrant future. Looking ahead, we will work to enhance the value that IDRA brings to all parties through international strategic alliances, knowledge sharing, and connecting people and ideas to solve the world’s growing water supply challenges. Together we will expand IDRA’s capacity to build cross-collaboration between stakeholders that face water sustainability challenges and solution providers. We are committed to enhancing our leading industry events to address technical challenges and solutions including the IDRA 2018 Water Reuse Conference, issue- or industry-specific technical gatherings around the world, and the 2019 IDRA World Congress organized in partnership with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority”, said Ms. McCarthy.
“We will strengthen the unity of our organization and undertake new initiatives such as the establishment of the IDRA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation and IDRA’s educational endeavors that enhance the expertise of our current members and open new doors for the next generation of water leaders,” she added.
“It is also an honor to build upon the fine work of our outgoing Secretary General, Patricia Burke, who served IDRA with great dedication and success for 45 years. Her service made IDRA the organization that it is today and was a key factor in promoting our industry worldwide. I look forward to working together with the IDRA team to fulfill IDRA’s mission and deliver on our role as the world’s leading organization focused on desalination and water reuse,” she concluded.
Ms. McCarthy brings extensive experience in the water industry to her role as Secretary General. This includes more than 20 years’ experience working with countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including 17 years’ experience in the field of water sustainability and advanced water treatment technologies, as well as non-profit management.
Prior to founding United4Water, Ms. McCarthy was the Deputy Center Director (DCD) of the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC), an international intergovernmental nonprofit organization based in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. As a member of the MEDRC start-up team, she participated in developing and implementing programs for cooperation in training, education and research in desalination and water reuse technologies for the MENA region, including Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.
She also brings to the Secretary General’s office a strong record of mobilizing resources and bringing together stakeholders from both government and the private sector to support education, scientific research, professional training programs, and specialized technology workshops related to desalination and water sustainability. In addition, her experience at United4Water – a consulting firm operating in the nexus of the water, food and energy sectors with a primary focus on water – included strategic counseling and assistance in business development, project planning and management, capacity building, and corporate social responsibility activities.
Ms. McCarthy participated in executive study programs in Public Policy and Management for Infrastructure Development at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and has a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, specializing in US-Soviet relations, from San Francisco State University.
She has been a member of IDRA for 20 years. In addition to serving as the Association’s 1st Vice President, she also chaired its Foundation and Public Outreach Committee.
About IDRA
The International Desalination and Reuse Association (www.idadesal.org) is a non-profit association that serves more than 2,600 core members in 60 countries and reaches an additional 4,000 affiliate members. Its membership comprises utilities, scientists, end-users, engineers, consultants and researchers from governments, corporations and academia. IDRA is associated with the United Nations as part of a growing international network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).