Guest Writer: Susan E. Holbrook
Water Regulation Boards and Great Pyrenees Dogs; what do they have in common? A hard-working woman named Pam Tobin.
Tobin says, “in 2004 when I decided to run for the Water Board seat it was because my family was grown and I felt a personal calling to give back to my community. My personal calling is as unique as my fingerprint.” She was duly elected and 20 years later she is still serving the San Juan Water District on their Board of Directors, as well as the Regional Water Authority and Sacramento Groundwater Authority. Not content to stop there, she also decided to work with the Association of California Water Agencies or ACWA. This collective group of water agencies is the largest statewide association of public water agencies in the nation, representing more than 460 public agency members. It was established in 1910 to serve as a guiding force in California Water Policy.
“I was elected by the 460+ Water Agencies in California to represent ACWA as Vice-President serving the two year term from 2019-2021. I am currently campaigning for the ACWA Presidency within the organization. Voting will take place December 1st 2021 for the term 2022-2023. I have a passion for helping agencies and organizations to fulfill their mission and support their customers and communities.
“It is an extremely challenging time in CA water, says Tobin. As we emerge from Covid-19 only to take on the Delta Variant, we are dealing with severe drought, wildfires and uncertainty beyond. Navigating these difficulties requires a commitment to seeking collaborative solutions.”
Tobin standing with her new Champion
Tobin, 68, was born in New Hampshire and came to California in 1970. She built the house where she and her husband currently live on a property close to Folsom Lake in 1979-80. On her property, Tobin also raises Great Pyrenees dogs. “I fell in love with the breed because of their soulful nature. I have been in the breed for over 40 years and as an advocate for the breed, we also rescue homeless, abandoned, broken and sick Great Pyrenees. Once these dogs have been restored to emotional and physical health, we re-home them to the lives and families they are so deserving of.”
Tobin is a rarity in the world of Water Board Seats simply because she is a Woman. “Currently statistics show that only about 11% of women have leadership positions in water agencies, whether General Managers, Managers, or Board Members. I think what I bring to the table for women is an example of perseverance and hard work.”
“All Women Must Stand Up,” says Tobin, because women are powerful agents of change and the far-reaching benefits of diversity and gender parity in leadership and decision making are increasingly recognized in all spheres of society. Still women continue to be vastly underrepresented in decision making in politics, business and communities. The case for balancing the power equation has never been more clear.”
Tobin has been active in trying help women achieve that parity. She says, “I have been helping 14 other women for quite some time and currently have plans in progress of developing leadership programs for all women wanting to find their place in the leadership positions. I would encourage women to find their passion and develop their political careers serving others by doing what gives them purpose.
Signed,
Lauren Hammond, President
NWPC Sacramento