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. She is inviting NWPC to help in this semi-rural location by hosting our Fall Fundraising Event. 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.”
Also at NWPC’s General Meeting on September 27th 6:00-7:00 p.m. virtual meeting, Tobin will be a guest speaker. “The title of my talk, says Tobin, “will be ‘All Things Water in California’. It will cover the topics of water supply, challenges, infrastructure, etc. The average member should be interested in water and how essential it is to them”. (See our website: sacnwpc.org for further details on the General Meeting and an invitation will be sent out by our membership chair. For information on how to sign up to attend our Fall Fundraiser on October 10th, as NWPC’s and Tobin’s guest, and more importantly How to be Sponsor, please go to our website sacnwpc.com.)
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.
The Fundraiser will be held on Sunday afternoon, October 10th 1:00-4:00 pm. It is an outdoor event in Tobin’s garden, with Covid-19 protocols established. All proceeds will be used to support women running for office in 2022. The date October 10th was selected for the PAC fundraiser because it is the date back in 1911 when California women got the right to vote, a full nine years before the 19th Amendment was passed. Please go to sacnwpc.org for further information on Sponsorship, tickets, and how to attend this wonderful afternoon fundraiser. NWPC wants to thank Pam Tobin for all her work in organizing and hosting this event with our NWPC Event Committee. Tobin’s response: “NWPC helped me with my campaign in 2020, and it was an opportunity for me to give back while adhering to the doctrine that is NWPC.”
Signed,
Lauren Hammond, President
NWPC Sacramento