Karen Snyder has been active in water, wastewater and environmental public affairs for nearly 30 years, specializing in strategic communication planning, public involvement, facility siting, construction relations, community relations, spokesperson and media training, and crisis communications. She has extensive experience working on highly technical, often controversial projects, and multi-year programs that require consistent, sustained, and targeted stakeholder outreach and involvement.
From issues associated with water supply portfolio planning, alternative water supplies, including desalination and potable reuse, project design and construction, utility rates, water quality, capital improvement programs and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) public involvement, Karen has worked with project teams to incorporate communication tools and techniques that support successful stakeholder engagement and interaction. She has demonstrated an outstanding ability to seamlessly integrate into system planning and construction project teams, providing counsel and support to bring projects and public engagement efforts to successful conclusions.
Prior to joining Katz & Associates, Karen worked for 15 years at Lehigh County Authority, a municipal water and wastewater utility in Pennsylvania, where she managed customer, government, community and media relations. Her experience in the private and public sector provides a unique perspective on the internal operations of public agencies.
Karen is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and currently serves on the organization’s national Public Affairs Council where she has helped with utility response to COVID-19 and risk communication. She is the author of several national conference presentations including “Introducing New Supplies to Water Systems.”