An environmental and water infrastructure policy expert who advocates for point-of-use and point-of-entry applications is the keynote speaker for the 2023 Water Quality Association (WQA) Convention & Exposition. Mae Stevens is senior vice president at Banner Public Affairs, WQA's new government relations firm in Washington, D.C., and also chair of Banner's water infrastructure practice.

Stevens, a thought leader in efforts to deliver safer drinking water, will headline the Keynote Session, which begins at 3 p.m. PT April 18, the opening day of the Convention at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

"We are excited to hear from Mae, who understands just how vital our industry is," said WQA Executive Director Pauli Undesser, MWS, CAE. "We're especially eager for her thoughts on what the future holds for our industry and how our members can better engage with federal policymakers, two topics at the top of our minds."

Before joining Banner in 2019, Stevens spent seven years on Capitol Hill, most recently serving as Environmental Policy Advisor to U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-MD. She was responsible for the Senate Democrats' response to the Flint water crisis and helped during the crafting and passage of the 2016 and 2018 Water Resources Development Act bills. She described her work as "focused on the intersection of water, equity, and affordability, and generally how to make cities and towns even better for the people who live and work there."

During the Keynote Session, Stevens plans to address the "state of the union" as it relates to water issues, the current administration and Congress, and the role of POU/POE applications to deliver safer water and what WQA is doing to increase and expand those opportunities. She also will discuss why everyone in the water treatment industry should be engaging with Washington and how to do that effectively.  

For nearly 50 years, the WQA Convention and Exposition has been the signature event of the water treatment industry. Education sessions are offered on all three days, and the trade show floor is open April 19-20.  Full details and registration information can be found at wqa.org/convention.