The Water Quality Association (WQA) Board of Directors voted to name Pauli Undesser Executive Director, effective January 1. She joined WQA in 2007 and was named Deputy Executive Director in May 2014. Prior to that, Undesser served as WQA’s Director of Regulatory and Technical Affairs and Water Quality Research Foundation Coordinator. She succeeds David Westman, who has been serving as interim Executive Director since November, 2014. Under Undesser’s leadership, WQA successfully coordinated a coalition to re-write and simplify industry product certification laws in California, launched an unprecedented capital campaign for its foundation and developed an internal toxicology program. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s Degree in biochemistry from Northern Illinois University. Undesser was recently honored as a recipient of the Association Forum of Chicago’s Forty Under 40 Award. Scott Parker was appointed Associate Executive Director, a role that will allow him to expand upon his experience in membership and business development, as well as events and marketing. In his role with WQA, Parker leads the marketing and communications, business development, events and membership teams. He has held senior roles in marketing, meetings/events and member services with both trade and professional associations. Prior to WQA, Parker served as the Director of Membership and Career Services at APICS. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an MBA from DePaul University and is also a Certified Association Executive (CAE).
