Valerisa Gaddy
Tucson
Summary
Strategic Director known for high productivity and efficient task completion. Specialize in operational strategy, team leadership, and financial oversight. Excel in communication, problem-solving, and adaptability, ensuring effective team collaboration and project success.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Community Conservation Director
Watershed Management Group
Tucson
03.2024 - Current
- Led the development of WMG's community conservation programs, focusing on underserved neighborhoods and diverse communities, including Latinx, Indigenous, and People of Color, through initiatives like green stormwater infrastructure projects, environmental education, professional training, and consulting services.
- Successfully generated program revenue through grant development, business sponsorships, fee-based services, and donor cultivation, while ensuring program effectiveness through staff management, budgeting, program evaluation, strategic planning, and partnership development.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
IRRIGaTE - Irrigation Resources Reaching Indigenous Growers and Tribal Entities, MIT Solve Fellowship
Boston
09.2022 - Current
- Founder of the non-profit which aims at strengthening Tribal agriculture through various forms of communication: visual media, articles, pictures, podcasts, and video.
Senior Fellow
Agents of Change in Environmental Justice, Columbia University - Mailman School of Public Health and Environmental Health News
New York
09.2022 - Current
- Strengthen and cultivate environmental health research translation and science communication within multiple communities.
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
Tucson
03.2022 - 03.2024
- Created and executed outreach initiatives for Diversifying Voices in Water Resources Initiative.
Aimed at integrating multiple perspectives into solutions for Arizona's water concerns.
Graduate Researcher
University of Arizona
Tucson
01.2017 - 09.2018
- Development of culturally sensitive food safety training materials for American Indian growers in Arizona. The community-based participatory research approach developed materials suited for Arizona tribes and guided them through the Food Safety Modernization Act guidelines through cultural teachings and practices.
- Source tracking and comparative analysis of Bovine, Human, and Total Bacteroides in the San Pedro River of Southern Arizona using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) and digital droplet Polymerase Chain Reaction (ddPCR).
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - Environmental Science
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ04-2020
Master of Science - Environmental Science
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ05-2015
Bachelor of Science - Biology
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM05-2013
Skills
- Program development
- Grant writing
- Budget management
- Partnership development
- Strategic planning
- Community outreach
- Tribal Engagement
Certification
- Water Harvesting Design Certification, Watershed Management Group
- Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, Stony Brook University
- Produce Safety Alliance Trainer, Cornell University
Accomplishments
- 2024 Women In Science Incentive Prize - The Story Exchange, New York, NY.
- 2024 Paper of the Year by the Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education (JCWRE)
Affiliations
- John Hopkins Health Policy Research Scholars (HPRS): Career Coach. Feb 2023 – Present
- Plant Women- Colorado River Writing Fellowship. December 2024 - June 2025.
- National Institutes for Water Resources Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee. Sept. 2022 – Mar 2024.
- The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center and Federal Relations: AZ Water Deep Dive. June 2023.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Community Conservation Director
Watershed Management Group
03.2024 - Current
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
IRRIGaTE - Irrigation Resources Reaching Indigenous Growers and Tribal Entities, MIT Solve Fellowship
09.2022 - Current
Senior Fellow
Agents of Change in Environmental Justice, Columbia University - Mailman School of Public Health and Environmental Health News
09.2022 - Current
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
03.2022 - 03.2024
Graduate Researcher
University of Arizona
01.2017 - 09.2018
Doctor of Philosophy - Environmental Science
University of Arizona
Master of Science - Environmental Science
University of Arizona
Bachelor of Science - Biology
New Mexico State University
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