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2013 Binational Water Conservation Conference
A Community Approach
Laredo, Texas – March 21, 2013
Speakers
Opening Remarks
Honorable Raul G. Salinas, Mayor of Laredo, Texas
A retired FBI agent–having served the Bureau for 27 years—Mayor Salinas knows
well and understands the unique problems that Mexico faces, which also indirectly
affect the entire U.S.-Mexico border region.
Salinas wants the world to know the real streets of Laredo: prosperous, beautiful, and
safe for its residents and visitors. A strong relationship between Laredo and its sister
city, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico has existed for over 200 years. The Mayor focuses on helping the United
States understand the importance of our neighbor and friend to the south, all while maintaining the safety
and security of the border. Because of his focus and commitment to promoting border issues, the U.S.
Conference of Mayors has appointed Salinas as Co-Chair of its Comprehensive Immigration Reform Task
Force.
Mayor Salinas is a proud father and soon to be grandfather. He is also a HUGE Dallas Cowboys fan!
Honorable Benjamin Galvan, Mayor of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
Benjamin Galvan Gómez is a Public Accountant, from the Tamaulipas State
University (UAT) who graduated in 1993. In 1997 he obtained his degree in Law from
the Valle de Bravo University.
He has been actively engaged in philanthropic tasks and citizen assistance, through
the Red Cross Board of Sponsors and the Casa del Migrante. In the field of education,
he has been a Professor at the School of Commerce, Administration and Social
Sciences at the Tamaulipas State University.
Mayor Galvan has had a long career in public service, having served as Director of the State Fiscal Office
in Nuevo Laredo, Director of Civil Protection and Fire Corps, and Director of Tourism. He was a Delegate
and Substitute Council, President of the Revolutionary Youth Front, and Municipal and State Political
Advisor of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). His experience and expertise have provided him
with a clear and forward-looking vision. He is convinced that Nuevo Laredo can become an even better
city.
Bill Honker, P.E., Director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Region 6, Water Quality Protection Division
Bill Honker has served as the Director of the Water Quality Protection Division for
EPA Region 6 since October 2011. He oversees the implementation of the Clean
Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act in the five-state area of EPA’s Region 6.
Prior to stepping into the Director’s role, Bill had served as the Deputy Director of the
Water Quality Protection Division since March 2005.

Speaker Biographies, p. 2
Mr. Honker has been with the Region 6 Office since 1975 and has served in management positions in the
water quality, underground injection control, pesticides, hazardous waste permitting, Superfund, and air
enforcement programs, as well as in the Regional Administrator's office. He also served as the Assistant
Regional Administrator for Management for a portion of 2009. Bill earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree
in Environmental Science from the University of Oklahoma in 1975 and an MS degree in Environmental
Science from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1985. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas.
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Water in Texas and Northeastern Mexico – The Context for
Conservation
Danny Reible, Ph.D., BAEE, P.E., Director of the Center for Research on
Water Resources, University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Reible is the Bettie Margaret Smith Chair of Environmental Health Engineering in
the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, and the
Director of the Center for Research in Water Resources at the University of Texas in
Austin.
He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. He is a Board
Certified Environmental Engineer and a Professional Engineer (LA), and in 2005 was elected to the
National Academy of Engineering for the “development of widely used approaches for the management of
contaminated sediments”.
In 2012 he helped found and currently chairs the International Society of Water Solutions, a society
focused on industrial water management. He was Chair of the 2012 Texas Water Summit on the
assessment and management of Texas water resources. His research is focused on the fate and transport
of contaminants in the environment and the sustainable management of water resources.
Raul Lozano, Project Director, the Water and Drainage Board of
Monterrey (SADM)
Raul Lozano is a Civil Engineer from the Nuevo León State University (UANL). Ing.
Lozano has a long trajectory in the public and private sectors, having been Head of
Public Utilities, and General Superintendent of Public Works, at the Department of
Human Settlements, and Acapulco Public Works Trust fund.
At the PROFEPA, in the State of Guerrero, he was Head of the Federal Delegation and Assistant Ruling
Deputy. He occupied several positions in the private sector, in construction companies, such as CEO of
Constructora Adyco, S.A. de C.V.
At the SADM (Monterrey Water and Drainage Utilities) he has been Director of Sanitation and Director of
Storm Drainage. Since 2010, he is the Director of Sustainable Projects and member of the Association
and of the Mexican Water Society (Sociedad Mexicana de Aguas, A.C.)
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Utilities – Case Studies in Encouraging Conservation
Juan Soulas, Senior Planner, San Antonio Water Systems
Juan Alberto Soulas is a Laredo native and a graduate of J.W. Nixon High School.
He received a BBA in Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin and Post
Graduate from Texas State University-San Marcos in Environmental Geography.

Speaker Biographies, p. 3
He has been with the San Antonio Water System since 2007 as a Senior Water Conservation Planner for
outdoor residential programs. He works extensively on programs focused on high outdoor water use,
homeowner associations, and home builders to further water conservation efforts and messaging. He is
the current secretary for the Water Conservation and Reuse Committee of the American Water Works
Association’s Texas Division.
Tomas M. Rodriguez Jr., P.E., Director, Laredo Utilities, and Lt. Colonel
USMCR (Ret’d)
A native of Laredo and a Purple Heart recipient who served his country in the
Vietnam War as Combat Engineer/Platoon Commander, he also served in the Marine
Corp reserve from 1967 to 1989 and retired as a Lt. Colonel.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M
University, College Station, Texas in 1964. Tomas has been in Public Utilities Administration for over 28
years (since 1985). He started in the private sector with the Del Mar Conservation District in Webb
County in 1999 and presently serves in his second tour with the City of Laredo, as Utilities Director.
Tomas and his family are founding members of Divine Mercy Catholic Church. He and his wife, Diana are
parents of four children and have six grandchildren. Tomas is also an active member: Vice Chairman for
Region M Water Planning Group, Marine Corps League and other community organizations.
Juan Enrique Cabrero, Information Director, Tamaulipas Water
Commission (CEAT)
Juan Enrique Cabrero is a civil engineer, having graduated from the Autonomous
University of San Luis Potosí and holds a Masters in Industrial and Real Estate Valuation
from the same institution. He is currently the Information Director for the State of
Tamaulipas Water Commission.
Mr. Cabrero served as the project manager of the water works division in the State of Tamaulipas water
resources agency from 1974 to 1976 and as water works manager in the lower basin of the Panuco River in
the State of Tamaulipas agriculture and water resources agency from 1976 to 1979. He also served as the
water resources manager for the states of Zacatecas and Aguascalientes agriculture and water resources
agencies.
He has developed studies for the creation of water reservoirs taking into consideration environmental
flows and the sustainability of the basin and has designed reengineering projects of potable water
systems. He is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).
S.A. de C.V.
Ing. Claudia Esther López, General Manager, COMAPA de Nuevo
Laredo, Tamaulipas, México
Claudia Esther López has a degree in Architecture from the Nuevo Laredo Regional
Institute of Technology, and a graduate course in Construction Project
Administration, from the Monterrey Tech (ITESM).
In 1996 she founded and was the CEO of Constructora Lace Diseño y Construcción,
From 2002 to 2003, she was the Director of Planning, Urban Development, and Ecology for the City of
Nuevo Laredo. Her outstanding management in applying the Land Use Distribution Plan forNuevo
Laredo 2000-2020 was recognized nationwide and internationally, because of the work programs and
environmental recommendations for the sustainable development of Nuevo Laredo. From 2004 to 2005,
she was the Director of Public Works and Utilities, where she supervised public works authorized by the
municipal, state, and federal investment programs.
Since 2012 Ms. López has been the General Manager of COMAPA in Nuevo Laredo.

Speaker Biographies, p. 4
Keynote Speaker
John Nielsen-Gammon, Ph.D., Texas State Climatologist and Regents
Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University
Dr. Nielsen-Gammon, a meteorologist and climatologist, was appointed State
Climatologist and a Regents Professor in 2000. His SB, SM, and Ph.D. are from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
His work includes drought monitoring and forecasting, air pollution climatology,
and improvements to the climate data record, as well as jet streams, extreme rainfall events, and land and
sea breezes. He teaches courses in weather analysis, weather forecasting, climatology, and atmospheric
dynamics.
Dr. Nielsen-Gammon received a Presidential Faculty Fellow award (now known as PECASE) from the
National Science Foundation and the White House in 1996, a Distinguished Achievement Award in
Teaching at Texas A&M University from the Association of Former Students in 1996, and was named a
Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) in 2011. He is Past President of the International
Commission for Dynamical Meteorology and is past chair of the AMS Board on Higher Education.
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Federal, State, and University Programs
Olivia Balandran, Deputy Associate Director, EPA Region 6, Water
Quality Protection Division, Planning and Analysis Branch
Olivia Rodríguez Balandrán currently serves as a Deputy Associate Director for
Strategic Planning of water programs at the Environmental Protection Agency’s
regional office in Dallas, Texas.
She manages the community outreach and environmental education programs promoting water
initiatives, and the Beyond Translation Initiative which reaches out to engage the Hispanic community
with EPA in a meaningful way. She previously managed the Environmental Justice program, and
served as a Congressional Fellow and Special Assistant to the Deputy Regional Administrator.
Her experience includes serving as Assistant to the City Manager of Fort Worth and as weekend news
anchor for Cadena Radio Centro, a Spanish-language news radio.
Olivia is bilingual, raised on both sides of the U.S. – Mexico Border, in Mier, Tamaulipas and Roma,
Texas. She has an MA in Sociology from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a BA in Psychology
from the University of Texas - Pan American, Edinburg, Texas.
No photo
available
Collins Balcombe, Planning and Program Manager, OK-TX Area,
Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior
Collins Balcombe has been with the Bureau of Reclamation for ten years and currently serves as the
supervisor of the planning, environmental, and construction assistance programs for Reclamation’s
Oklahoma-Texas Area Office out of Austin, TX. Collins also enjoys his appointment as the Great Plains
Regional Coordinator for Reclamation’s Title XVI and Science and Technology Programs, where he
helps provide guidance and coordination on innovative research approaches to address water-related
issues, including water recycling and desalination.

Speaker Biographies, p. 5
Mr. Balcombe received his Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998
and a Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management from West Virginia University in 2003.
Linda Ruiz McCall, Education and Outreach Specialist, Texas Water
Development Board (TWDB)
Linda Ruiz McCall is an educator, businesswoman, and geologist with experience
in government service, private industry, and public education.
Ms. McCall holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences and a Masters in
Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. She also holds a
Master of Arts in Secondary Science Education from Teachers College of Columbia University and is an
Accredited Rainwater Harvesting Professional through the American Rainwater Catchment Systems
Association. Ms. McCall has a special interest in the use of technology in education. Linda currently
lives in Austin, Texas and works in Water Science and Conservation at the Texas Water Development
Board (TWDB) where she promotes water conservation statewide through professional development
workshops and speaking engagements.
Victor Ibarra, Director of Green-Tec Osos and Professor at Piedras
Negras Technological Institute
Victor Ibarra is an Industrial Production Engineer, from the Nuevo Laredo
Technological Institute. He has a Master’s Degree in Administration Science,
specialized in Operations Research. Ing. Ibarra has a long trajectory in
technological education services; he was the Operations Supervisor for the General
Office of Technological Institutes, from 1985 to 1987; Director of the Cerro Azul and Piedras Negras
Technological Institutes, from 1995 to 1997; and Professor to undergraduate and graduate school at the
Nuevo Laredo Institute of Technology, from 1998 to 2005.
Since 2005, he has been a Professor at the undergraduate and graduate schools of the Piedras Negras
Technological Institute, where he performs academic and research activities. In 2009, he founded the
environmental group Grupo Ecológico Green Tec Osos, and is currently the chairman of that organization,
dedicated to environmental management activities and sustainable development.
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Other Topics related to Conservation
Erasmo Yarrito, Rio Grande Watermaster, Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
Erasmo (“Moe”) Yarrito has 27 years of experience in the hydrological field which
includes thorough knowledge of technical field work and administrative practices in
both the Federal and State governmental sectors.
Mr. Yarrito began his professional career in 1986 with the International Boundary
& Water Commission (IBWC) at the Falcon Dam Project, Falcon Heights, Texas. In
June 1990, Mr. Yarrito accepted a position with the Texas Water Commission/Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality where he has been since.
Mr. Yarrito was selected as the Rio Grande Watermaster in 2009, where he is responsible for the
management and equitable distribution of water within the Rio Grande Basin in accordance with the
adjudicated water rights, prevent the waste or illegal diversion of water and monitor diversion of water
through investigation, enforcement, technical assistance, outreach and education.

Speaker Biographies, p. 6
Raul Lozano, Project Director, the Water and Drainage Board of Monterrey (SADM)
[See photo and biography above, in the 9:15 session.]
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Roundtable for Utility Officials
Facilitators
Tricia Cortez, Executive Director, Rio Grande International Study Center
A San Antonio native, Tricia Cortez graduated from Princeton University with a
Bachelor’s in public policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and
International Affairs. She moved to Laredo in 2001, and worked seven years as a
reporter at the Laredo Morning Times.
In 2011, she became executive director of the Rio Grande International Study
Center—Laredo’s only environmental nonprofit organization, whose mission is to protect and preserve
the Rio Grande and green spaces. She is responsible for overseeing numerous initiatives designed to
deepen environmental awareness and education: Eco-Camp; Rio Research Roundup; Large-scale creek
& trail cleanups; Loving Laredo Hikes; Dia del Rio; Community gardens; Laredo Birding Festival; Safe
Fracking Coalition; and the Plastic Bag Reduction Initiative.
She is deeply committed to sustainable land-use practices, habitat protection, responsible water
management, and improved quality of life for South Texas border residents.
David Negrete, Regional Representative, International Boundary and
Water Commission (CILA)
He is a Civil Engineer, from the University of Ciudad Juarez (UACJ). He has an MBA in
Strategic Focus Planning from the Tamaulipas State University (UAT).
Since 1985, he has worked at the Mexican Section of the International Boundary and
Water Commission (CILA) between Mexico and the U.S. This Commission is in charge of surveillance and
application of Treaties in force regarding boundaries and water, between both countries, and is comprised by
a Mexican section and a U.S. section.
Since 1990, he has been the Mexican Section Representative, in Nuevo Laredo, having been engaged in the
Rio Bravo Border Sanitation, in Nuevo Laredo, and in monitoring water quality of the Rio Bravo.
He has been engaged in various activities within the Border 2012, now 2020, with outstanding participation
at the Falcon Group committees, as an advisor to the Water Committee.