San Andreas, CA…The Calaveras County Water District is pleased to announce that Jessica Self is the District’s new External Affairs Manager. Her first day on the job will be Monday, October 26. Ms. Self is from Arnold and will be returning to Calaveras County after living out of state for the last several years to pursue educational and professional opportunities. For the last three years, she was the Grants and Development Manager for the Palouse Conservation District in Pullman, Washington, where she excelled in a role similar to her new position at CCWD. She graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology before earning a Master of Science in Biology from Georgia Southern University. In addition to her degrees, Self is also a certified Project Management Professional.

Ms. Self previously worked for the US Forest Service where she developed outreach opportunities and partnerships with the community. She went on to work as a biologist for ISCA Technologies and then the Dudek consulting firm, where she prepared water permit applications, provided environmental regulatory compliance support, wrote technical reports, and conducted multiple wildlife surveys. At the Palouse Conservation District, she managed over 35 grants and served as the point of contact for over 25 partners, including federal, state, local, tribal, and private organizations. She led the grant writing teams and served as the acting Director when the Executive Director was absent. She also oversaw customer relations and community outreach efforts.

Ms. Self has extensive project management, grant writing, and administrative experience. She secured over $15 million in funding for the Palouse District, established strategic and long-range planning approaches, built community outreach programs, and has mentored and trained staff at the Palouse District in addition to other Districts. “We’re excited about the combination of experience and enthusiasm Jessica brings to CCWD. We are already fortunate to have great people throughout our Administrative Services Department, led by Rebecca Callen. Jessica will be a strong addition to that team and will be a valuable resource for the communities we serve,” said CCWD General Manager, Michael Minkler.

“I feel confident this position will be a great fit for me and look forward to making a positive contribution to the District.” Said Ms. Self when she accepted the position.