From Scarcity to Solutions: A Global Dialogue on Water
Event Description
Join WorldDenver to hear from Charles Fishman, author of The Big Thirst, and Vanessa Tobin, former Chief of Water, Environment, and Sanitation for UNICEF, for a crucial discussion on securing our planet’s most vital resource.
Drawing on Fishman’s exploration of our complex relationship with water and the need for a shift in “water consciousness”—valuing it as a finite, often mismanaged, resource—and Tobin’s deep experience in international development, the speakers will move beyond the global crisis narrative to illuminate practical local solutions.
Moderated by Ema Schultz, a senior attorney on water law with the Colorado Attorney General, this dialogue will span topics from advanced water recycling and efficiency to community-level sanitation and infrastructure challenges, offering a holistic roadmap for moving from complacency and scarcity to innovation and sustainable water security for all.
General Admission: $25
Annual Supporters: $15
Young Professionals: $10
Event Agenda:
5:45 p.m. | Doors open
6:00 p.m. | Registration, networking & refreshments
6:30 p.m. | Speaker program followed by audience Q&A
8:00 p.m. | Event Concludes
About our Speakers:
Charles Fishman, Award-winning Reporter and New York Times Bestselling Author
Charles Fishman is a journalist and author who is one of the most forceful, challenging and inspiring public voices on water issues, speaking everywhere from MIT and UCLA to Hershey chocolate and the U.S. State Department.
Fishman’s book, The Big Thirst: The Secret Life & Turbulent Future of Water, has become the best-selling water book in a generation, and is changing how people think about water, how they manage it, and how they talk about it. The Big Thirst does something few water books do — it restores a sense of wonder about water, along with a sense of urgency.
Fishman, a former reporter for The Washington Post, is the author of three other New York Times bestsellers, One Giant Leap, about how we got to the Moon in the 1960s; The Wal-Mart Effect, about Wal-Mart’s impact on how we live; and A Curious Mind, about the power of curiosity, with Hollywood producer Brian Grazer.
Fishman grew up in Miami, Florida, and graduated from Harvard. He lives in northwest Washington, DC, with his wife, also a journalist; a two-foot-wide creek runs through their back yard.
Vanessa Tobin, Former Chief of Water, Environment, and Sanitation for UNICEF
Vanessa Tobin is a global international development and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) expert with 40 years of experience implementing and managing international water supply and sanitation programs. Ms. Tobin has served as an Executive Board member for Helvetas USA and the Millennium Water Alliance. Her last assignment was as GOAL USA’s Vice President (2019-2022).
Ms. Tobin worked with UNICEF for nearly 25 years, serving in multiple senior positions. From 2008-2012, Ms. Tobin led UNICEF activities in the Philippines,. Before that, Ms. Tobin served as the Chief of the Water, Environment, and Sanitation Division, providing guidance and support to UNICEF’s global water, environment, and sanitation programs. She was responsible for the development of the new UNICEF sector strategy (2006-2015), the creation of the UN Emergency WASH Cluster, oversaw the UN monitoring program that measured progress toward achievement of MDG 7 for water supply and sanitation (UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Program); and significantly increased global sector financing up to 250 million per annum through new agreements with bilateral, multilateral partners and Foundations.
Over her career, Ms. Tobin has been responsible for implementing several country program portfolios valued at up to $100M. As a leader in her field, Ms. Tobin has worked closely with multiple UN agencies, including UNEP, WHO, UNHCR, and UNWATER. Ms. Tobin holds an MSc in Public Health in Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and an MPA from Harvard University.
Ema Schultz, Second Assistant Attorney General, Colorado
Ema Schultz is a water and environmental lawyer with the Natural Resources Section in the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. She has been working in Colorado water for seventeen years. She has represented multiple governmental entities throughout the state in a variety of administrative and judicial matters before the district courts and the Colorado Supreme Court. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, she was an associate with Trout Raley representing governmental entities and private water rights owners in general matters and water court. She received her Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from St. Mary’s University.
Note: As a nonpartisan convener of global affairs programming, WorldDenver provides an unbiased forum for experts, world leaders, diplomats, and representatives from the public and private sectors to share their expertise and views on a broad spectrum of issues that matter to the world. We aim for our events to inspire curiosity and further reading, discussion, and civic engagement among our members and the Denver community on the global issues that we present.
Join WorldDenver to hear from Charles Fishman, author of The Big Thirst, and Vanessa Tobin, former Chief of Water, Environment, and Sanitation for UNICEF, for a crucial discussion on securing our planet’s most vital resource.
Drawing on Fishman’s exploration of our complex relationship with water and the need for a shift in “water consciousness”—valuing it as a finite, often mismanaged, resource—and Tobin’s deep experience in international development, the speakers will move beyond the global crisis narrative to illuminate practical local solutions.
Moderated by Ema Schultz, a senior attorney on water law with the Colorado Attorney General, this dialogue will span topics from advanced water recycling and efficiency to community-level sanitation and infrastructure challenges, offering a holistic roadmap for moving from complacency and scarcity to innovation and sustainable water security for all.
General Admission: $25
Annual Supporters: $15
Young Professionals: $10
Event Agenda:
5:45 p.m. | Doors open
6:00 p.m. | Registration, networking & refreshments
6:30 p.m. | Speaker program followed by audience Q&A
8:00 p.m. | Event Concludes
About our Speakers:
Charles Fishman, Award-winning Reporter and New York Times Bestselling Author
Charles Fishman is a journalist and author who is one of the most forceful, challenging and inspiring public voices on water issues, speaking everywhere from MIT and UCLA to Hershey chocolate and the U.S. State Department.
Fishman’s book, The Big Thirst: The Secret Life & Turbulent Future of Water, has become the best-selling water book in a generation, and is changing how people think about water, how they manage it, and how they talk about it. The Big Thirst does something few water books do — it restores a sense of wonder about water, along with a sense of urgency.
Fishman, a former reporter for The Washington Post, is the author of three other New York Times bestsellers, One Giant Leap, about how we got to the Moon in the 1960s; The Wal-Mart Effect, about Wal-Mart’s impact on how we live; and A Curious Mind, about the power of curiosity, with Hollywood producer Brian Grazer.
Fishman grew up in Miami, Florida, and graduated from Harvard. He lives in northwest Washington, DC, with his wife, also a journalist; a two-foot-wide creek runs through their back yard.
Vanessa Tobin, Former Chief of Water, Environment, and Sanitation for UNICEF
Vanessa Tobin is a global international development and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) expert with 40 years of experience implementing and managing international water supply and sanitation programs. Ms. Tobin has served as an Executive Board member for Helvetas USA and the Millennium Water Alliance. Her last assignment was as GOAL USA’s Vice President (2019-2022).
Ms. Tobin worked with UNICEF for nearly 25 years, serving in multiple senior positions. From 2008-2012, Ms. Tobin led UNICEF activities in the Philippines,. Before that, Ms. Tobin served as the Chief of the Water, Environment, and Sanitation Division, providing guidance and support to UNICEF’s global water, environment, and sanitation programs. She was responsible for the development of the new UNICEF sector strategy (2006-2015), the creation of the UN Emergency WASH Cluster, oversaw the UN monitoring program that measured progress toward achievement of MDG 7 for water supply and sanitation (UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Program); and significantly increased global sector financing up to 250 million per annum through new agreements with bilateral, multilateral partners and Foundations.
Over her career, Ms. Tobin has been responsible for implementing several country program portfolios valued at up to $100M. As a leader in her field, Ms. Tobin has worked closely with multiple UN agencies, including UNEP, WHO, UNHCR, and UNWATER. Ms. Tobin holds an MSc in Public Health in Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and an MPA from Harvard University.
Ema Schultz, Second Assistant Attorney General, Colorado
Ema Schultz is a water and environmental lawyer with the Natural Resources Section in the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. She has been working in Colorado water for seventeen years. She has represented multiple governmental entities throughout the state in a variety of administrative and judicial matters before the district courts and the Colorado Supreme Court. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, she was an associate with Trout Raley representing governmental entities and private water rights owners in general matters and water court. She received her Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from St. Mary’s University.
Note: As a nonpartisan convener of global affairs programming, WorldDenver provides an unbiased forum for experts, world leaders, diplomats, and representatives from the public and private sectors to share their expertise and views on a broad spectrum of issues that matter to the world. We aim for our events to inspire curiosity and further reading, discussion, and civic engagement among our members and the Denver community on the global issues that we present.