Karen Schlatter is joining CSU’s Colorado Water Center as associate director on January 9.

In this role, she’ll lead the development and implementation of the Center’s outreach and engagement strategy, and support faculty in the development of integrated research, outreach and education grants addressing critical water management issues.

“Karen brings academic, nonprofit and public sector experiences in managing complex water challenges to CSU and the Water Center,” said John Tracy, director of the Colorado Water Center. “She has a deep commitment to building partnerships with diverse stakeholder groups, and I look forward to helping her get to know our Colorado water community.”

Schlatter joins CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating interdisciplinary research teams to address water quality and quantity issues. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute. There she focused on fostering partnerships across sectors, including federal, state, and local agencies, universities, non-profits, and communities to restore the Colorado River Delta through collaborative binational water management and science-based ecological restoration.

“I am excited to return to the west and reconnect with partners across the state and region in support of the Center’s mission and initiatives,” said Schlatter on her return to Colorado.

Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.