Margaret Catley-Carlson has worked in both international public and private organizations in Canada, the United States, and many other countries around the world. In doing so, she has dedicated her life to applying science and knowledge to governance structures in freshwater, sustainable agriculture, and international development. She operates at the Board level in support of improved water resource management and the twin issues of agricultural productivity and rural development. She has served as the Vice Chair of the Canadian Water Network Board, a jurist for the Stockholm Water Prize, and as a member of the Boards of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Commission on Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Syngenta Foundation, and the International Fertilizer Development Center.
Mrs. Catley-Carlson has served as President of the Canadian International Development Agency; Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF in New York; President of the Population Council; and Deputy Minister of the Department of Health and Welfare of Canada. She has received ten honorary degrees and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
In her presentation, “Chasing the Water Sustainability Rainbow,” Mrs. Catley-Carlson describes issues of water scarcity now and over the next 25 – 30 years, offering a sobering view of what may be to come. However, she also provides guidance for possible solutions, and what college-aged individuals can do to extend the life of our water supply.
