Kenneth J. Miller Founder's Award
Celebrating Leadership And Volunteer Service
One of the founders of Water For People, Kenneth J. Miller exemplified the value of volunteer service.
The Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award was established in 2001 by the Water For People Board of Directors to honor outstanding volunteers. After a distinguished career of national and local service, Ken Miller passed away in June 2010 and the award was renamed in his memory. He embodied self-sacrificing volunteer service and his vision for a world in which everyone has lasting access to safe, reliable water and sanitation services continues to be an inspiration. Today, the Miller Award is presented annually to exceptional volunteers selected by Water For People Committees and Workplace Giving partners. Learn more about its history here.
Meet the 2024–2025 Award Winners
Chelsea Bernard, CDM Smith | Don Broussard, Southwest Section AWWA | Lynsey Cantalini, Brenntag | Roxana Carrillo, Stantec | Patricia Chmiel, Brown and Caldwell | Kim Hanson, NC One Water | Paul Hasler, Jacobs | Stephanie Johnson, Ohio AWWA and OWEA | Abhisek Manikonda, Carollo Engineers | Emily Nelson, Indiana AWWA and IWEA | Eric Osborne, Georgia Section AWWA | Summer Peil, Arizona Water Association | Melissa C. Mack, PE, PMP, Texas AWWA and WEAT | Claire Sichko, Kentucky/Tennessee Section AWWA | Saloni Singh, Ontario Water Works Association | Lindsay Strole, Connecticut Section AWWA | Kimberly A. Thorner, San Diego Water For People Committee AWWA | Jennifer Walsh, Hazen and Sawyer | Hilary Williams, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC
Award Process And Details
Each Water For People Committee and Workplace Giving partner across North America can pick one Miller Awardee in each award cycle. Upon completing the official winner’s form, it will be emailed directly to Water For People. You will be contacted to indicate the form was received. If you don’t hear from us within two weeks of submitting the form, please contact us.
The official Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award Pin will be shipped by Water For People to the awarding Committee/company representative to present to the winner. Please include the date of the ceremony in the winner’s form and allow one month’s notice for shipping. The winner must be notified of their win prior to April 1, 2026, at which time Water For People will be in touch with all winners.
Winners will be recognized at a virtual event, held the first week of June 2026 and awarded a plaque in addition to the pin by Water For People. Companies and Committees can provide their own recognition in addition to what Water For People does. Event attendance is not required to be a Miller Founders' Award winner.
Kenneth J. Miller Founders' Award Nominations 2025-26
Award Timeline
- Award Cycle: June 15, 2025 - March 31, 2026
- Winner Forms Due: March 31, 2026
- Winner Presented Pin By: April 1, 2026
Criteria
- An individual can only receive the Miller Award once. Please reach out if you have questions about the eligibility of your winner.
- Committees choose one winner per award cycle.
- Workplace Giving partners choose one winner per award cycle (per company, not office).
Winner Nomination Form 2025-26 Cycle
History
The Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award was established in 2001 by the Board of Directors of Water For People to honor outstanding volunteer service to the cause of safe water and sanitation around the world.
From its beginnings, Water For People was envisioned to be a volunteer effort of the North American water and wastewater communities. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) leaders who organized Water For People believed that water professionals throughout North America would recognize the urgent need to support such a cause by contributing their financial assistance, organizational skills, and professional expertise. Local groups of water and sanitation professionals launched hundreds of active programs in support of Water For People. As the organization grew and began to accomplish its vision of service, it became evident that extraordinary volunteer efforts were being made at the local level and that this dedicated work needed to be publicly acknowledged and honored.
The search for a model individual to exemplify the value of volunteer service and to underscore the importance of this award led immediately to Kenneth J. Miller of Denver, Colorado, one of the founders of Water For People and its first president.
