The division manager of technical services at Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority has been selected by her peers to lead the Georgia Section of the American Water Works Association, one of the highest ranking volunteer positions within the state’s water and wastewater industry.
As Chair of the GAWWA, Keisha Lisbon Thorpe, P.E., will be instrumental in leading this group of professionals dedicated to providing resources for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of water in Georgia.
GAWWA advances public health, safety and welfare by uniting the efforts of the entire water community. GAWWA works cooperatively with the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) to achieve these goals and strengthen public confidence in drinking water.
Lisbon Thorpe has been active in GAWWA for approximately 15 years, in addition to her membership in GAWP. She has chaired the joint GAWWA-GAWP state Model Water Tower Competition since its inception three years ago, in addition to past experience chairing the GAWWA Diversity Committee. This year she also was among the GAWP Level 1 Leadership Academy Graduates. Lisbon Thorpe will celebrate her 10th anniversary with PCWASA this October.
As PCWASA Technical Services Division Manager, Lisbon Thorpe plans, organizes, and directs the technical services and engineering functions of the Authority, including the management and development of annual budgets and the implementation of capital projects, construction services, utility locates, and filming of sewer lines. She also provides oversight of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the fats, oils, and grease (FOG) program, and information technology (IT) at the Authority.
“Keisha personifies the talent, expertise, and professionalism of our staff at the Authority, and we are lucky to have someone with her credentials and character as a Division Manager,” said Stephen Hogan, PCWASA General Manager. “She is well respected within our industry and a significant asset to our community as well as the state.”
Prior to joining PCWASA in 2005, Lisbon Thorpe was a Civil Engineer/Supervisor for the City of Atlanta Bureau of Water, following her tenure as a Process Control Engineer for United Water Services of Atlanta.
As for professional credentials, she is a Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of Georgia as well as a Class I Water Supply System Operator, which is the highest ranking certification for treatment plant operators in the state. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina A&T and has a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Florida.
Lisbon Thorpe’s academic research has been published in the Journal of Environmental Engineering, and she has been a keynote speaker on various industry topics for a number of organizations, including the American Society of Plumbing Engineers, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), and at GAWP District Meetings and Conferences.
