national I REPORTS
Water Is a Women’s Issue F
Two Latinas work together to lead a crucial U.S.-Mexico border commission
OR THE FIRST TIME SINCE its inception in 1889, the In- ternational Boundary and Wa-
ter Commission (IBWC) on either side of the U.S.-Mexico border is be- ing helmed by two Latinas. Maria-Elena Giner was appointed
in August 2021 by President Joe Biden to lead the U.S. section of the IBWC. Her counterpart, Adriana Beatriz Carolina Resendez Maldonado, was appointed in September 2021 by Mexican foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón. The commission is tasked with ap-
plying boundary and water treaties between the United States and Mexi- co, settling differences that arise in their application and managing joint water resources including water allo- cation, flood control and internation- al reservoirs—crucial work as both countries grapple with drought and other effects of climate change. Each commissioner has at least 20
years of experience, which both women credit for being appointed
to successfully lead the agency in an otherwise male-dominated field. Giner previously served as general manager of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, which de- velops environmental infrastructure along the U.S.-Mexico border in as- sociation with the North American Development Bank. During that time she led the development and financ- ing of $9 billion in environmental in- frastructure, benefiting about 100 communities and more than 10 mil- lion residents along the U.S.-Mexico border. She also focused on policies that addressed renewable energy for both U.S. and Mexican communities. “From a female perspective, I’ve
definitely had to learn to navigate what is a male-dominated [engineer- ing] field,” Giner says. “So the way I’ve done it is just by showing results, and then that respect that comes along with understanding the field and achieving outcomes is what I feel has given me the most credibility.” Maldonado’s success in the field is
attributed to her expertise and results over the past 23 years. She previously served as principal operations engi- neer and as deputy director of the Colorado River engineering area for the commission. During her career, she has participated in the binational coordination for the development of critical projects in the border region. Maldonado believes her common-
ality with Giner puts them in a place where they understand each other. “I think as women … who have lived in a [working] environment of men … I can understand her way of thinking and what she is proposing,” she says, “and I think she also understands what I am proposing and where we want to go.” Giner believes there has been a lot
of progress over the years on both sides of the border in elevating women to leadership positions, which also played a role in their appointments to head the agency. “I think it’s a natural evolution of where the two countries are moving toward,” Giner says. Maldonado adds, “Right now the
most important thing—historically— is that for the first time two women are in charge of the commission.” Both commissioners say they feel
the expertise each of them has and their
shared experiences have
strengthened their communication as they continue to lead in their new roles. Giner notes that in the areas where she lacks expertise, Maldonado helps to balance things out. Giner says her strength is in developing wa- ter projects and Maldonado’s is in op- erations. Giner adds, “We really comple-
ment each other very well.” —ELIDA S. PEREZ
3The Rio Grande marks the border between Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
10 | SPRING 2022
www.feminist.org
BOB DAEMMRICH/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
