WEF has appointed Dr Eileen O’Neill as interim executive director. O’Neill was most recently WEF deputy executive director where she focused on pursuing innovation opportunities and global and academic relations as well as supporting the executive director in his responsibilities. She was previously WEF’s chief technical officer where she oversaw technical programming and development for WEFTEC, the world’s largest annual water quality conference and exhibition.
Prior to joining WEF in 1991, O’Neill was a professor at an agriculture college in the UK and worked for various environmental consultants in the US and the UK. She has a BS in Soil Science from the UK’s University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and a PhD in Soil Science from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
“While the board joins the staff and some 36 000 WEF members in thanking Jeff for his leadership and commitment to clean water over the past two and a half years, we are fortunate to have such a capable leader to step in,” said WEF president Cordell Samuels. “With more than 20 years of WEF service, Dr Eileen O’Neill’s in-depth knowledge of the organization, its programs, and its staff, combined with her wisdom and understanding of the water sector, will facilitate a smooth transition and continued momentum toward achieving our goals.”