Cole Takes on Specialized Role with Burns & McDonnell’s Water Division

ATLANTA, GA — Terry Cole joins the Burns & McDonnell Water Division in the Atlanta, Georgia, regional office. For nearly three decades, Cole has guided utility leadership in the art of effectively telling their story to the communities they serve. Her focus is exclusively on water, wastewater and other infrastructure issues.

"Terry began her career as a journalist and later managed communications for a water and wastewater agency. Her experience offers a unique ability to translate complex technical issues into messages that resonate with impacted communities," said Hill Baughman, who leads the Water division for Burns & McDonnell in Atlanta. "She understands the challenges utility leaders face and can bring immediate value, based on nearly 30 years of working side by side with professionals in the water and wastewater industry."

Cole has a genuine passion for the water profession that informs all aspects of her strategic communications efforts. She recognizes that individuals serving in all capacities of a public utility are on the front lines of public health and quality of life, as critical to their community as firefighters and police. Her goal with any project is not only to address the immediate issues, but also to identify opportunities to elevate the image of water professionals.

Since she entered consulting, Cole has spearheaded strategic communications for water and wastewater agencies across North America, including Canada and Alaska. Her experience includes billion-dollar consent decree wet weather programs, pipeline construction, staff and elected officials media training, stormwater fee program development, rate increases, watershed assessments, and more.

Cole is a certified Professional Facilitator with a Master of Arts in Mass Communication from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia. She is a past national board member of the American Water Works Association, a member of the Water Environment Federation, and past president of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals.