AUSTIN, TX — WGI announces that Texas-based national engineering thought leader Leigh Thomas (Cerda) joined the firm as Director of Public Infrastructure - Water, in the Civil Engineering Division. Thomas will be based in the Austin, Texas, office.

“Leigh is a national leader in water and wastewater systems. Her reputation in water-infrastructure planning and asset management certainly precedes her arrival. Adding a professional like Leigh to our team is part of our Strategic Plan — now fulfilled,” said Matt Stewart, WGI Civil Division Vice President.

Thomas' experience spans work in the private and public sectors, including over a decade with Austin Water, where she served as Division Manager of the Collections Division and more recent stints as a National Leader for another national engineering firm. She brings a practical approach to assisting clients in addressing water and wastewater infrastructure challenges.

Thomas engages clients to develop both long-range solutions and near-term roadmaps. This helps utilities of all sizes incorporate national best practices into existing planning and design efforts, while anticipating potential changes in populations and gaining infrastructure needs.

“Partnering with a multi-disciplinary engineering and professional services firm of 600 associates, spread across a national footprint, is an opportunity to share knowledge and experiences across disciplines," Thomas said. "I am excited to take on this challenge.”

Thomas is the 2021 winner of the Water Environment Federation’s Arthur Sidney Bedell Award that highlights her career-long service to the industry. She is also a past President of the Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT) and current WEF House of Delegates member.