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Arizona Law Alumna Becomes
First Woman Commissioner of
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation ALUMNI CHAPTERS
by Alejandra Cardenas Cuestas
ALUMNI COMMUNITY

CONNECTIONS

From golf tournaments and

magic shows to hockey

games and networking
Brenda Burman
/ Submitted photo
mixers, our alumni chapters
renda Burman ’96 became the commissioner of the U.S.
BBureau of Reclamation in November 2017. She is the first
woman to lead the agency. host events around the
Burman previously served as the bureau’s deputy
commissioner for external and intergovernmental affairs and as
the deputy assistant secretary for water and science during the country for fellow Wildcats.
George W. Bush administration.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s mission is to manage, develop
and protect water and related resources in an environmentally // Check out our online calendar for details.
and economically sound manner in the interest of the American arizonaalumni.com/events
public.
She will lead the agency of nearly 5,000 employees and assist
in maintaining almost 500 dams and 330 reservoirs managed by // Find a chapter near you now!
the bureau across 17 Western states. arizonaalumni.com/chapters
“Brenda is a wonderful choice to be the commissioner of
the Bureau of Reclamation, which is the most important federal
water agency,” says University of Arizona Law professor and water 683
WASHINGTON
policy expert Robert Glennon, who taught Burman in his water 6,600
6,600
law class. 793 .
.
“I’m not surprised at the trajectory of her career. She has so NEW YORK 2,388
5,113
246
many talents,” Glennon adds. “She’s a very bright, hard-working 438 .
727 2,480
and even-keeled water lawyer who brings years of experience to ILLINOIS
COLORADO 5,410
the position.” CALIFORNIA 7,897
7,897
36,628
39,628 907
Glennon credits Burman with being the guiding force behind ARIZONA 2,204
137,166
3,809
the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act, which she worked on 806
43 787
while serving as legislative counsel for energy and water for U.S.
Sen. Jon Kyl. The federal legislation settled major Indian and TEXAS
10,406
3
federal reserved water rights and brought greater clarity to water 6 8
3 4 4 8 4,622
rights across Arizona. G R A H A M
4 2 4
Burman’s prior positions include director of water policy
for the Salt River Project, special projects manager at the Approximate Total: 273,689
(UA grads with active addresses)
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and senior
water policy adviser at The Nature Conservancy.
SPRING 2018 51