Dr. Ivonne Santiago is a wife, mother, Environmental Engineer, and teacher. She is a Clinical Professor of the Civil Engineering (CE) Department at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Dr. Santiago has a combined experience of over 20 years in the areas of community engagement, water quality, water treatment and wastewater treatment in Puerto Rico (PR), New Mexico and Texas. Currently, she is Vice-Chair of the El Paso Water Public Service Board (PSB), where she is a member of Engineering Selection and the Communications subcommittees, and the ad-hoc committee for storm water priorities. She has been a member of the Environmental Protection Agency National Advisory Committee (NAC), that advises the Administrator of the EPA on environmental policy issues related to the implementation of the former North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation and was a member of the Good Neighbor Environmental Board (GNEB) that advises the President and Congress of the United States on good neighbor practices along the U.S. border with Mexico.

Dr. Santiago’s history of service started in Puerto Rico as Director of the Water Quality Area of the PR Environmental Quality Board, in charge of Compliance, Permit, and Planning Bureau, that included Industrial and Non-Industrial permits, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUSTs), and watershed restoration activities. As Director, she implemented the first Beach Monitoring program in coordination with the Puerto Rico Tourism Office and the Blue Flag program (A world renowned eco-label) and implemented the first Total Maximum Daily Load Program in Puerto Rico.