Marisa Vergara, PE, senior vice president and regional director for STV’s water group, has been honored with the George Warren Fuller Award by the Texas Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), recognizing a career defined by long-term leadership, technical excellence and service to the water profession. Vergara received the award at this year’s Texas Water Conference.
The George Warren Fuller Award is presented annually by each state chapter of AWWA and recognizes distinguished service to the water supply field. The honor reflects sustained contributions to advancing safe, resilient and sustainable water systems – and the leadership required to guide utilities and communities through complex, long-range challenges.
Vergara’s selection reflects her enduring impact on the profession and her commitment to advancing resilient water solutions for communities across Texas and the surrounding region.
“Texas has been home to much of my professional journey, and the relationships built through AWWA and the broader water community have been incredibly influential,” Vergara said. “I’m honored by this recognition and remain committed to advancing practical, resilient solutions in Texas and wherever communities have water systems needs.”
Vergara brings nearly three decades of water infrastructure experience supporting client service, resilient project delivery, and sustainable water solutions across Texas and Oklahoma. Her expertise spans water treatment, reuse, resource recovery and large-scale utility program management.
Over her 29‑year career, she has supported more than $1 billion in conceptual design and construction projects, including the nationally recognized Vista Ridge P3 water supply project, which earned the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Texas Chapter’s Project of the Year award.
Her dedication to the water industry has been demonstrated through years of leadership within the Texas American Water Works Association (TAWWA). Vergara recently served as the 2025-2026 TAWWA Chair and held leadership roles for the Scholarship, Design & Construction and Water For People committees. She also served as president and trustee of TAWWA’s South Texas Chapter.
Through this service, Vergara has helped strengthen professional networks, advance industry standards and support the next generation of water leaders – extending her influence beyond individual projects to the broader profession.
Over the course of her career, Vergara has also been recognized as an ENR Top Young Professional, TAWWA Maverick Award and received the Kenneth Miller Water for People Founder’s Award. She is an active member of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and the Civil & Environmental Engineering Advisory Council at Texas A&M University.
“Marisa exemplifies what the George Warren Fuller Award represents: technical excellence, steady leadership, and a genuine commitment to service,” said Chris Haney, president of STV’s water team. “Her influence extends well beyond the projects she delivers. She invests in people, strengthens organizations like AWWA through service and raises the bar for our industry. This is a well-earned recognition of the impact she’s made – and continues to make – for our clients, our teams and our industry.”
