Kelly Zito
Director of Public Affairs and Community Outreach
Kelly Zito describes her role as EBMUD’s Director of Public Affairs and Community Outreach as the perfect job because it blends her personal and professional interests in communications, natural resources, and public service.
Growing up on the East Coast, Kelly's family instilled in her the value of protecting the environment and contributing to the community. She earned a degree in journalism from Cornell University and, later, completed a University of Michigan Journalism Fellowship in Water Policy. During her 16-year journalism career, Kelly was a staff reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle and several other newspapers before becoming the public affairs director at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 9 office in San Francisco.
In making the move to EBMUD, Kelly was drawn to the organization's deep commitment to protecting our natural resources while providing our vibrant and diverse East Bay community with a safe and reliable water supply. When considering diversity, equity and inclusion goals, Kelly believes it is important that we reflect our community and that employees can bring their whole selves to the job. Those practices improve not only how we work together and accomplish our goals, but how we engage with our customers and stakeholders around EBMUD's mission.