MEET THE PRESIDENT

California and Hawaii American Water

Sarah E. Leeper is a seasoned legal executive with over two decades of experience in the water, energy, and telecommunications sectors. Currently serving as President of California American Water and Hawaii American Water, where she and her team are responsible for the operation of water and wastewater systems across California and Hawaii, serving approximately [780,000] people.  

Previously, Sarah was Vice President and Managing General Counsel at American Water, where she oversaw state general counsels across the company’s national footprint. Her recent work included leading and implementing changes within a new legal department structure by facilitating greater collaboration between her team and centrally led teams and optimizing work streams. As part of her responsibilities, she advised on risk management and business operations, with a focus on customer-related issues, and governance for emerging issues such as Artificial Intelligence. With a strong commitment to mentoring others, she has focused on the development of the legal professionals on her team and served as a mentor to other members of the business.    

Prior to that, Sarah was Vice President and General Counsel for California American Water and Hawaii American Water, where she provided legal leadership for both California and Hawaii operations. Her tenure at California American Water also included serving as Vice President, Legal–Regulatory, where she managed complex regulatory and policy matters, including drought response, ratemaking, rate design, and proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). She played a pivotal role in general rate cases, rulemakings, and regulatory mechanisms that shaped the company’s approach to water management and compliance.  

Sarah’s earlier career includes significant experience in private practice at Manatt, and Steefel, Levitt & Weiss, P.C., where she represented clients in regulatory litigation, mergers and acquisitions, environmental compliance, and land use issues. She also advised investor-owned utilities on water rights and development projects and worked with major wireless carriers on consumer protection and service quality matters before the CPUC.  

Her foundational legal experience began at the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association in Washington, D.C., where she practiced before the Federal Communications Commission and co-chaired an industry working group to develop a nationwide programmatic agreement for telecommunications facility siting.  

Sarah holds a Juris Doctorate from J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, where she was a member of the Law Review and Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in International Relations, with a minor in Russian, from Brigham Young University.  

She is admitted to the bar in California, previously admitted to the District of Columbia bar, and is an active member of the Conference of California Public Utility Counsel. Sarah has been a member of the California American Water and Hawaii American Water Boards since 2018.  She also served as a board member for Women in Telecommunications.  

1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s 6,700 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.