CWS Executive Leadership
Rahim Harji, General Manager, P.E.
Rahim joined Clean Water Services in 2026 when he was appointed by the CWS Board of Directors to serve as General Manager. Rahim Harji brings more than two decades of public sector experience to CWS, with a career that spans engineering, utilities, public works management, and municipal executive leadership.
Rahim previously served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Hillsboro, overseeing a broad portfolio of city services and working closely with regional partners, including Clean Water Services, on infrastructure planning and community investment. His career includes overseeing several large departments that provided water, sanitary sewer, transportation, reclaimed water, environmental management, solid waste, and parks services. His work in emergency management and resilience planning gives him firsthand experience preparing critical infrastructure systems for long-term climate and operational challenges.
Rahim is an International City/County Management Association Credentialed Manager and a licensed Professional Engineer.
Rick Shanley, Interim Chief Executive Officer/General Manager, P.E.
Rick was appointed by the CWS Board of Directors as Acting and then Interim Chief Executive Officer/General Manager in 2025. Rick joined CWS as Treatment Plant Services manager in 2013 and has held leadership roles in regulatory and innovation strategies, as well as treatment, conveyance, and asset management engineering, becoming CWS’ first Chief Engineer & Water Technology Officer in January 2025. He has over 30 years of experience as an environmental engineer, including experience with research, planning, design, and construction of infrastructure for wastewater conveyance and treatment. He is active in various professional societies, and previously served as the president of the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association. Rick will continue to serve as interim CEO/GM for a limited term to help while Rahim transitions into the GM role.
Elizabeth Edwards, Chief of Staff
Elizabeth joined CWS as Chief of Staff in 2024. She provides executive oversight to legislative and government affairs, develops emergency management and natural hazard mitigation programs, and works with teams to implement the CWS Climate Action Roadmap. She also serves as a liaison with the CWS Board of Directors and the Clean Water Services Advisory Commission. She has worked in the private and public sectors, covering almost every area of policy, including healthcare, transportation, climate, land use, public safety, and water. Elizabeth was born and raised in Oregon and is a member of the Oregon State Bar.
Joe Gall, Chief Utility Relations Officer
Joe became CWS’ first Chief Utility Relations Officer in May 2021. He oversees the Regional Utility Services department, which focuses on strengthening relationships with CWS partners surrounding issues such as economic development and community planning, strategic integrated planning and policy development, and utility intergovernmental relations to support regional water resources management.
Kathleen Leader, Chief Financial Officer
Kathy was named Chief Financial Officer in 2019 and is responsible for all financial activities for CWS including the programs and activities relating to accounting, budgeting, financial forecasting and planning, debt management, financial management information systems, reporting systems, capital improvement planning, purchasing and contracts, and financial policies and procedures. She joined CWS in 2007 as accounting services manager and was appointed finance manager in 2012.
Caroline Lobdell, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
Caroline joined Clean Water Services in 2023 to serve as General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer and to lead the Regulatory Affairs department. For over 16 years Caroline taught several courses focusing on complex environmental and natural resources litigation and federal Indian law and is a former Walter Echohawk Distinguished Law Professor. Caroline was the 2023 recipient of the Oregon State Bar’s Environmental and Natural Resources Section’s Lifetime Achievement Leadership award. She is also a frequent speaker for many diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts for the Oregon State Bar.
Clean Water Services Board of Directors
Clean Water Services is a county service district organized under Oregon Revised Statute 451. CWS is a separately managed and financed public utility. Our Board of Directors is composed of the individuals who are elected as Washington County Commissioners.
Learn more about CWS Board members, meetings, and minutes.
Clean Water Services Advisory Commission
The purpose of the Clean Water Services Advisory Commission (CWAC) is to review and discuss major policy issues and programs related to the management of water resources in the Tualatin River Watershed and make recommendations to Clean Water Services’ Board of Directors.
Learn more about CWAC members, meetings, and minutes.
