About
Building public will for clean, accessible, affordable water.
Our Vision and Mission
The Water Main builds public will in support of clean, accessible, affordable water.
We do this as a social impact arm of American Public Media that harnesses the expertise and resources of APM – research, journalism, storytelling, convening, community engagement, and reach across an audience of over 20 million – to make a lasting difference in how Americans think, feel, and act on issues of water in their communities and across the country.
What We Do
The Water Main is a new type of public service growing out of public media, designed to catalyze conversation and action on the topic of water in the U.S. We collaborate with media organizations, within and outside APM, to develop and produce content that changes how Americans think, feel, and act on water. We convene dialogues and catalyze conversations that address thorny topics and create space for new types of thinking. We conduct research that provides key audience insights to us, and to others working on water issues, so that we can engage in the most effective way. And we work across the water community to build shared perspective and create the conditions needed for new thinking and action.
How We Work
The Water Main was created by American Public Media to serve current and new audiences in different ways, by growing new public service models that shape and inform critical conversations and decisions in society.
We’re a new type of public service growing out of public media, focused on connecting with audiences on a specific topic relevant and important to society, and acting in ways that have an enduring impact.
While we’re housed at APM, our mandate is to work far beyond its borders in collaboration with other media organizations, stakeholder groups and communities.
We consider three important factors when we measure our success:
the people we reach
the CHANGE IN HOW KEY AUDIENCES THINK, FEEL, AND TAKE ACTION ON WATER
The REAL WORLD CHANGES SPURRED BY OUR WORK
We are funded by American Public Media’s Inspired by You campaign and philanthropic donations from foundations, individuals and companies.
We maintain a firewall between our funding partners and our editorial content. To learn more about how we work, explore the premises that guide our strategy.
Year in Reviews
Our Team
Annie Baxter, Content Manager
@anniebaxter123
Annie Baxter is an award-winning journalist based in St. Paul, Minn. She came to American Public Media as a reporter in 2003 and went on to work for APM's national business program Marketplace®, where she specialized in food and agriculture. She joined the Water Main as Content Manager in October 2017.
Lauren Rosenthal, Reporter
@laurenthal
Lauren Rosenthal is a reporter for The Water Main at American Public Media. Before joining APM, Lauren was a reporter for North Country Public Radio and also spent three years reporting from Alaska's Aleutian Islands, where she got really good at dressing for rainy weather. Lauren was a finalist for the Daniel Schorr Prize and part of a team that won the national Sigma Delta Chi medal for public service journalism.
Lauren Humpert, Project Coordinator
@laurenhumpert
Lauren Humpert joined the Water Main as Project Coordinator in April 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Louisville and brings a background of work experience in sustainability, community engagement, agriculture, and social research. Originally from Kentucky, Lauren now lives in Minneapolis with her husband, a small garden, and two adopted storm drains.
ELLE LYONS, MARKETING MANAGER
Elle Lyons is the Marketing Manager for The Water Main and joined the team in March 2020. Elle is a veteran marketing and communications pro working in nonprofits, agencies and small businesses in Minnesota over her 13 years in the industry. Prior to joining APM/MPR, Elle worked with the Minnesota Women's Consortium, served as the Director of Communications at the Minnesota Humanities Center and was the PR & Communications Manager at Twin Cities PBS. Elle lives in Minneapolis with her husband, daughter, dog, cat and dozens of house plants.
Chris Worthington
@cworthcw
Chris Worthington is the managing director and editor-in-chief of APM Reports, American Public Media's national investigative reporting and documentary group.
Contact Us
Want to know what we're up to? Have a question for us? Send us a note or follow us on social media.
TWITTER: @thewatermain
FACEBOOK: @thewatermain
INSTAGRAM: @thewatermain
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