The Water Authority is governed by a five member Board of Directors. Each member is appointed to a five year term and appointments are staggered. Appointments are made by the Town of Clifton Park Board and the chairman is appointed by the Town Supervisor each January first for one year.

 

Helmut Gerstenberger, Chairman

Mr. Gerstenberger has been a resident of Clifton Park since 1971, and is a 1979 graduate of Shenendehowa High School. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University at Albany. He is currently employed by Citizens Bank. Helmut has been a board member since 2002. He was named Chairman in 2005. Helmut and his wife, Ginger, have four children.

 

John Ryan

John Ryan has been a resident of Clifton Park since 1994. He holds a B.A. in Economics/Business Administration from the State University of New York, College of Arts and Sciences at Plattsburgh. He retired from AT&T in 2021. At the end of his career, John was the Sales VP - ATT Premier Client Group. John has 20 plus years of business experience and has held progressive leadership assignments throughout his career. He has held numerous positions in Sales, Operations and Management across Upstate N.Y. and New England. John has been a board member since 2008 and has been a resident of Clifton Park since 1994. He and his wife Donna have two children.

 

Peter Taubkin

Peter Taubkin has been a resident of Clifton Park since 1996 and joined the CPWA board in May 2012. He is Director of External Relations and Corporate Communications for The Research Foundation for The State University of New York. Prior to that Peter spent 16 years in the cable industry as Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs for Time Warner Cable’s Albany Division. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Colby College in Waterville, ME and JD from New England School of Law in Boston, MA. Peter and his wife Kathy have two children.

 

Bill Butler

Bill Butler has been a resident of Clifton Park since 1986. He holds a B.S. in Accounting and MBA from Monmouth University in New Jersey. Bill worked as a Program Manager of Industrial Programs for Groundwater and Environmental Services, an environmental remediation projects firm until his retirement in 2020. Bill brings more than 33 years of sales, strategic planning and management experience to the position. He and his wife Camille have two grown, married children.

 

Heather Brondi

Ms. Brondi is a lifelong Clifton Park resident, graduating from Shenendehowa in 2003.  She received an undergraduate degree from Syracuse University with a major in Political Science and a minor in Education Studies.  She received a Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School in 2010.  Heather has been employed with the Saratoga County Public Defender's Office (Family Court Unit) since 2016.  When she is not in the courtroom, she has committed her time volunteering with CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services, the Wellspring Domestic Violence Clinic and the Mechanicville Domestic Violence Advocacy Program.  She is also a recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award.  She and her husband, Rob, have two children.

 

Don Austin, Administrator

Mr. Austin has been a resident of Clifton Park since 1972 and is a 1984 graduate of Shenendehowa High School. He has been with the Clifton Park Water Authority since February 1992.  He spent three years as the Chief Plant Operator, beginning in 1997, and two as the Deputy Administrator prior to taking over the role of Administrator in late 2002.  Don has an Associates Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Hudson Valley Community College, where he has also completed a number of business-related courses. He and his wife Kelly have two daughters.