From Gaps to Gains: Join West Yost at CWEA for a Hands-On Asset Management Workshop 


By Rachel Schonwit, Asset Management Expert & Dianna Jensen, Project and Procurement Management Sector Leader

This article contains and answers the following:

  • Workshop overview and purpose
  • Key industry challenges
  • Hands-on activities and takeaways

  • How to move beyond reactive maintenance
  • How to use data for better decisions
  • How to take practical next steps

At this year’s CWEA Annual Conference, we are inviting water and wastewater professionals to step out of theory and into action. 

Our full-day workshop, From Gaps to Gains: Simple Steps to Smarter Asset Management, is designed for one purpose: helping you move forward with clarity. 

Asset management can feel overwhelming. There are frameworks, standards, tools, and expectations coming from every direction. At the same time, utilities are being asked to do more with less while managing aging infrastructure and increasing risk. 

This session is about cutting through that noise. 

Why This Workshop Matters Now 

Across the industry, we are seeing the same challenges surface again and again: 

  • Aging infrastructure and increasing capital needs 
  • Reactive maintenance cultures 
  • Limited staff capacity and competing priorities 
  • Data that exists, but is not being fully used 

As highlighted in our workshop materials, many organizations are still operating in reactive or planned maintenance modes rather than proactive or optimized systems. 

The opportunity is not just to manage assets. It is to make better decisions about them. 

That shift is where real value happens. 

From Managing Assets to Making Decisions 

One of the core ideas we will explore is this: 

Asset management is not just about tracking assets. It is about understanding them well enough to make confident, value-driven decisions over their entire lifecycle. 

During the workshop, we will walk through how to: 

  • Define meaningful levels of service that connect leadership goals to field execution 
  • Build asset registries that actually support decision-making 
  • Apply risk concepts like likelihood and consequence of failure in practical ways 
  • Use available data to prioritize work and investments 

We will also talk about the human side of asset management. Because reliability is not just technical. It is cultural. 

We are excited to co-lead this session alongside Gerald Fejarang of CDM Smith, with insights from an incredible panel of industry professionals. 

Together, we bring perspectives across strategy, operations, data systems, and implementation. That combination is intentional. Asset management only works when these pieces come together. 

A Hands-On, Practical Approach 

This is not a sit-and-listen session. 

Participants will actively work through a mock maturity assessment, helping you evaluate where your organization stands today and where you want to go next. 

You will also explore: 

  • How to move along the asset management maturity curve 
  • How to connect CMMS, GIS, and operational data into a usable system 
  • How to align O&M practices with long-term strategy 
  • How to communicate priorities across teams and leadership 

By the end of the day, you will not just understand asset management better. You will have a clearer path forward. 

What You Will Walk Away With 

Our goal is simple. 

You leave with: 

  • A clear understanding of your current state 
  • A practical framework for improvement 
  • Tools and approaches you can apply immediately 
  • Confidence in how to move from gaps to gains 

This workshop is designed for both new and experienced practitioners. Whether you are just getting started or refining an existing program, there will be something here for you. 

Learn From a Multi-Disciplinary Team 

We are excited to co-lead this session alongside Gerald Fejarang of CDM Smith, with insights from an incredible panel of industry professionals. 

Together, we bring perspectives across strategy, operations, data systems, and implementation. That combination is intentional. Asset management only works when these pieces come together. 

Join Us at CWEA AC26 

From Gaps to Gains: Simple Steps to Smarter Asset Management 
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM 
Sacramento, California 

If you are looking for a session that is practical, interactive, and grounded in real-world application, we would love to see you there. 

Come ready to engage, share, and take the next step forward. 

About the Authors

Dianna Jensen brings decades of experience across both the public and private sectors, with a focus on public works and water resources. She spent 17 years with the City of Davis, where she served as Director of Public Works Engineering and Transportation and City Engineer, leading complex infrastructure programs and citywide initiatives. Earlier in her career, she spent eight years with West Yost and returned to the firm in 2025. Dianna is known for building strong cross-department relationships, improving operational performance, and guiding high-visibility projects that bring together diverse stakeholders. Her experience spans water resources planning, climate action, and sustainability efforts, with a focus on practical solutions that support long-term community needs. 

About the Author  

Rachel Schonwit has specialized experience in Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) implementation projects, seamlessly executing projects aligned with client objectives and goals. Her asset management experience includes condition assessments, risk assessments, renewal prioritization, and utility performance and metric benchmarking. She has a breadth of experience across multiple industry sectors including asset management, risk and resiliency planning, and water system master planning.