Melanie Callahan

As the interim executive administrator of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), Ms. Callahan serves as the chief executive officer of a state agency employing over 300 scientists, engineers, lawyers, GIS professionals, finance officers, and related support staff. Under the direction of a six-member board appointed by the governor, the TWDB is responsible for planning the statewide development of water resources, financing water-related infrastructure, and maintaining and disseminating natural resource data for Texas, which includes water-bearing formations and watersheds. Ms. Callahan began her tenure as interim executive administrator in March 2011. Ms. Callahan is a certified public accountant with more than 28 years of experience in public sector financial management, including accounting, budget and finance. Callahan joined the TWDB in September 2001 as the director of the fiscal services division and the chief accounting officer. She was named chief financial officer in August 2007. In her role as the CFO, Callahan monitored a $3.5 billion debt portfolio, a $5.1 billion loan portfolio, a $1.2 billion investment portfolio and formulated and managed a $70 million annual operating budget. Callahan graduated cum laude with a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from Baylor University in 1982.