About the episode

In this episode of the Doing Good by Doing Better podcast, Pariveda CEO Margaret Rogers sits down with Susan Kennedy, a leader at the intersection of water, energy, and public trust. Susan has served California at the highest levels of government, including Cabinet Secretary to Governor Gray Davis and Chief of Staff to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and now leads water infrastructure work at Cadiz, focusing on expanding access in poor communities while balancing shareholder expectations. They explore how her leadership mantra of “be honest, do your best, don’t be greedy” became her leadership operating system, why she chose to partner with Native American tribes to advance water equity, and the personal million-dollar risk she took to save her company.

You’ll learn:

Ways to turn values into daily decision rules when stakes are high
How authentic partnerships with communities builds durable coalitions
Leadership strategies for building trust after a setback

Episode outline:

2:00 – Why partnering with Native American tribes energizes her work at Cadiz
3:40 – Career path to Sacramento leadership and into water and energy
7:20 – Sobriety and the origin of rigorous honesty as a leadership foundation
9:00 – The rule that runs her life: be honest, do your best, don’t be greedy
11:30 – Why trust is the real currency
16:20 – Facing spin, misinformation, and staying the course
19:20 – When the mission was tested
22:20 – Building coalitions for win-wins
26:30 – The water tech gap and why treatment matters now
31:20 –A business case for serving poor communities
33:20 – The million-dollar personal bet to save her company
35:50 – Redefining failure and the Schwarzenegger lesson
37:20 – Lightning round
39:30 – What gives her hope about water and sustainability
39:50 – Where to learn more and close