Appointee Biographies

MICHELE GRENIER

As the Executive Director of the Ontario Water Works Association (OWWA), Michele is an advocate for sustainable water management. She leads initiatives that advance water quality, infrastructure resilience, and professional excellence across Ontario’s water sector. With over 25 years of experience in the water industry, Michele is an expert in the planning, operation, and optimization of municipal drinking water and wastewater systems. Her expertise spans projects at more than 100 water and wastewater facilities, where she has contributed to the delivery of safe, reliable water servicing for communities across Ontario. A graduate of the University of Ottawa with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Michele began her career with the federal government and later held senior roles with XCG Consultants and Associated Engineering. In addition to her work with OWWA, she has served on the boards of the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association, the Ontario Environment Industry Association, the Ontario Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure, as well as the Toronto Metropolitan University Urban Water Centre Board of Advisors. She has served as the Chair of the Ontario Drinking Water Advisory Council (ODWAC) since 2020 and was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) in 2024. Passionate about collaboration and knowledge sharing, Michele also hosts What You Need to H2Know, a podcast highlighting industry leaders and innovations. She is committed to empowering the members of Ontario’s water community and fostering sustainable solutions for future generations.

LIZA BALLANTYNE

Liza Ballantyne has over 18 years of process engineering experience specializing in drinking water treatment. For the past 12 years, Ms. Ballantyne has been employed at the City of Toronto in Water Treatment and Supply Section as a Senior Engineer. Prior to joining the City of Toronto, Ms. Ballantyne worked in the consulting industry where she provided process optimization expertise and design and construction management services. Her community involvement includes being former Director of the International Ozone Association, and member, Vice-Chair, and Chair of the Ontario Water Works Association. Ms. Ballantyne is a member of the Municipal Engineers Association and she holds a Master of Applied Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto.

RENA CHUNG

Rena Chung is a board certified toxicologist with 15 years of experience in risk assessment and communication, team leadership, human toxicology, public health, project management, and environmental assessment. While at Public Health Ontario (PHO), she has been focused on supporting Ontario's health-based standards and policies. Her primary responsibility has been to apply her expertise in toxicology to support Ontario's health care system and more recently, to manage the toxicology and exposure assessment team. Prior to joining PHO, Ms. Chung worked in consulting as a group leader and senior environmental risk assessor, where she managed large teams specializing in human health risk assessment, brownfield redevelopment, environmental permitting and planning, and water resources.

DAVID KOHLER

David Kohler is a seasoned business leader, with broad experience in both public and private firms, in highly regulated industries. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Group 1 Medical Clinic.