Adrienne Burns serves as the Director of External Affairs for
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD), where she
leads strategic communications, legislative affairs,
customer service, public outreach and resource
conservation programs for a district serving approximately
70,000 residents in western Los Angeles County.
With nearly 20 years of experience in government, higher
education, and environmental communication, Adrienne
has demonstrated a commitment to creating meaningful,
accessible communication that builds understanding and trust among policymakers,
industry professionals and the public. Adrienne has led communications across a range of
topics including outreach for multi-billion-dollar infrastructure, internal comms for a
15,000-person organization, and cutting-edge academic research projects.
Adrienne specializes in bridging the gap between technical experts and the public—
crafting narratives that build understanding, foster trust, and secure support for large-scale
projects. Her work has guided community engagement for high-profile initiatives such as
the Navy’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier disposal and major Department of Navy
infrastructure upgrades. She has led cross-functional teams that partner with engineers,
scientists and public officials to inform communities about critical projects, policy
development and investments shaping the future of water reliability and resilience.
Adrienne holds a Master of Science in Communications from Syracuse University, a
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from California State University, Northridge, and
professional certificates in Marketing Strategy and Digital Marketing from Cornell
University. She has been recognized nationally for her ability to craft strategic narratives
that bridge technical precision with public understanding.