Carla Ruddock
Director of Conservation
Hello, I'm Carla!
As a young person I always wanted to be outdoors enjoying nature’s vast beauty. As I continued to learn and experience more, I knew it was where I belonged. I attended California University of Pennsylvania where I earned my Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration on Pollution Control in 1999. I served two years with the Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps at two different host sites in the environmental field before the Western PA Conservancy hired me in 2002 where I spent eight years before joining the staff at MWA.
After nearly 10 years with MWA I am the Director of Conservation and am responsible for the oversight and management of our abandoned mine drainage treatment systems, our water sampling program, our in-house bacteria lab. I coordinate our annual Indian Creek Watershed Festival and help out with the Indian Creek Valley Trail among other duties.
As a water person I enjoy swimming and nature photography. One of the special places in the Youghiogheny River watershed that is special to me is Blue Hole on Blue Hole Creek located in the Forbes State Forest. I remember coming to this site as young girl with my family during our vacations to splash around, cool off and just enjoy being in natures glory.