FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 13, 2026
Location: New York, NY
Contact:
Dave Martin
The Good Government Show
646-483-5898
dave.goodgovpodcast@gmail.com
Headline:
Service That Flows: One Leader’s Clean Water Mission
Subhead:
Fleming Award–winning Indian Health Service engineer shares how $3.5 billion in sanitation projects is transforming lives on The Good Government Show
New York, NY — A childhood memory of family members hauling water by hand became the foundation for a career devoted to ensuring others never have to live that way again. On the latest episode of The Good Government Show, Lieutenant Commander Melissa de Vera of the Indian Health Service shares how her personal story led to a remarkable career delivering safe drinking water and sanitation to Native American communities across the country.
De Vera, an engineer and Assistant Director in the Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction, is a recipient of the prestigious Arthur S. Flemming Award for her leadership on major infrastructure initiatives and her work recruiting the next generation of public servants. Under her leadership, the Indian Health Service is managing more than $3.5 billion in clean water and sanitation projects funded through federal infrastructure investments — projects that are transforming public health in some of the nation’s most remote communities.
“The Indian Health Service mission is to raise the health and well-being of Native American tribes to the highest level possible,” de Vera said. “We’re able to address projects that were never considered economically feasible before.” From water treatment plants to individual home wells and wastewater systems, the work ensures families have reliable access to safe water — a basic necessity that has not always been guaranteed in rural tribal areas.
De Vera’s path into public service was shaped by her upbringing. As a child, she visited relatives on tribal lands where access to water required hauling it from community sources. Years later, that experience helped guide her career choice. “Knowing that what we do can improve people’s lives — that’s what draws me to public service,” she said. “You don’t have to know the people you’re helping. You just know it matters.”
In addition to overseeing major infrastructure efforts, de Vera has become a powerful advocate for recruiting engineers and young professionals into government service. Facing high vacancy rates, especially in remote regions, she helped reshape recruitment by focusing on mission-driven students. “We stopped casting a wide net and started looking for people who want to serve,” she explained. “There are students out there who want to make a difference — and this work gives them that opportunity.”
For de Vera, good government means partnership and trust. Rather than imposing solutions, she and her teams work directly with tribal communities to help them make informed decisions. “You’re working with them to help them find the best solution,” she said. “You’re not telling them what the best solution is.” The result is long-term investment in infrastructure that supports health, dignity, and self-determination.
Hosted by veteran journalist Dave Martin, The Good Government Show highlights the stories behind the public servants improving lives across the country. The full conversation with Lieutenant Commander Melissa de Vera is available now at GoodGovernmentShow.com and on all major podcast platforms.