Our Stories

Throughout March, American Water recognizes Women’s History Month by celebrating the women who strengthen our industry, support our communities and help shape the future of water.

A Q&A with Cheryl Norton, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Cheryl Norton’s career with American Water spans four decades, beginning in a microbiology laboratory and progressing through operational, environmental and state leadership roles across multiple states American Water serves. Today, as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, she oversees the performance of American Water’s regulated states and leads customer service, engineering, environmental compliance, and health and safety across the company’s footprint.

Read more below and learn about Cheryl’s journey, the evolution of her leadership in the utility sector, and the responsibility that comes with serving communities nationwide.

Q: You began your career with American Water in 1988 as a microbiology research technician. What initially drew you to the water industry, and what has kept you at American Water?

Cheryl: I started at our Central Laboratory in Belleville, Illinois, conducting water quality research to address challenges for our teams across the country. What drew me in was the science, but what kept me here was the mission and People.

Water is foundational. It supports public health, economic development and environmental protection. Early on, I saw how the technical work we were doing directly connected to communities’ well-being. That sense of responsibility has guided my career ever since.

Q: You’ve led operations in multiple states, including Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and New Jersey, before stepping into the COO role. How did those experiences shape your leadership perspective?

Cheryl: Serving as vice president of Operations in Illinois, and later as president in Kentucky, Missouri and New Jersey gave me a deep appreciation for the local nature of our business. Every community has unique infrastructure needs, regulatory environments and customer expectations.

Leading at the state level reinforces that operational excellence isn’t abstract — it is personal. It’s about ensuring families have safe, clean and reliable water every day. It also taught me that strong external relationships — with regulators, policymakers and community leaders — are essential to delivering long-term value.

Those experiences inform how I approach my current role in overseeing our regulated states. Strategy must always connect back to service and the customer experience.

Q: As COO, you oversee operations, engineering, environmental compliance and customer service nationwide. What does effective operational leadership require today?

Cheryl: It requires discipline, transparency and adaptability. Our industry is navigating aging infrastructure, increasing resilience demands and evolving regulatory standards — all while maintaining affordability for customers.

Operational leadership means ensuring we modernize responsibly, invest strategically and maintain a strong safety culture. It also means keeping customers at the center of everything we do. Reliable service is our commitment; and we’re proud to deliver that to our customers.

Q: The utility sector has historically been a male-dominated industry. How have you navigated your leadership journey?

Cheryl: When I began my career in 1988, there were fewer women in technical and operational roles. I focused on building credibility through preparation, technical expertise, and consistent results. Over time, I learned that leadership is not about conforming to expectations. It is about delivering with integrity and confidence.

I have been fortunate to work alongside leaders who valued performance and accountability, and I have tried to carry that forward by creating environments where talent is recognized and developed based on merit. The industry is evolving, and the more diverse perspectives we bring into decision making, the stronger and more resilient we become as an organization.

Q: What makes you most proud when you look at American Water’s operation today?

Cheryl: I am proud of our resilience and our discipline. We serve more than 14 million people across 14 regulated states and on 18 military installations, and every day our teams deliver safe, clean and reliable water and wastewater services, often under complex and challenging conditions.

Whether responding to extreme weather, investing in infrastructure modernization or navigating evolving regulatory requirements, our employees remain focused on public health, safety and affordability. In 2025 alone, we invested $3.2 billion across American Water’s regulated systems to modernize treatment plants, replace aging mains and strengthen system resilience.

Those investments translate directly into measurable performance. Because of our sustained focus on operational excellence and environmental compliance, our water quality performance is, on average, ten times better than industry standards.

The scale of what we do is significant, but what matters most is that customers can turn on the tap with confidence. That reliability is something I never take for granted.

Q: Can you tell us about your work with the Water Research Foundation (WRF)?

Cheryl: Serving on the board of The Water Research Foundation is an opportunity to help advance research that strengthens the entire water sector – and it takes me back to where my career started. WRF supports critical work on water quality, treatment innovation, resilience and sustainability.

Our industry benefits when we collaborate and share knowledge. Research drives smarter investments, stronger compliance strategies and deeper environmental stewardship. I value being part of an organization that helps ensure utilities across the country have access to science-based solutions that protect public health and natural resources.

Q: What leadership lessons have stayed with you over the years?

Cheryl: Throughout my career, I’ve been guided by three leadership principles.

First, never lose sight of the fundamentals. In our business, safety, compliance, and operational excellence come first. If you get those right, everything else builds from there.

Second, invest in People. I was fortunate to have leaders who challenged me and trusted me with responsibility before I felt fully ready. That made all the difference. Today, I strive to do the same for others.

And finally, lead with clarity and integrity. In this industry, trust is earned over time. When you are transparent about your expectations and consistent in your actions, people know where you stand and teams are empowered to do their best work. That credibility carries you through both steady days and difficult ones.

Q: What does Women’s History Month mean to you personally?

Cheryl: To me, Women’s History Month is both a moment of gratitude and a call to action. It is a time to recognize and honor the women who opened doors in industries where representation was limited and whose contributions were not always visible or celebrated.

Over the course of my career, I have seen real progress. Today, talented women are leading laboratories, operations, treatment plants, engineering teams, customer service centers and executive functions across our company and industry.

Progress happens when leaders are intentional about developing talent, creating opportunities and making sure the next generation can see a clear path forward. To me, Women’s History Month is about honoring what has been accomplished while continuing the work.

Q: What advice would you share with young women considering careers in utilities, engineering or infrastructure leadership?

Cheryl: Build your technical foundation and stay curious. The more you understand the systems and the science, the more confident you’ll be stepping into leadership roles.

At the same time, don’t hesitate to take on stretch opportunities. Some of my most meaningful growth came from stepping into roles that pushed me to learn more, from laboratory leadership to operations to state presidency.

And finally, remember that leadership is about service. If you’re motivated by purpose and community impact, this industry offers tremendous opportunity.

This Women’s History Month, American Water reaffirms its commitment to developing, supporting, and celebrating the women across our company who power our operations and help Keep Life Flowing.