Featuring Kariann Aarup, VP of Programme Development & Impact at AquaAction

What does it mean to lead with presence, care, and connection in the water space, and in the world? That’s the question we explored in a recent conversation with the inspiring Kariann Aarup, VP of Programme Development and Impact at AquaAction.

Kariann is on a mission to broaden AquaAction’s program offerings, engaging a new generation of entrepreneurial talent in solving freshwater challenges. But her work is far more than professional, it’s deeply personal, spiritual, and rooted in a reverence for nature.

In this podcast episode, Kariann and I went deep. We explored not just leadership and innovation in the water sector, but also the inner landscape of what it means to be a human doing this work. Somewhere mid-conversation, I had a real-time epiphany, always the best kind, and left feeling more connected to myself, to water, and to the possibilities ahead.

Here are a few reflections from our conversation that I hope inspire you as much as they inspired me.

🌿 Serenity, Story & Spiritual Connection

Kariann chose the “Serenity” card as her anchor for the episode, a perfect entry point into our discussion. She spoke about the healing power of cold ocean dips and how they helped her feel truly at home in Victoria, BC. For her, working in water is not just a job, it’s a pathway to self-awareness, to nature, and to something greater.

She reminded me of a powerful truth: nature never rushes, yet everything gets done. That perspective is a beautiful mirror for how we live and lead.

💧 Language, Leadership & the Power of “Treatment”

One of the most moving parts of our conversation centered on the word “treatment.” We reflected on its layered meanings, how we treat water, how we treat people, and how we treat ourselves.

When we ask, “How does water want to be treated?” we begin to humanize it. We start to see water not just as a resource but as a living force worthy of reverence and respect. That shift in mindset opens the door to empathy-driven leadership—where every action becomes an act of care.

When we ask, “How does water want to be treated?” we begin to humanize it. We start to see water not just as a resource but as a living force worthy of reverence and respect. That shift in mindset opens the door to empathy-driven leadership—where every action becomes an act of care.

Some of the questions we held include:

• What does water want from us?
• How are we tending to our waterways, our wastewater, our infrastructure?
• Are our current practices too harsh or disconnected?

These reflections are not just technical or environmental - they’re deeply human. And they invite all of us to lead differently.

🌱 Youth, Innovation & Inner Growth

Kariann also shared the transformative power of AquaAction’s flagship innovation challenge for post-secondary students. While the program begins as a competition, it often evolves into something more profound: community, collaboration, and growth.

Participants are not only developing water solutions; they’re discovering themselves. AquaAction encourages inner exploration, through journaling, Indigenous storytelling, and personal reflection, because true innovation starts from within.

As Kariann put it, when young people change the way they show up, the entire system shifts.

💡 Imagination, Abundance & a New Leadership Paradigm

At its core, this conversation was a call to imagine something more:
More reverence. More curiosity. More care.

Kariann’s words remind us that the barriers we face are often just thoughts and that when we slow down and tune in, new pathways emerge.

As leaders, we are invited to listen not just to each other, but to water itself. To ask:

• How do we connect to the natural world and to ourselves?
• Can we feel our way into the future, rather than just think our way there?

This is leadership rooted in presence, not pressure. In wisdom, not just knowledge.

🎧 Listen to the Full Conversation

This episode is a heartfelt invitation to reimagine leadership in the water space—and beyond. It’s a reminder that water warrants more from us. And when we respond with presence and respect, everything changes.

Click here to listen to the full episode