Jean Block

Chief Executive Officer
Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority
Little Rock, AR

In August 2023, Jean Block became the sixth Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the first woman to lead the organization in the Utility’s history. She is responsible for leading the largest wastewater system in Arkansas with 221 employees. Prior to her role as CEO, she served as Chief Legal Officer at the utility for seven and a half years. She was responsible for all legal and compliance issues, including contracts, personnel matters, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Utility's state and federal Government Relations efforts. She also had oversight responsibility for the Human Resources and Environmental Affairs departments. In 2020, she founded Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority’s employee resource group, the “Women of Water.”

Ms. Block is a board member for UA-Little Rock’s College of Business, CHI St. Vincent Infirmary, and 1st Vice President of the Arkansas Water and Wastewater Manager’s Association. She has been named to Arkansas Business’ 40 under 40, recognized by the Museum of Discovery for innovation in STEM fields by receiving the “Spark! Star” award and was named a Top 100 Women of Impact in Arkansas in 2023.

Ms. Block holds an undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and a JD from the University of Kansas School of Law. She served on the Little Rock Water Reclamation Commission from August 2011 through August 2015. Ms. Block is originally from Mill Valley, CA.