The Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) added four senior staff members on Tuesday, Sept. 22, expanding leadership at the nonprofit that monitors water quality across a watershed that includes Needham and Dedham.

The new hires include Linda Orel as chief impact officer, Max Rome as clean water director, Maria Galarza as director of people and operations, and José Eguigure as director of donor engagement, according to CRWA.

Rome's role carries the most direct implications for local water quality. He will lead CRWA's flagship monitoring program and provide technical support for the organization's advocacy work.

Rome returns to CRWA from the City of Boston, where he served as director of green infrastructure. He previously held the role of senior stormwater program manager at CRWA.

"The restoration of the Charles and its watershed is a lifelong passion of mine," Rome said in a statement. He added that he is excited to be back at CRWA and to lead the organization's flagship water quality monitoring program, turning those insights into impactful projects and policies.

That monitoring work matters locally. CRWA's sampling on Aug. 19 found cyanobacterial concentrations exceeding Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidelines in the lower Charles River basin, marking the third consecutive summer with a bloom. The organization has also been urging public comments through Wednesday, Sept. 30, on a draft plan to control combined sewer overflows that release sewage into the river during heavy rainstorms.

Orel, the new chief impact officer, will oversee CRWA's advocacy, legal and communications teams. She previously held the same title at Boston Harbor Now, where she helped create climate adaptation policies for the Stone Living Lab initiative and implemented a new memorandum of understanding with the City of Boston.

Galarza brings experience from Northeastern University, where she served as director of administration and finance. She will handle human resources, organizational operations and financial oversight at CRWA.

Eguigure is CRWA's first director of donor engagement, according to the organization's website. He has co-led business development that secured seven- and eight-figure grants for nonprofits including Global Communities and Hunger Relief International.

CRWA, founded in 1965, covers a 308-square-mile watershed spanning 35 cities and towns. Both Needham and Dedham are participating communities in CRWA's Charles River Flood Model initiative, which has identified Alder Brook in Needham and Barnes Memorial Park in Dedham as priority sites for flood mitigation work.

Residents can find CRWA's event calendar and volunteer opportunities on the organization's website.