A Conversation with Sandy Rosenthal, a Civic Activist Who Educates the Public About the Cause of Catastrophic Flooding

With corporations getting ever larger – and even able to influence the outcome of presidential elections – the power of a single individual might seem lost. But it’s alive and well.

Sandy Rosenthal is an experienced community mobilizer, most notable for founding the nonprofit Levees.org, with 25,000 supporters nationwide. Her 2020 book, Words Whispered in Water, explores how she — against all odds — altered the national narrative about the deadly flooding in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. InWords Whispered in Water: Why the Levees Broke in Hurricane Katrina, Sandy gives a first-person narrative of the 2005 flooding and its aftermath, thrusting her into her role as a leading voice for fact-based responses to flood threats. She describes her transformation into an advocate for education on the history of flood control failures after Hurricane Katrina had moved inland, and her subsequent work as a watchdog tracking the responses of government and media in the hours, weeks and years after the floodwalls first gave way. A special Anniversary Edition of her book, featuring a new cover and foreword, went on sale in August 2025, timed with the 20th anniversary of the catastrophe.

The catastrophic flooding of New Orleans in 2005 brought levees into the public consciousness. Yet, flooding now seems to be happening almost everywhere. The majority of the nation’s population lives in counties protected by levees. Sandy’s organization brings awareness to the dangers posed by this situation.

Her organization has a strong physical presence in New Orleans, including the Flooded House Museum and the Levee Exhibit Hall at a major breach site. The organization has also installed three historic plaques vetted by the state’s preservation office and hosts an annual levee breach bike tour, among other public education efforts.

For these efforts, Sandy has received numerous awards, including Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of the Year from Tulane University and Most Influential Woman from Mount Holyoke College. She is an advocate for the 62% of the American population living in counties protected by levees.

Rosenthal has been married to Stephen Rosenthal since 1979 and has three adult married children and two grandchildren. Sandy is also the co-host of The Slingshot podcast and host of the former Beat the Big Guys podcast.

Points we cover in this episode:

• ​The igniting moment that made her decide to fight the Army Corps of Engineers
• ​The big mistake that the Army Corps made
• ​Her shining moment in exposing the Army Corps' bad behavior
• ​What she would have done differently in the battle
• ​How her group continues to help people fight bullies and bad actors

Learn more: SandyRosenthal.net/

LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/RosenthalSandy