Leadership Development Advisor
Leadership Development Advisor
Communications Advisor
A short introduction to the workshop instructors and why their background should inspire potential student’s confidence.
Tony began his tenure on Valley Water’s board in 1996, when he was appointed to fill out PatFerraro’s term after the District 2 representative resigned.
The following year, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors appointed him to representthe North County. In 2001 and 2007 he served as the Board’s chairperson.
Tony has extensive government experience in both appointed and elected positions serving on theSanta Clara County Grand Jury, Santa Clara County Housing Task Force, Valley MedicalCenter Advisory Board, Santa Clara County Personnel Board, San Jose Municipal Stadium TaskForce, (San Jose) Mayor’s Committee on Minority Affairs and the San Jose/Evergreen CommunityCollege District Board of Trustees.
Tony is Directing Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Santa Clara County, and earned his Bachelor’sdegree from Santa Clara University and a law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law.He is an active member of the State Bar of California and the Santa Clara County Bar Association.
Correspondence to the Valley Water Board Members may be sent viae-mail to: board@valleywater.org.
Victor Griego is the Founder and Board President of Water Education for Latino Leaders(WELL). In 2012, recognizing a deep need for an effective way to address California’s ongoingwater crises, Mr. Griego brought together leaders across California to establish WELL, whosemission is to ensure that local Latino decision makers have a comprehensive understanding ofwater policy. Gaining this knowledge has allowed local authorities to be both participants andleaders in crafting sustainable and successful long-term water solutions that benefit theirCalifornia constituents.
Additionally, Mr. Griego publishes the only Latino-owned and focused political newsletter mailedto 1.5 million voters during every California election cycle. It is the largest newsletter targeted toLatinos that provides news and information about candidates, propositions, and the concernssurrounding various political issues.
Mr. Griego also produces “LA Alliance,” a television program that provides an accuraterepresentation of the relationship between Latinos and African Americans in Southern California;the show provides a forum for positive and constructive dialogue on their in-common issues andconcerns.
Mr. Griego got his early organizing training working with Cesar Chavez and the UnitedFarmworkers Union. He later served as staff director for the Hotel and Restaurant EmployeesUnion. Over the past 30 years, he advised California Labor Unions on community and politicalissues. He studied local democracy at the University of Kerala, India as part of his graduatestudies fellowship.
Mr. Griego was recently recognized by the Water Replenishment District of Southern Californiaand the highly regarded California nonprofit Climate Resolve for his work with WELL.
Mr. Griego grew up in the East Los Angeles community of Boyle Heights, and he is currently aresident of South Pasadena. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science fromWhittier College and a Master of Arts in political science from Claremont Graduate University.He is married to Lily Griego; they have two children and two grandchildren.
Mr. Griego currently serves in the following organizations:
Mr. Griego formerly served in the following organizations:
Supervisor Leticia Gonzalez proudly serves the residents of District 4. Supervisor Gonzalez was first elected to Madera County Board of Supervisors to represent District Four in the March 2020 primary election for her first term. She is the third woman supervisor and the first Latina to serve in Madera County Board of Supervisors history.
She is a strong voice for working families, small businesses, fair wages, as well as building an affordable and accessible quality of life for District 4 residents. As a former District Chief of Staff, she understands the needs of District 4. Supervisor Gonzalez has always been passionate in helping her community by being efficient and transparent. She is an advocate for public health, women’s rights, veterans, a sustainable environment, and social justice.
Prior to her time as a Supervisor, Gonzalez served as a Victims Advocate at Victim Services Center where she gained knowledge of the resource needs for mental health, trauma, homelessness, domestic violence, and more. Additionally, she worked at Madera County Department of Social Services where she assisted the public with appropriate referrals to health, social and employment services.
Supervisor Gonzalez is a life-long Madera County resident and a proud daughter of farm workers. She graduated with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from California State University Stanislaus in 2003. In her downtime, she likes to cook, craft, as well as spend time with her dog Bruno, family and friends
Debra Lucero is a former Northern California county supervisor who moved from elected position to an appointed position as the County Administrative Officer for Plumas County, California.
Her experience includes two decades working in economic development specifically in agriculture, tourism, business, arts and culture.
For two decades, she worked as an arts administrator, running State/Local arts agencies in Butte and Shasta counties. In addition to running arts agencies in Chico and Redding for many years, she concurrently ran two public access television stations in each city. She developed these TV stations under the auspices of the arts agencies.
While in Redding, Lucero assisted the City of Redding in obtaining a California Cultural District status for its Downtown Area which was undergoing extreme changes.
She was a journalist for many years and a public information specialist for a Hispanic advocacy group in Washington, D.C., and owned her own consulting business.
She sat on the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Board of Directors for four years, was the Vice President of the Latino Caucus of CSAC for two years, a graduate of Water Education for Latino Leaders and sits on the following committees/programs for the National Association of Counties (NACo) Board of Directors:
Resilient Counties Advisory Board
Environment, Energy and Land Use
Arts and Culture Commission
Rural Action Caucus (RAC)
Economic Mobility Leadership Network
For many years, she served on the following boards: California Arts Advocates (CAA); and the Californians for the Arts (CFTA). She formerly sat on a public media board that covered six Western states.
She is a proud graduate of California State University, Chico, and recently was the recipient of a Cahn Public Service Fellowship to attend
the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., where she received a certificate of completion for the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program in July 2019.
She is married and has three adult children and two grandchildren.
Councilmember Diana Mahmud was elected to the South Pasadena City Council in November 2013. She is the eighth woman to serve on the City Council. With her election, two women simultaneously serve on the City Council for only the second time in City history. Councilmember Mahmud obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from UCLA, where she was elected undergraduate First Vice President. She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from UC Davis. Councilmember Mahmud isretired from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), where she worked as a public works, contract and energy lawyer. Prior to that, she was employed by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, where she began her legal career as a criminal prosecutor. She later transferred to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, where she negotiated complex agreements and litigated large construction cases. Prior to her election, Councilmember Mahmud served as Chair of the Water Council and as a member of the Natural Resources and Environmental Commission. She is former Co-President of Women Involved in South Pasadena Political Action, and is a member of South Pasadena Beautiful, South Pasadena Preservation Foundation, Vecinos de South Pasadena, Friends of the Library, and local chapters of the League of Women Voters and the National Women’s Political Caucus. Councilmember Mahmud has volunteered in numerous community organizations during her twenty-five year residence in South Pasadena, and currently serves as a lector at Holy Family Church. In addition to serving as City Council liaison to several South Pasadena Commissions, Ms. Mahmud is Chair of the Clean Power Alliance, a joint powers authority consisting of the unincorporated area of Los Angeles and Ventura counties and 29 cities that will soon provide energy to their residents and businesses. She is also the City’s representative to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments and represents the SGVCOG as its representative to the six county Southern California Association of Government’s Energy and Environment Committee. Diana is a member and immediate past Chair of the COG’s Water Policy Committee and member of its Transportation and Committee. Councilmember Mahmud is also one of 12 councilmembers from Los Angeles County who are working to address stormwater funding options. She also serves as a representative of the Arroyo Verdugo region on the League of California Cities – LA County Division’s Board of Directors. Councilmember Mahmud and her husband Richard Helgeson have raised four children in South Pasadena—Joe, John, Marisa and Matt Helgeson.
Irais Lopez-Ortega was appointed to Calistoga’s City Council in February 2013. In addition to serving as Councilmember, she represents the City of Calistoga on thefollowing Countywide Board and Commissions: Napa County Gang and Youth Violence Commission, Community Enrichment Grant Subcommittee and Youth Opportunities Commission.
Councilmember Lopez-Ortega is a member of California League of Cities’ Community Services Policy Committee and North BayNominating Committee. She has been an active participant of community workincluding involvement in the Class of 2005 Parent Leadership Institute (MALDEF),the Class of 2010 Alas (Alternative for Auto Sufficience) and the Women’s Initiative of the Bay Area. She has been a member of the Alzheimer Association, Calistoga Community Foundation, CalistogaSoroptimist Club, Mexican Independence Day Committee, 2016 WELL Design Team, and is a Board Member and Liaison of the Spanish Community. Additionally, she is the Founder and Director of the Casa De La Cultura (Children’s Art Program). She is a recipient of the 2006 Women’s Opportunity Award and the 2018 Napa County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce “Women of the Year” award.
Gary R. Serrato: is the former general manager of the Fresno Irrigation District. Mr. Serrato spent 34 years with the Fresno Irrigation District and has worked in the water industry for approximate 40 years. Mr. Serrato formerly served on the Boards of the Kings River Water Association, Friant Water Authority, and Fresno County Water Advisory Committee and was reappointed by Governor Brown to the California Partnership to the San Joaquin Valley for a second term. Mr. Serrato is a former Fowler City Councilman, a former Board Member of the Community Food Bank, Church Board and other various committees.
Mr. Serrato graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business.
Anecita is an enrolled citizen of the Dine (Navajo) Nation. She isborn to the Tó dích’íinii (Bitter Water Clan) and born for theIlocano Clan. An alumnus of Stanford University, her area ofexpertise is in water policy and legislative advocacy on behalf ofTribal governments in California. She was appointed TribalPolicy Advisor for the Department of Water Resources in 2013.She provides policy support and recommendations and policydirection in the areas of policy implementation concerning theenvironment, regional water planning, flood management,climate change, energy issues, drought, ecosystem restoration,sustainable groundwater management, water bond grantfunding, and disadvantaged community engagement. Shecoordinates communication outreach with other state agenciesand facilitates and conducts Tribal Consultation and Tribalengagement.She previously served as the Native American Liaison in theOffice of Legislative and External Affairs at the Department ofHealth Care Services (2011-2012). She was the AssistantDirector at the Office of Native American Affairs at the CaliforniaDepartment of Justice (DOJ) in the Office of the AttorneyGeneral (2007-2011). As a strong community advocate, she isactively involved in mentorship programs for youth and women.Anecita has worked extensively with non-profits before joiningstate government. She has mentored youth in film and mediathrough the non-profit On Native Ground, in which she was anearly founder and co-producer in content creation, youthdevelopment, and environmental and social justice films. She isalso the co-founder of GOAT- Golfer of All Tribes, a non-profitthat develops golf skills for youth and women and is a golftournament facilitator, supporting Tribal businesses throughoutthe Indian Country
Vanessa Velasco is a Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) working in the Climate Change Program at the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). She supports the department in achieving its climate resiliency goals and is currently developing an approach for considering climate adaptation within habitats in DWR restoration projects. She also assists local and state agencies within Southern California with their climate change planning and grant distribution. She has earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology from California State University Northridge and master’s degree in Environmental Science from Loyola Marymount University.
Paul C. Hernandez became Executive Director of Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) in June 2021. In his role at WELL, Mr. Hernandez will continue building upon the foundation of WELL’s annual conferences, regional workshops, and other programs (including the successful UnTapped fellowship). These activities continue to increase and advance water policy knowledge among California’s Latino leaders.
Mr. Hernandez’s career spans 20 years in leadership positions at the highest levels of nonprofits and local government. He has built a reputation for fostering strong working relationships and has a proven track record of demonstrating his ability to resolve large-scale organizational and community issues.
Mr. Hernandez was the Special Project Coordinator for the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, the Economic Development Deputy for the Los Angeles City Council District 14, and was Associate Director of Homeland Security and Public Safety for both former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and the current Mayor, Eric Garcetti. As the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Crisis Response Team, Mr. Hernandez recruited more than 200 community volunteers to support residents during local crises. He also served as the Principal Project Coordinator and Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department.
Furthermore, as Vice President of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, Mr. Hernandez led that organization’s financial management, fundraising partnerships, and strategic alliances. These efforts served to train and develop more than 900 crisis managers and public safety professionals in Southern California.
Mr. Hernandez was elected to the Baldwin Park City Council in November 2018; in November 2013 he was elected to the Valley Council Water District (VCWD). During his time at the VCWD, he was instrumental in leading the district’s Affordable Rate Program, which supports seniors and low-income families. He also championed a five-year multimillion-dollar infrastructure program that ensured safe and affordable drinking water for residents and businesses.
Mr. Hernandez earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Woodbury University and his Master of Leadership degree from the University of Southern California.
Email Paul: Paul@latinosforwater.org
Giselle Gándara is a passionate advocate for sustainability, environmental justice, and environmental education. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she has a drive to use her passions to support low-income communities like the one she grew up in.
Ms. Gándara previously worked with the Peace Corps in Panama as a Sustainable Agriculture Extension Promoter, She helped mobilize community members to promote low-cost organic agriculture practices, facilitated workshops for rural farmers, and built strategic partnerships with local farming associations and NGOs to enhance farming techniques and promote carbon-sequestering practices.
Before her international service, Ms. Gándara was a teacher at Aventuras Forest School in Hollywood, CA. As a California Naturalist, she eagerly carried out a nature-centered curriculum entirely in Spanish, which helped promote deep environmental connections and bilingualism among preschool-aged children.
In this role, Ms. Gándara brings a passion for community advocacy and enabling leaders to take action to address California’s water inequities.
Ms. Gándara received an Associate’s Degree from Los Angeles Southwest Community College and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Merced.
Email Giselle at: Giselle@latinosforwater.org
Dr. Samuel Sandoval Solis is an Associate Professor at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) and a Cooperative Extension Specialist in Water Resources Management at the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of California (UCANR).
In his dual role as professor and specialist, he is responsible for the California statewide outreach, education and applied research program on water resources management for UCANR; and as a professor he is responsible for fundamental research, teaching, and graduate student mentorship at the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources in UC Davis. His research interest focuses on integrated water resources management through a holistic approach, mixing different methods, tools and processes to improve water resources management.
Brandon Herrera was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Through his time in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 552, he gained a deep appreciation for South Florida’s wetlands and estuaries. His passion led him to earn an Associate of Science in Environmental Science, a certificate in Water Quality, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Policy from the University of South Florida. During his academic career, Brandon worked as a Wetland Compliance Intern for the Southwest Florida Water Management District. After graduation, Brandon joined the Americorps CivicSpark program and will spend the next 11-month fellowship with WELL to further environmental efforts throughout California.
