Meet The Team

Board Members

Cástulo R. Estrada

Director, Coachella Valley Water District

Tony Estremera

Director, Santa Clara Valley Water District

Victor Griego

President & Founder, WELL

Leticia Gonzalez

Supervisor, County of Madera

Miguel Angel Luna

President, Urban Semillas & Director, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern CA

Diana Mahmud

Former Councilmember, City of South Pasadena

Advisory Council

Anecita Agustinez

Tribal Policy Advisor, Department of Water Resources

Brian Barreto

External Affairs Manager for Southern California, California American Water

Sally Flowers

Former Councilmember, City of Artesia, and UnTapped Graduate Class of 2018

Ryanna Fossum

Community Water Planner, Stantec and Former WELL Program Manager

Dr. Adrian Hightower

Sustainability and Resilience Manager, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Irais Lopez-Ortega

Councilmember, City of Calistoga

Jonathan Parfrey

Executive Director, Climate Resolve

Alvaro preciado

Mayor, City of Avenal and UnTapped Graduate Class of 2019

Gary Serrato

Former General Manager, Fresno Irrigation District

Zoe Rodriguez del Rey

Water Resources Manager, Coachella Valley

vANESSA vELASCO

Senior Environmental Specialist, California Department of Water Resources

Advisors

Dr. Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida

Science and Curriculum Advisor

Jake Waxman

Leadership Development Advisor

Miya Cain

Leadership Development Advisor

Christina Sánchez

Leadership Development Advisor

Marc Grossman

Communications Advisor

Staff

Paul C. Hernandez

Executive Director

Giselle Gándara

Civic and Political Engagement Manager

lAURA Juarez

Workforce Development Engagement Manager

Debra Lucero

Development Director

Marissa Stanley

Program Manager

dR. SAMUEL sANDOVAL SOLIS

Policy and Curriculum Advisor

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A short introduction to the workshop instructors and why their background should inspire potential student’s confidence.

Victor Griego President & Founder, WELL

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:

Water Education For Latino Leaders (WELL) – Founder, President, Board of Directors
Miguel Contreras Foundation – Vice President, Board of Directors
AARP-CA – Member, Executive Council
Climate Resolve – Member, Board of Directors
MoveLA – Vice Chair, Advisory Board of Directors

Mr. Griego formerly served in the following organizations:

Whittier College – Member, Board of Trustees
Cesar Chavez Service Club – President, Board of Directors
California State African-American Museum – Member, Board of Commissioners
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center – Member, Board of Directors
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce – Treasurer, Board of Directors
Banc of California – Member, Advisory Board
Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce/Latin Business Association – Member
Coalition for Clean Air – Treasurer, Board of Directors
Coro – Member, Board of Directors
South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Air Quality Institute – Member

Diana Mahmud Former Councilmember, City of South Pasadena

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.

Paul C. Hernandez, Executive Director

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