On Thursday, October 27, 2022, leaders in water, business, labor, agriculture, and nonprofits joined us for our annual meeting, a dinner with award presentations, and a keynote by State Water Resources Control Board Vice Chair Dorene D’Adamo on the state of California water and an update on efforts to expand uses of recycled water and reuse.

San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra Kerl introduces keynote speaker Dorene D’Adamo, Vice Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board.

SCWC held its annual Board meeting prior to the dinner and State Senator John Laird joined the group via Zoom web conference to talk about water infrastructure funding. The dinner followed with nearly 300 people attended. Two awards were given out to outstanding members of SCWC for their work.

A.G. Kawamura Recognized with Harriett M. Wieder Award

A.G. Kawamura received the 2022 Harriett M. Wieder Award for his holistic water leadership. He is third-generation fruit and vegetable grower and shipper from Orange County and the former Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (2003-2010). He is co-chair of Solutions From the Land, a non-profit organization that collaborates with farmers, ranchers, foresters and stakeholders to implement climate smart land management practices and strategies.

A.G. Kawamura won the 2022 Harriett M. Wieder Award for his holistic water leadership. He was unable to attend and Paul Cook, GM of IRWD, accepted the award on his behalf.

In addition to his longtime service on the SCWC Board, Kawamura currently serves on several boards and committees including: The Ag Advisory Committee for the AGree Initiative; the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources (BANR), a policy arm of the National Academy of Sciences’ Natural Resource Council; Ag Advisory Committee for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Trustee for the Council on Agriculture, Science and Technology (CAST); American Farmland Trust; The 25x’25 Alliance, a national alliance of renewable energy stakeholders; Advisory Committee for the Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI) at U.C. Davis. He is a former chair and current board member of Western Growers Association. As a progressive urban farmer, Kawamura has a lifetime of experience working within the shrinking rural and urban boundaries of Southern California. Kawamura graduated with a BA from UC Berkeley and was participated in the California Ag Leadership Program.

Patty Cortez Wins Kathy Cole Award

Patty Cortez’s legislative work in California water in general and as Co-Chair of SCWC’s Legislative Task Force was recognized with the Kathy Cole Award. Cortez is the Mayor of the City of Covina and the Executive Director of Government and Community Affairs at the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District. She has over fifteen years of diversified experience in the management of public relation campaigns, public affairs and crisis communications. Patty is responsible for managing the District’s legislative agenda, public relations and educational outreach to the community.

Tony Fellow, Upper San Gabriel Valley Water District Board member, presents the 2022 Kathy Cole Award to Patty Cortez, Covina City Mayor and Executive Manager of Government and Community Affairs of USGVWD.

Prior to joining Upper District, Patty was a Public Affairs Manager for Edison International in the Legislative Affairs division. There, she managed public outreach programs for Edison’s legislative priorities and new infrastructure projects. Patty also served as a District Representative for Congressman Gary Miller and has extensive experience in public relations with Formula PR, where she developed national PR campaigns for sports and entertainment clients.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford has served as SCWC’s Board Chair since July 2020. Her term with us ends this year. She was recognized at the Annual Dinner with an award and SCWC’s sincere thanks for her leadership.

SCWC Board Chair and San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford and SCWC Executive Director Charley Wilson, as Supervisor Rutherford is recognized for her service as SCWC Board Chair.

Dorene D’Adamo, Vice Chair, State Water Resources Control Board, makes keynote remarks at the SCWC Annual Dinner at the Long Beach Hilton on Oct. 27, 2022.

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Join us on Thursday, October 27, 2022 for our Annual Meeting and Dinner at the Long Beach Hilton. Our keynote speaker is Dorene D’Adamo, Vice Chair, State Water Resources Control Board.

The annual SCWC dinner and meeting brings together an amazing group of leaders from across Southern California to network, share ideas and learn more about the challenges facing California’s water supply.

The VIP reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. We will present the Kathy Cole Award and the Harriett Wieder Water Leadership Award starting at 7:15 p.m.

We’re excited to debut a new video highlighting our accomplishments of the year and many of our hard-working and inspiring Board members! 

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“This year is a homecoming. After the resilience we saw from our water community both remotely and on the front lines in 2020, it’s a delight to be able to come together again in celebration of the accomplishments of our water leaders,” said SCWC Executive Director Charles Wilson. “It’s a great time to be able to recognize our honorees.”

The Harriett M. Wieder Award and the Kathy Cole Award are traditionally presented to two exceptional leaders whose achievements shined brightly throughout the year. For 2021, the Harriett M. Wieder Award was presented to Ronald Gastelum and the Kathy Cole Award went to Christine Compton. 

Ronald Gastelum Won Harriett Wieder Award for 2021

“From his work as the General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to his service at the LA Area Chamber of Commerce and the SCWC, Ronald Gastelum’s enduring leadership has solidified a lasting legacy,” Wilson said of the Harriett Wieder Awardee. 

A pillar of environmental resource management, Gastelum continues to forge initiatives and push both private and public sector organizations toward a sustainable future. He has a lengthy resume with an array of exemplary leadership work, particularly as General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California as well as his service to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Southern California Water Coalition. Nature Conservancy and Water Education for Latino Leaders, to name a few.

Gastelum’s enduring, positive impact on regional and statewide water issues is renowned. While at MWD he worked with the Board of Directors representing its 26 member agencies to ensure a diversification of the regional water supply by overseeing the development of a brand-new large-scale water transfer. In addition, he maximized resource protection with strategic groundwater storage and the introduction of essential conservation programs. In terms of management, he led an internal restructure that introduced updates to a long-term resource plan, saw the completion of a new reservoir, and overhauled rate structure and financial plans for the years to come. 

Since his service at the Metropolitan Water District, Gastelum has continued to lead regional water interests as the interim Executive Vice President of the LA Area Chamber of Commerce, the interim Executive Director of the Southern California Water Committee, and the President and Chairman of the Board of the Water Conservation Partners. Gastelum is a Whittier College graduate and holds a Juris Doctorate from UCLA Law School.

Kathy Cole Award went to Christine Compton

2020 saw the introduction of the Kathy Cole Award, to be presented to industry leaders who exemplify commitment to education and advocacy in water policy. The second Kathy Cole Award was presented to the Irvine Ranch Water District Director of Strategic Communications and Advocacy and Deputy General Counsel Christine Compton. 

Compton’s extensive career in public policy advisement began as a legislative aide for California State Assemblyman Bill Campbell. She moved on to serve as his Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Advisor during his term as Orange County Supervisor. In 2013, she began her work with the Irvine Ranch Water District. 

“Christine Compton has been instrumental in forging public policy that protects our most precious regional resource,” Wilson said. “Her advocacy and passion for outreach align perfectly with the values of the SCWC’s newest Kathy Cole Award.”

Compton’s long list of accomplishments include degrees from USC’s Marshall School of Business and Loyola Marymount University’s Loyola Law School. She also won the Ralph Heim Exceptional Outreach and Advocacy Award from the California Special Districts Association in 2020. 

The area’s largest networking event for water, business, agriculture, local public policymakers, labor groups, and environmental leaders commenced with a VIP reception followed by a dinner and program. The event also marked the premiere of SCWC’s new trailer for What Matters Water TV + Podcast which will begin on November 9, and highlighted three new regional California Water publications showcasing water successes in Northern Los Angeles County, Ventura County, South Bay, Long Beach and the San Gabriel Valley.

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