Tish Berge is chief operating officer of the San Diego County Water Authority, an agency responsible for providing wholesale water supplies to serve 23 member agencies, 3.3 million people and a $268 billion regional economy. Berge joined the Water Authority as assistant general manager in February 2021, bringing more than 17 years of executive-level experience across every aspect of water utility management.

As chief operating officer, Berge oversees the Administrative Services, Finance, Human Resources, Water Planning, and Engineering departments at the Water Authority.

From 2017 to 2021 Berge served as general manager of the Sweetwater Authority, leading the agency to earn a “District of Distinction” award from the Special District Leadership Foundation for demonstrating sound fiscal management policies and practices – an award given to only 2% of special districts.

Prior to her service with the Sweetwater Authority, Berge served as Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District’s director of administration and finance where she implemented a 10-year financial model to drive policy decisions related to debt issuance, Capital Improvement Projects, and water rates. Berge also served as assistant general manager for San Elijo Joint Powers Authority, where she helped the organization earn the 2006 California Water Environment Association Plant of the Year award.

Berge holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College, and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine. She is a Certified Special District Manager and Registered Professional Engineer.

Jaymie Bradford is the assistant general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority overseeing the agency’s external affairs and playing a key role in shaping the Water Authority’s outreach, education, and advocacy efforts. The Water Authority works proactively with state and federal agencies, elected officials, civic leaders, and a wide array of other stakeholders to ensure the long-term reliability of the regional water supply.

Bradford joined the Water Authority in 2024, after more than six years serving as executive vice president and chief operating officer at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. At the Chamber, Bradford managed day-to-day operations, directed public policy initiatives, and implemented the organization’s overall strategy and vision.

She also has extensive experience in local government, working in public affairs for the City of San Diego for more than a decade in the offices of Mayor Jerry Sanders, Interim Mayor Todd Gloria, and Mayor Kevin Faulconer, where she served as deputy chief of staff and chief of policy.

While earning her degree in political science at UC San Diego, she was a member of the NCAA women’s soccer team. Bradford is a member of the San Diego Convention Center board of directors, the board of the American Red Cross of San Diego-Imperial Counties, and the UC San Diego Chancellor’s Community Advisory Board.

Neena Kuzmich joined the Water Authority in 2013 and has 26 years of experience in design, construction, and project management. Prior to her appointment as director, she served as deputy director of engineering. Kuzmich is responsible for overseeing and managing the design and construction of Capital Improvement Program projects, and the implementation of the Water Authority’s energy management policy. Kuzmich has a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Syracuse University and a master’s in business administration from University of Phoenix. She is a registered professional engineer in the State of California.

The Water Authority’s Engineering Department is responsible for the design and construction of regional water facilities in the capital improvement and asset management programs; overseeing energy related projects; managing real-estate interests; patrolling and managing 168 miles of right-of-way property; and providing survey services.

Jeff Stephenson joined the Water Authority in 1996, and has more than 27 years experience working in the Water Resources Department. He has managed the Water Authority’s water-use efficiency group, supply planning group, and water policy group. Stephenson also represented the agency in many high-profile technical advisory groups with the California Public Utilities Commission, Bureau of Reclamation, and Department of Water Resources, and he is a trusted leader and source in the water industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, San Bernardino and a Master of Public Administration degree from San Diego State University.

In addition to water supply planning and long-term facilities planning, the Water Resources Department also administers the water shortage and drought response program; provides member agency assistance in local supply development; engages in regulatory advocacy and regulation development; manages Water Authority involvement in the San Diego Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and grants administration; and ensures environmental regulatory compliance of Water Authority programs and projects.

Meena Westford rejoined the San Diego County Water Authority in 2024, after serving for the previous 12 years as an executive policy advisor for Colorado River Programs at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. At the Water Authority, Westford reports to the general manager. Her primary responsibilities include optimization of the Water Authority’s water portfolio and engagement with other agencies on water transfer programs.

In total, Westford has more than three decades of experience in water policy, water resource management, and intergovernmental and foreign relations. At Metropolitan, she worked on Colorado River issues, intergovernmental relations with tribal nations, and engagement with NGOs and Mexico. Before that, she worked for the Water Authority from 2008-2012 in the General Manager’s Office on dry-year water transfers and regional outreach, and as manager of the water conservation department.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Westford served for 17 years at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in a variety of capacities and locations, including the Central Coast Region, the Lower Colorado River Region, and several stints in Washington, D.C. Westford worked her way from an entry level “ditch rider” inspector and left as the water resource planning officer and Washington D.C. liaison for Reclamation’s Southern California Area.

Westford has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from San Diego State University and a Master of Arts degree in environmental policy management from the University of Denver, Colorado.

Catherine Love joined the Water Authority in 2023 and has over 20 years of experience in human resource administration, organization development and developing teams in the public sector. Prior to her appointment with the Water Authority, she held leadership positions with the City of Coronado, San Diego State University, and the City Attorney’s Office at the City of San Diego. Her most recent role in Coronado involved planning, coordinating, directing, and administering all human resources activities and operations.

Love received her Bachelor of Science in applied psychology from Ithaca University and her Master of Arts in organizational psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant University. Love is a Senior Certified Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management and Senior Professional in Human Resource with the Human Resources Certification Institute.

The Human Resources Department works to recruit and retain the Water Authority’s most valuable asset – its employees. In addition to administering the classification, compensation, employee and labor relations, and benefits administration programs, the department partners with staff across the agency to enhance the employee experience and provide employee growth opportunities.

Mike Lee joined the Water Authority in 2012 and has more than 25 years of professional experience in public relations and journalism. Prior to his appointment as director, he served as the senior manager of public affairs at the Water Authority, along with several other roles in the department. Lee has a bachelor’s degree in English from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash. Before joining the Water Authority, he wrote extensively about natural resource issues across the West as a reporter for the Sacramento Bee, the San Diego Union-Tribune, and the Tri-City (Wash.) Herald. In 2002, he was awarded the Society of Professional Journalists’ highest annual honor for investigative reporting.

The Water Authority’s Public Affairs Department is responsible for initiating and managing compelling public outreach and education programs that support Board policies and build trust with audiences; supporting Water Authority departments with professional services (including writing, graphic design, photography, and event planning); and partnering with member agencies and others to develop and deploy timely regional messaging.

Jason Foster took on his current role in November 2017 after serving as the Water Authority’s Director of Public Outreach and Conservation starting in 2011 and Director of Public Affairs from 2007-2011. Prior to joining the Water Authority, Foster served as the media relations manager for San Diego State University and also worked in the San Diego region as a public affairs consultant. Foster has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

The Administrative Services Department supports the efficient operations of the Water Authority. Responsibilities include risk management, procurement and administration of the Water Authority’s business insurance (including claims management), development of policies and procedures, purchasing and regulatory compliance, procurement support for solicitation and contracts, cybersecurity, computer software management, maintenance and development of websites, acquisition and maintenance of computer hardware and cloud services, maintenance and development of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) datasets, audio and visual support for conference rooms and the Board room, administration of the records management program, management of the front desk, and facility management for the Kearny Mesa building and grounds.

Lisa Marie Harris joined the Water Authority in May 2014 and has more than 23 years of financial experience in both the public and private sector, including working at the County of San Diego as chief deputy treasurer; the State Treasurer’s Office as executive director of the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission; the City and County of San Francisco; San Francisco International Airport as the Assistant Deputy Airport Director for Budget and Finance; and most recently for Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., LLC, an investment banking firm, as senior vice president. Harris received her bachelor’s degree in economics from University at California, Berkeley, and her master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan.

The Finance Department has a broad range of responsibilities for accounting, financial reporting, payroll, deferred compensation, and accounts payable and receivable (including reporting, billing and collection of water charges, budget oversight, and internal controls). The department is also responsible for investing and borrowing funds; protecting credit ratings in the investment market; developing long-range financing plans in support of the Capital Improvement Program; advising the Board on proposed policy decisions; and providing oversight of imported water activities.

Eva Plajzer, a 30-year civil engineering and management professional, joined the Water Authority in 2022. Before joining the Water Authority, Plajzer served as assistant general manager at the Rancho California Water District in Riverside County, where she led the Engineering and Operations Departments. Before that, Plajzer was assistant director of engineering at Moulton Niguel Water District in Laguna Hills for nearly six years. Plajzer holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Irvine, a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of California at Davis, and a Master of Public Administration from San Diego State University. She is a registered professional engineer in California and Virginia and possesses a Water Distribution Operator D2 and Treatment Operator T2. She is active with many professional associations including the WaterReuse Association where she served as Treasurer in 2004/2005; American Water Works Association; Association of California Water Agencies; and California Association of Sanitation Agencies.

The Water Authority’s O&M Department is responsible for operating the aqueduct system; ensuring facility security and emergency preparedness; and maintaining and managing the fleet and various other assets. The department controls water deliveries to meet member agency demands; manages dam and reservoir operations; ensures water quality; oversees water treatment plant and power generation operations; maintains all vehicles and heavy equipment; and implements the Aqueduct Protection Program, among other functions.

In December 2023, the Water Authority joined the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) on a landmark agreement to make 50,000 acre-feet of its 2023 QSA supplies available to support the Colorado River, contributing to a larger System Conservation Implementation Agreement that provided over 100,000 acre-feet of conserved water. This partnership, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, resulted in savings of approximately $20 million for the Water Authority in fiscal year 2024. While there is no obligation for future agreements, discussions with IID and MWD are ongoing for potential collaboration in fiscal year 2025.

FY24 marked the second consecutive year of above-average rainfall in the San Diego region. Precipitation began unusually early with Tropical Storm Hillary making landfall in late August 2023 and delivering almost two inches of rain -- approximately 20 percent of the region's annual average. Winter precipitation started slowly, however, conditions shifted with a chain of atmospheric rivers that brought the rain and snow totals near normal levels. By spring, California had recorded slightly above normal precipitation, with statewide snowpack levels at 111 percent of average. In the San Diego region, cumulative rainfall at Lindbergh Field for fiscal year 2024 totaled roughly 14 inches, which is 128% of normal. Due to substantial rain in FY23, member agency local storage was elevated going into FY24. With the second consecutive wet year, the storage further increased significantly that has resulted in abundant local surface water use. The dramatic shifts between dry and wet conditions illustrated the “weather whiplash” associated with climate change. They also pose significant challenges for water resource management and water pricing models; low water sales driven by wet years undercut.

In June 2024, the Water Authority’s Board of Directors approved an increase in wholesale rates of approximately 4% for 2025 to cover pass-through costs from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The adjustment was aimed at addressing rising expenses while ensuring the continued stability of the regional water supply. Additionally, the Board introduced a pilot program allowing retail water agencies to reduce their 2025 bills by approximately 1.5 percentage points through prepayment of fixed costs. The Board planned to evaluate the need for further rate structure adjustments after a public hearing in July 2024, with the focus on maintaining and operating regional water treatment and delivery systems and ensuring the Water Authority's financial health in an era of depressed water sales.

The Water Authority settled a dispute over the departure of the Rainbow Municipal Water District and Fallbrook Public Utility District, following a July 2023 vote by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) that raised concerns about understating detachment costs. The Water Authority initially sued San Diego LAFCO to avoid a rate increase linked to the two agencies' exit because LAFCO’s exit fee was $140 million short of covering the costs. The settlement allowed detachment to proceed in exchange for an upfront $25 million payment from the districts, avoiding costly litigation and minimizing rate impacts on San Diego County's residents. Additionally, Assembly Bill 399 passed the state Legislature in 2023. It established new requirements for detachments by requiring votes from both the separating district and remaining districts -- provisions designed to protect the long-term integrity of the Water Authority and the region’s water ratepayers.