CBDA Member Bios

Linda Adams
Secretary for Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA)
Linda Adams, former director of the California Department of Water Resources, was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in May 2006 as Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency – making her the first woman to serve as head of the agency. As Cal/EPA's Secretary, Adams oversees the environmental activities of the Air Resources Board, California Integrated Waste Management Board, State Water Resources Control Board, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Department of Pesticide Regulation, and the approximately 4,500 employees that serve the state's diverse environmental programs. During Adams' 32 years of service to the State of California, she has acted in a number of key positions in both the Executive and Legislative branches, most recently as a member of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Prior to her serving as Director of the Department of Water Resources, Adams joined Governor Davis' staff in 1999 as Chief Deputy Legislative Secretary, where her primary responsibilities were negotiating legislation related to environmental protection and natural resources. Adams' most notable accomplishments include the "Clean Cars/Clean Air" legislation, earning her the "Environmental Hero Award" from the California League of Conservation Voters. Adams was instrumental in the CALFED Record of Decision for Bay-Delta restoration and Propositions 12 and 13, voter-approved bond measures which provide critically-needed funding for natural resources, parks and water programs. In addition to "Clean Cars/Clean Air," she negotiated other key pieces of legislation, including first-in-the-nation laws to promote environmental justice. After being promoted to Legislative Secretary, where she served as the Governor's chief liaison to the Legislature, Adams retained her resources and environmental protection issues, while overseeing all legislative activities. Before Adams joined the Davis administration, she served as a staff member to the State Legislature for 20 years in various positions. She served as chief consultant to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources, chaired by Senator Jim Costa. For the State Assembly, she served as a consultant to the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife and the Committee on Local Government. During her tenure as a legislative staffer, Adams drafted and negotiated Senate Bill 900 (Costa), passed by voters in 1996 as Proposition 204, a Delta restoration bond measure. She also was involved in the creation, development and funding of the San Joaquin River Parkway. She negotiated $3 billion in bonds for passenger rail service and drafted the first comprehensive groundwater management legislation. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Local Conservation Corps and is a long-time resident of Sacramento.

Ryan Broddrick
California Department of Fish and Game
L. Ryan Broddrick was appointed director of the California Department of Fish & Game by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on January 20, 2004. Broddrick first joined the Department of Fish & Game in 1981 as a game warden. During his career, Broddrick was promoted through the department's enforcement ranks, becoming Regional Patrol Chief for the Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Response in 1991. In 1993, he was appointed regional manager of the Sacramento Valley-Central Sierra Region, where he oversaw the department's operations within a 17 county geographic region. In 1996, Broddrick was promoted to deputy director, and one year later was appointed chief deputy director by Governor Pete Wilson. He retained that position under Governor Gray Davis and served as acting director during the transition between administrations. Broddrick left the department in 2001 to join the Western Regional Office of Ducks Unlimited as the director of conservation policy. At Ducks Unlimited, he was a strong advocate for wetlands and waterfowl, forging wildlife habitat partnerships between landowners, agriculture, and conservation groups. As director of the Department of Fish & Game, Broddrick is responsible for the management of California's diverse fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for their ecological values and enjoyment by the public. Broddrick, who was born in Merced, California, graduated from the University of California, Davis, in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Michael Chrisman
Secretary of Resources
Michael Chrisman was appointed as Secretary of Resources by Governor Schwarzenegger on November 21, 2003. Since 1996 Chrisman has served as the region manager for Southern California Edison. Prior to joining Southern California Edison, he served as the undersecretary for the California Department of Food and Agriculture and as deputy secretary for Operations/Legislation for the California Resources agency. He was appointed president of the California Fish and Game Commission by Governor Pete Wilson and serves as the Chairman of the Board of both the Great Valley Center and the Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks Foundation. Chrisman is the past president of the Agricultural Leadership Associates, a former member of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control and past director of the California Farm Bureau Federation. Chrisman is also former advisor to the Assembly Republican Caucus on agriculture, water and environmental issues and served as chief of staff to then-Assemblyman Bill Jones. He also oversees a family farming operation in Tulare county, a role he has filled since 1966.

Paula A. Daniels
Southern California Region
Paula A. Daniels is a commissioner with the Los Angeles Board of Public Works, which oversees the City's third largest department, with over 5,000 employees and five bureaus. The Department of Public Works is responsible for the infrastructure of the City of Los Angeles; Commissioner Daniels provides leadership in the areas of urban runoff, water quality, watershed management, recycled water and the urban forest. For over 15 years, Daniels has been actively involved in California environmental policy issues. She is Immediate Past President and member of the Board of Governors of Heal the Bay, an environmental group whose mission is to improve and protect the Southern California coastal waters and beaches. Daniels is also a senior research fellow at the Institute of the Environment at the University of California, Los Angeles, and is a gubernatorial appointee on the governing board of the Bay-Delta Authority. The Authority is a cooperative effort among more than 20 state and federal agencies that work with local communities to improve the quality and reliability of California's water supply. Daniels is the recipient of Heal the Bay's Superhealer Award (1991) and the Environmental Leadership Award of the California League of Conservation Voters (2005) In her over 25 years of experience as an attorney, Daniels handled complex civil litigation matters in both state and federal courts. She also has extensive experience as a mediator and arbitrator, and was a senior fellow with the Western Justice Center Foundation, a mediation policy organization. Daniels previously served as an appointee of former Assembly Speaker (now Mayor) Antonio Villaraigosa to the California Coastal Commission. She also served on the board of directors of the California League of Conservation Voters and as a member of the Liberty Hill Environmental Justice Community Funding Board. A past president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association, she was also a regional governor of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, a delegate to the Coalition of Bar Associations of Color and president of the board of the Korean Youth and Community Center. Commissioner Daniels received her law degree from Southwestern University School of Law, and an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California.

Marc Holmes
Senate Appointee, The Bay Institute
Marc Holmes has been working for a decade and a half to restore wetlands around San Francisco Bay, first as a volunteer for Sierra Club and then as a staff member of Save San Francisco Bay Association. As The Bay Institute's Baylands Restoration Program Manager, Mr. Holmes is recognized as an expert in wetland protection, policy and regulation, and has demonstrated an uncommon ability to develop long-term collaborative approaches to rejuvenating wetlands of San Francisco Bay.

Gary Hunt
California Strategies
Gary Hunt brings over 30 years of experience in government, business, major land use planning and development to his positions as Partner of California Strategies and as Chairman of the Bay Delta Advisory Committee. Hunt spent 25 years with the Irvine Company, and directed the company's major entitlement, regional infrastructure, planning and strategic government, media, and community relations activities. He has served on the Board of Directors of the California Business Roundtable, State Chamber of Commerce and other statewide business organizations. His political experience includes staff positions with the California State Legislature, U.S. House of Representatives, Governor Ronald Reagan, and Executive Director of the California Republican Party. Governor Davis appointed him to the State Infrastructure Commission and nominated him for an appointment by Secretary of the Interior, Gale Norton, to the California Bay-Delta Advisory Committee.

Patrick Johnston
Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Region
Patrick Johnston is a Legislative Consultant representing clients whose interests include education, insurance, land use conservation and energy. He served 10 years as a California State Senator representing San Joaquin County (D-Stockton) and 10 years in the State Assembly. He chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee for six years and the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee for four years.

Bill Jones
San Joaquin Valley Region
Former Secretary of State Bill Jones now is a Director and Chairman of the Board of Pacific Ethanol, Inc., a major renewable energy company in California. He is also principle in Tri-J Land & Cattle, a diversified farming and cattle company. Mr. Jones was first elected Secretary of State in 1994 and re-elected in 1998. Prior to that Mr. Jones served in the California State Assembly, representing the Fresno area. He also has served on the board of directors for both the Fresno City and County Chambers of Commerce. Mr. Jones is a nationally recognized leader in agriculture, trade and water issues and throughout his career has played an active role in the creation of an efficient and stable water supply system for California.

A.G. Kawamura
Secretary of Food and Agriculture
A.G. Kawamura was appointed as Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in November 2003. Secretary Kawamura is a produce grower and shipper from Orange County, where his family grows strawberries, green beans and other specialty crops. He is a founding partner, along with his brother, Matthew, of Orange County Produce, LLC. At the time of his appointment, he was a member of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, where he had served since 1998. He is the immediate past chairman of the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Fruits, Vegetables and Horticultural Products, a USDA advisory position for international trade. He also held board positions with CDFA's Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, a partnership with U.C. Davis, and with the California Institute for Specialty Crops, a partnership with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. In addition, Secretary Kawamura has served as president of the Orange County Farm Bureau, chairman of Western Growers Association, and president of the Orange County Agricultural Association. He has also served as a director on the boards of the California Strawberry Commission and the California Celery Research Advisory Board.

Dirk Kempthorne
Department of the Interior
Dirk Kempthorne was confirmed as the 49th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior on May 26, 2006, in a voice vote by the U.S. Senate. Kempthorne took the oath of office on the same day. Prior to his confirmation as Secretary, Kempthorne served nearly two terms as Governor of Idaho, elected first in 1998 and reelected in 2002. As Governor, Kempthorne worked to develop consensus on management of Idaho's and the West's natural resources. He worked with his colleagues in Oregon, Washington and Montana to develop an historic bipartisan agreement on a state-based solution for returning salmon runs in the region. Following the devastating wildfires of 2000, he worked with fellow western governors and federal officials to fundamentally change the approach to forest health and wildfire management. Under his leadership, Idaho developed wolf and grizzly bear management plans aimed at delisting the endangered species and giving the State of Idaho management responsibilities. Before his terms as Governor, Kempthorne completed a successful six-year term in the United States Senate (1993-1999). As a Senator, he wrote, negotiated, and won passage of two major pieces of legislation: a bill to end unfunded federal mandates on state and local governments, and a substantial revision of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. He also worked to improve the quality of life for American active-duty military personnel, reservists, their families and veterans. Dirk Kempthorne began his commitment to public service as the highly successful Mayor of the City of Boise (1985-1992). During his seven years in office, he helped direct a renaissance in the state's capital city that resulted in record growth, economic development and numerous national honors and recognitions for quality of life, business climate and family issues. Secretary Kempthorne has been recognized by his peers as a national leader. As Governor, his colleagues elected him as the Chairman of the National Governors Association in August of 2003. He has served as President of the Council of State Governments and Chairman of the Western Governors Association. He served on the Executive Committees of the National Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association. Secretary of Education Rod Paige appointed then-Governor Kempthorne to the National Assessment Governing Board and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge appointed him to the Homeland Security Task Force. Secretary Kempthorne and his wife Patricia are both University of Idaho graduates and have two grown children, Heather and Jeff.

Ronald Light
District Engineer for the Sacramento District
Colonel Ronal N. Light assumed brigade-level command of the Sacramento District, US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California in July 2004 following graduation from the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island in June 2004. He has served in various troop assignments in the United States and abroad. Colonel Light graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in May, 1981 as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a degree in environmental sciences and technical writing, received a Master of Science degree from the University of Virginia in environmental engineering in May, 1992, and graduated from various military schools including the Engineer Officer's Basic and Advanced Courses; the Combined Arms Services Staff School; the Command and General Staff Officer Course; the US Army Airborne School and the US Naval War College. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (five awards); the Army Commendation Medal (two awards); and the Army Achievement Medal. He is a life member of the Society of American Military Engineers and the Army Engineer Association and also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Association of the US Army.

Bob Margett
Vice Chair, Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
Senator Bob Margett was elected to represent the 29th Senate District in November 2000. He served in the State Assembly, representing the 59th Assembly District from 1995-2000. Prior to being elected to the Legislature, Margett served as both Mayor and Councilman of the City of Arcadia and as Chairman of the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority. The newly redrawn 29th district includes the cities of: Arcadia, Bradbury, Brea, Charter Oak, Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Diamond Bar, Glendora, La Crescenta-Montrose, La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Verne, Mayflower Village, Monrovia, North El Monte, Placentia, San Dimas, Sierra Madre, Walnut and Yorba Linda. It also includes portions of Anaheim, the Angeles National Forest, Citrus, City of Industry, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights. Senator Margett serves on the following committees: Local Government (Vice Chair), Public Safety, Budget and Fiscal Review, Labor and Industrial Relations, Governmental Organization, and Agriculture and Water Resources, as well as several select committees.

Bill Maze
Vice-Chair, Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee
Assemblyman Bill Maze was first elected in November 2002 to represent the 34th District, which includes the counties of Tulare, Inyo, Kern and San Bernardino. Assemblyman Maze was handily reelected by greater than 70% of the voters in 2004. Since being elected, Assemblyman Maze has served on the Assembly Budget Committee and the Health Committee. Assemblyman Maze also presently serves as Vice Chair of the Agriculture Committee, the Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife, and Business and Professions Committee. The Assembly Speaker also appointed Maze to numerous Select Committees, most recently the Select Committee on Foster Care, where he serves as Vice Chair. Prior to serving in the State Legislature, Assemblyman Maze was the former Chairman and member of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors where he served for three terms (10 years). Former Chairman and member of the Economic Development Corporation and Business Incentive Zone Council. Past Director of California State Association of Counties, Visalia Chamber of Commerce, Pro Youth Visalia, Inc., and the Boys & Girls Club. Past Member of the Central California Resource Advisory Council for the Federal Bureau of Land Management, CA Farm Bureau and Woodlake Rotary Club. US Army Veteran Graduated from California Polytechnic College in San Luis Obispo in 1968. Married to Rebecca. Bill and Becky have four sons, one daughter and four grandchildren.

Rodney R. McInnis
Acting Regional Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service
Rod McInnis is currently the acting Regional Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service (a.k.a. NOAA Fisheries) Southwest Region which encompasses the States of California, Arizona, and Nevada. Mr. McInnis has 25 years of experience in conservation and management of living marine resources in the Pacific in his work for NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council. He has broad experience as an administrator and regulator in implementing the major Federal statutes and policies related the conservation of living marine resources, including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. He has managed programs for fisheries observers, regulation formulation and writing, environmental impact analysis, habitat conservation, fishery management, and conservation of protected species. As the acting Regional Administrator, McInnis has represented NOAA Fisheries and the US in international negotiations with Pacific Island nations and Latin American nations and has participated in bilateral fisheries cooperation talks with several Pacific Rim nations.

Alfred Montana
Sacramento Valley Region
Alfred Montana is Chairman of the Board of Feather River State Bank in Yuba City. He served on the Board of Directors for the California Rice Industry Association from 1991-1996. Montna is a member of the Agricultural Task Force for Resource Conservation and Economic Development, the Agricultural Network, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's College of Agriculture Advisory Council. He is the California delegate from the U.S. Rice Producers' Group to the USA Rice Federation, where he is the Chairman of the Waterfowl Committee.

Wayne Nastri
Environmental Protection Agency
Wayne Nastri is the Administrator for the U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest region. Nastri has been active on a variety of environmental issues over the past fifteen years and has filled a number of positions within the environmental engineering and management field. Prior to his appointment as Regional Administration October 2001, Nastri was President of Environmental Mediation Inc., and environmental consulting firm, which he founded in 1995 in Newport Beach, CA. He previously directed the California office of the Jefferson group, a government and public affairs firm.

Kirk Rodgers
Regional Director of the Bureau of Reclamation's Mid Pacific Region
Kirk Rodgers is the Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region. Appointed to this position in February 2002, he is responsible for one of Reclamation's best-known projects -- California's Central Valley Project (CVP), the Nation's largest irrigation project. Rodgers joined Reclamation in July 1973. During his tenure, several major water management issues have been finalized. These include: the decision to dedicate 800,000 acre-feet of water for fish and wildlife restoration under the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA); release of the CVPIA's Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement; and beginning re-negotiation of long-term water contracts for CVP water issues. Rodgers also oversees Reclamation's involvement in the California Bay-Delta Program.

Sandra Shewry
California Department of Health Services
Sandra Shewry was appointed as Director of California's Department of Health Services in March 2004. As Director, she manages one of the largest state departments in California with a budget of $32 billion and 6,000 employees. Ms. Shewry administers public health, education, disease-prevention, and health protection programs for 35 million Californians, and administers the State's Medicaid Program (Medi-Cal) providing health care services to six million individuals annually.

Lester Snow
California Department of Water Resources
Lester A. Snow, an experienced California Water policymaker and leader of public water agencies in the West, was appointed Director of the California Department of Water Resources by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in February 2004. Snow has experience as a water agency manager at the regional, state and federal levels. He was the Executive Director of CALFED, now the California Bay-Delta Authority, from 1995 – 1999. He left CALFED to become regional director for the Bureau of Reclamation, a post he held for almost two years. Immediately prior to joining DWR, Snow was a water consultant in the private sector. Snow's prior experience included six years with the Arizona Department of Water Resources, including four years as Tucson area director. In both posts, he dealt with Colorado River water issues. Snow earned a Master of Science in Water Resource Administration at the University of Arizona and a bachelor of Science degree in Earth Sciences from Pennsylvania State University.

Darrell Steinberg
Chair, Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
Darrell Steinberg was elected on November 7, 2006 to the California State Senate, representing the 6th District, which includes the capital city of Sacramento, parts of Elk Grove and Citrus Heights. Steinberg is the chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. He also serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Health Committee, the Environmental Quality Committee, the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources. Steinberg also chairs the Senate Select Committee on High School Graduation. In addition, Steinberg is a Senate appointee to the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (chair), the Wildlife Conservation Board, the California Ocean Protection Council and the Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism (chair). Prior to his election to the State Senate, Steinberg served three terms representing the 9th District of the State Assembly, which includes most of the capital city of Sacramento. He is the author and co-proponent of Proposition 63, the mental health initiative that was approved by more than 5.6 million California voters on November 2, 2004. Proposition 63 will finally fulfill the promise made by Governor Reagan in 1968 when California closed most of its mental hospitals and pledged to replace them with a community-based system of treatment, prevention and support services. It will generate more than $1 billion per year in state and federal funds to establish mental health programs throughout the state based on the highly successful AB 34 and AB 2034 programs that Steinberg authored earlier. Steinberg's hard work and dedication in the Assembly brought him an array of public recognition. He was honored in California Journal's biennial "Minnie Awards", which recognize legislators who represent "a pattern of conduct, an outlook and demeanor that exemplifies the best kind of public service". The nonpartisan magazine named Steinberg "Assemblymember of the Year" for 2004 and also honored him as the Assembly's top member in the categories of integrity, best problem-solver, and hardest working.

Steve P. Thompson
Manager of the California-Nevada Operations Office (USFWS)
Steve Thompson has been the manager of the California-Nevada Operations Office since January 2002. Thompson oversees service programs in California and Nevada that employ approximately 784 Federal employees who administer the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act and manage 46 national wildlife refuges and three national fish hatcheries. A 25-year career veteran of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Thompson was previously the Regional Chief for the National Wildlife Refuge System in the Service's Southeast Region, and the Geographic Assistant Regional Director for the Lower Mississippi River Valley. He also served for three years as Branch Chief for Resource management for the National Wildlife Refuge System Headquarters in Washington, D.C.