The Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority Board of Directors Executive Committee has elected San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District President Melody Henriques-McDonald to serve out the term of former ACWA-JPIA President Jerry Gladbach, who passed away in July. She is the first woman to serve as President of ACWA-JPIA.
Henriques-McDonald, previously vice president of the ACWA-JPIA Board, will serve as the board’s president until the next election. David A. Drake from Rincon del Diablo Water District was chosen to fill her vacated seat as vice president of the board.
Henriques-McDonald has more than three decades of experience in the water industry that have included previous roles at ACWA, including membership on the Water Management Committee, State Legislative Committee, and as a past member of the Region 9 Chair of ACWA’s Board of Directors. She was also a past chair and vice-chair of the JPIA Property and Workers Compensation Programs. She has sat on the ACWA/JPIA Executive Committee since 2001.
Henriques-McDonald also served as past chair of the Water Management Certification Subcommittee, and was chair of the California Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region, where she served as a gubernatorial appointee from 1993-2000.
She has served on the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District for 31 years and co-owns Southwest Lift & Equipment, Inc in San Bernardino.