Metropolitan Board Re-elects Ortega, Jr. as Chair by ACWA Staff Oct 16, 2024 Water News LOS ANGELES — Adán Ortega, Jr. will remain at the helm of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Board of Directors through 2026, following a unanimous vote Oct. 8 by the Board to re-elect him as Chair. Ortega, who will begin his second two-year term in 2025, pledged to continue his leadership on critical issues, particularly the urgency to address climate change in water planning decisions and investments, according to a news release from Metropolitan. Ortega has served on Metropolitan’s 38-member Board since 2019 and has worked in government relations and water for more than 30 years. He was unchallenged in his bid for reelection. The principal of Ortega Strategies Group, a public affairs and government relations firm based in Fullerton, Ortega previously served as Metropolitan’s Vice President of External Affairs from 1999 to 2005. Before his role with Metropolitan, he was Chief Deputy for then-Secretary of State Bill Jones and Assistant General Manager of both West Basin and Central Basin municipal water districts. In 2013, Ortega was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the California Water Commission. Prior to that, he was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, where Ortega chaired its water committee from 2005 to 2012. Ortega is the 20th Chairman in Metropolitan’s 94-year history and the first Latino chair. He was appointed as San Fernando representative on Metropolitan’s Board in March 2021 after previously representing the City of Fullerton from February 2019 to February 2021. A Fullerton resident, Ortega holds bachelor’s degrees in English and history from Whittier College.
