Karla Nemeth

Karla Nemeth joined ACWA as Executive Director on Sept. 1, 2026, bringing more than two decades of water policy leadership experience to the association. She previously served as Director of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

In March 2024, Nemeth was tasked by Gov. Gavin Newsom to serve as advisor on the Administration’s water priorities and to lead implementation of key water projects to achieve the Governor’s Water Supply Strategy, including modernizing California’s water conveyance infrastructure, executing Agreements to Support Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and stabilizing Colorado River supplies.

Prior to joining DWR, Nemeth worked at the California Natural Resources Agency as Gov. Jerry Brown’s Deputy Secretary and Senior Advisor for Water Policy. She was the Bay Delta Conservation Plan Project Manager from 2009 to 2014. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington.