Board of Directors

Rita Duncan, President (2021-2027)

Rita Duncan has been on the Board of Directors at the Oro Loma Sanitary District for more than 10 years and has served in numerous roles at the agency, including Board President and a member of the Finance and Insurance Committee. She was previously the Director of Human Resources at a Bay Area manufacturing company and has 30 years of Fortune 500 corporate experience, human resources leadership, workforce development, education, and community service. She has also held roles with the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and School of Engineering and is a Senn Delaney Certified Cultural Trainer and Group Facilitator. Rita has been on the CASA Board since 2021 and is currently serving as CASA Board President.

Scott Goldman, Vice President, (2023-2029)

Scott was elected to the Board of the South Coast Water District (SCWD) in 2020 and currently serves as the Vice President. He was also appointed to the South Orange County Wastewater Authority Board as the representative for SCWD in 2021. Scott was previously on the Board of Directors of the El Toro Water District (ETWD) for 18 years and, was appointed to the South Orange County Wastewater Authority (SOCWA) Board as the representative for ETWD for 16 years. Scott is a Senior Principal of Woodard & Curran and, has nearly 40 years of professional experience as an environmental engineer. He holds a B.S. degree in Water Resource Engineering from UCLA, a M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from USC, and is a registered Civil Engineer in the States of California, Arizona and Nevada. Scott is a former CASA Board Member (2015-2019) and has been active in the membership committee, State Legislative Committee, and frequent attendee at CASA conferences and events.

Sandeep Karkal, Secretary-Treasurer (2022-2028)

Sandeep Karkal serves as General Manager-Chief Engineer for the Novato Sanitary District (NSD), which provides wastewater collection, treatment and disposal, recycled water production, and franchised solid waste services in northern Marin County.  Prior to joining NSD in 2004, he worked for over 17 years in the public and private sectors, including at two well-regarded consulting engineering firms. Sandeep has Bachelors and Master’s Degrees in Civil/Environmental Engineering, and over 35 years in the water/wastewater industry. He is a registered Civil Engineer in California and Arizona, and holds high grade water/wastewater operator certifications in both states. In addition to the CASA Board of Directors, Sandeep currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), and is the President of the Board of Directors of the California Sanitation Risk Management Authority (CSRMA).

Robb Grantham, Director (2026-2029)

Robb Grantham is the General Manager of the Santa Margarita Water District. Before being selected as SMWD’s GM, Mr. Grantham served at Rancho Water and prior to that as the Assistant General Manager at the Santa Margarita Water District. He also has a consulting background with extensive experience in water and wastewater management and regional planning. Mr. Grantham has a bachelor’s degree in government and history from Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania and post-baccalaureate studies in engineering science from Rutgers University in New Jersey. He is a regular CASA conference attendee and active resource for CASA, serving as a member of the Federal Legislative Committee and playing an active role with our renewable resource and finance programs.

David Pedersen, Director (2022-2028)

David Pedersen is the General Manager of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and Administering Agent for the Las Virgenes-Triunfo Joint Powers Authority.  In these roles, he serves as the chief executive responsible providing water and sanitation services to residents of the Conejo/Las Virgenes Valleys.  Dave has a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Irvine and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the California State University, Long Beach.  He is currently the Past President of WateReuse California and serves on the Boards of the Association of California Water Agencies, Southern California Water Coalition, California Association of Sanitation Agencies and the Urban Water Institute.

Fauzia Rizvi, Director (2024-2027)

Fauzia Rizvi joined Western’s Board of Directors in December 2020 and represents Division 5, which includes the City of Corona, Home Gardens, El Cerrito, and a portion of Temescal Canyon. She has a strong background as a business owner and community advocate, with an expertise working as a professional in the field of water management and consulting. Director Rizvi serves on several joint committees and regional authorities on behalf of WMWD and is a long-time resident of the City of Corona.

Rob Thompson, Director (2023-2028)

Robert (Rob) Thompson is the GEneral Manager for the Orange County Sanitation District (OC San), and has been with the OC San since 1995. Prior to becoming the General Manager in 2023, he was the Assistant General Manager overseeing the Operations & Maintenance and Engineering departments. Prior to joining OC San, Mr. Thompson worked for The Ralph M. Parsons Company as a senior engineer and project manager on several major oil field projects. Rob is a registered Electrical Engineer and Civil Engineer in the State of California. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Long Beach State.

Melissa Thorme, Director (2023-2029)

Melissa Thorme was recently elected to the Santa Lucia Preserve CSD. Santa Lucia Preserve is itself a recent CASA member, joining in 2019. However, Melissa has been an active participant at CASA since the early 1990’s and was a previous CASA Staff member as Director of Regulatory Affairs. Melissa is also an attorney with more than 30 years of experience focused on water quality and representing local government agencies, including helping to include cities as CASA members. Melissa regular attends CASA conferences and events and has been a long-time active participant and member of the CASA Attorneys Committee and Federal Legislative Committee.

Tony Trembley, Director (2022-2028)

Tony Trembley is in his tenth year on the Camarillo City Council. First elected in 2016, he served as Camarillo’s Mayor in 2020 and 2024.

Tony has practiced law since 1983. Prior to his retirement from private practice in 2021, he was general counsel for over thirty-five years to many public agencies in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, focusing on wastewater, water and environmental law. He is a former Chair of the CASA Attorneys Committee.

Tony received his undergraduate education at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and a B.A. with Highest Honors in Political Science/Public Service from the University of California, Davis in 1978. He thereafter served as a postgraduate (Assembly) fellow in the California Legislature and is a 1983 graduate of the University of California, Davis School of Law.

Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold, Director (2021-2027)

Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold has been an active member of CASA for more than 15 years. Also a Director on the Dublin San Ramon Services District Board, she brings years of public service and experience to the CASA Board. In 1977, while raising four children, Georgean became active in local government, scouting, and youth sports. She worked on the campaign to incorporate Dublin and San Ramon as cities and then served on the first Dublin Planning Commission, which was tasked with writing the first General Plan. She then became a member of the Dublin City Council, just in time to approve the General Plan.

Active in public service for more than 35 years, Georgean has served on various city and county commissions as well as a host of nonprofit boards. She has lived in Dublin since 1971 and recently retired from a long career in tax accounting.

Roland Williams, Director (2021-2027)

Roland Williams is the General Manager of the Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan). He has been with CV San 19 years, 12 years as the General Manager. Prior to coming to CVSan, Roland worked for Harris and Associates as a project manager and owner’s representative on wastewater treatment plant projects. He has served on the CASA Utility Leadership Committee and is a member of CWEA, WEF, APWA, and has held various volunteer roles with these organizations. He is a father of two adult children and grandfather of two. His hobbies include fitness training, reading, travel, and spending time with family.

Jackie Zipkin, Director (2026-2029)

Jackie Zipkin has over twenty years of experience in the water industry and currently serves as the General Manager of the East Bay Dischargers Authority (EBDA). EBDA is a Joint Powers Authority that efficiently and sustainably manages the discharge of wastewater from approximately one million East Bay residents to the San Francisco Bay. Jackie also serves as Chair of the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (BACWA), which works regionally on stewardship of the Bay. Prior to joining EBDA in 2018, Jackie served as Manager of Environmental Services at East Bay Municipal Utility District, where she managed the District’s Pretreatment, Resource Recovery, and Wet Weather Programs. Jackie’s career started in consulting, where she supported agencies around the world on a range of projects addressing sustainable water portfolio management.  Jackie holds a B.S. and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University and is a registered Professional Engineer in California. Jackie also serves on the CASA State Legislative Committee and the CASA Air, Climate and Energy Committee.