Salton Sea Conservancy
The Salton Sea Conservancy sits within the California Natural Resources Agency. Its statutory purpose is to operate, maintain, and manage completed Salton Sea Program projects and to acquire, hold, and manage land and property rights within the Salton Sea region after restoration or mitigation projects are built.
About the Conservancy
The Salton Sea Conservancy is a new state agency within the Natural Resources Agency created by Senate Bill 583 (Padilla, 2024). Its work area is dedicated to the Salton Sea region.
The Conservancy may carry out programs, projects, and activities that further its purposes, including the use of funds to award grants and loans, work with community members and stakeholders, and helping solve operation and maintenance challenges to continue progress.
Board of Directors
The Conservancy’s Board of Directors includes 15 voting members and 7 ex officio nonvoting members. The roster below reflects the currently appointed members identified in the April 2026 Salton Sea Program announcement.
Currently Appointed Voting Members
| Member | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Janeth Corona, Director of MESA Program, Imperial Valley College | Public Member appointed by the Governor |
| Silvia Paz, Executive Director, Alianza Coachella Valley | Public Member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules |
| Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, Riverside County Board of Supervisors Designee: Juan Perez |
Riverside County Board of Supervisors |
| Supervisor Ryan Kelley | Imperial County Board of Supervisors |
| Director Castulo Estrada | Coachella Valley Water District |
| Director Gina Dockstader | Imperial Irrigation District |
| Chair Joseph Mirelez, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Designee: Vice Chair RoseMarie Morreo, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians |
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians |
| President Jonathan Koteen | Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe |
| Camila Bautista, Audubon CA | Appointed by Secretary Wade Crowfoot |
| Director Joe Stephenshaw, California Department of Finance Designee: Michele Perrault |
California Department of Finance |
| Secretary Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Agency Designee: Joe Shea |
California Natural Resources Agency |
| Director Meghan Hertel, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Designee: Tonya Marshall |
California Department of Fish and Wildlife |
| Director Karla Nemeth, California Department of Water Resources Designee: Evon Willhoff |
California Department of Water Resources |
| Director Armando Quintero, California Department of Parks and Recreation Designee: Ray Lennox |
California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Currently Appointed Ex Officio Nonvoting Members
| Member | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Secretary Yana Garcia, California Environmental Protection Agency Designees: Executive Director Michael Placencia, Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board, and Maurice Lyles |
California Environmental Protection Agency |
| Chair Joaquin Esquivel, California State Water Resources Control Board Designee: Board Member Laurel Firestone, California State Water Resources Control Board |
California State Water Resources Control Board |
| Chair Lauren Sanchez, California Air Resources Board Designee: Jane Sadler |
California Air Resources Board |
| Jennifer Mata | United States Bureau of Land Management |
| Genevieve Johnson | United States Bureau of Reclamation |
| Jonathan Shore | United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| TBD | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
- Agendas will be posted here when available.
- Minutes will be posted here when available.
- Recordings will be posted here when available.