Executive Team

Karla Nemeth was appointed Director of the California Department of Water Resources by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on January 10, 2018, and was reappointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on June 28, 2019.

Nemeth oversees the Department and it’s nearly 4,000 employees whose mission it is to manage and protect California’s water resources and support the reliability of California’s electrical grid. In cooperation with other agencies, DWR manages California’s water resources to benefit the state’s people and to protect, restore, and enhance the natural and human environments. Nemeth focuses on preparing the Department and state to adapt to more extreme weather as a result of climate change – investing in aging and green infrastructure, better management of groundwater supplies, and various programs to improve local water resilience. Nemeth is committed to ensuring a workplace that values diversity and inclusion, and provides for the equitable management of resources to meet the needs of California’s diverse population.

In March 2024, Nemeth was tasked by Governor 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 – Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future, including modernizing California’s water conveyance infrastructure, executing Agreements to Support Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and stabilizing Colorado River supplies. Nemeth continues to serve as Director of the Department of Water Resources in addition to this leadership role for the Governor.

Prior to joining DWR, Nemeth worked at the California Natural Resources Agency as Governor Brown’s deputy secretary and senior advisor for water policy since 2014. She was the Bay Delta Conservation Plan project manager from 2009 to 2014.

Prior to her work in natural resources management, Nemeth lived, worked and traveled extensively in eastern Europe promoting the development of democratic institutions. In 2010 Nemeth traveled to the Philippines as an election monitor. She is passionate about good government and serving the public.

Nemeth received a bachelor’s degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of California at San Diego, and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington.

Nemeth grew up in San Diego, California where she learned to love baseball, the Pacific Ocean, and the eastern Sierra.

Cindy Messer was appointed as Lead Deputy Director in February 2017. Prior to her appointment, Messer served as a subject matter expert and policy advisor to the director and former chief deputy director on a broad range of issues impacting statewide water management. She briefly served as acting director in the summer of 2017 after Mark Cowin retired and prior to Grant Davis' appointment.

Messer was the deputy director of the Planning, Performance, and Technology Division at the Delta Stewardship Council from 2012 until her appointment with DWR. As deputy director, she coordinated the preparation and implementation of the Delta Plan. Prior to this position, Messer served as the assistant executive officer for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy where she provided oversight for development of the Delta Conservancy’s Interim Strategic Plan. Messer also worked for more than 10 years in various technical and managerial roles in DWR's Division of Environmental Services.

Nancy Vogel re-joined the Department of Water Resources in October 2024 as Senior Policy Advisor to the Director. She previously worked at the California Natural Resources Agency for five years as director of the Governor's Water Portfolio Program and deputy secretary for water. Her career includes stints handling communications for DWR and the California Natural Resources Agency, time as a principal consultant for the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes, and nearly 20 years as a journalist for The Sacramento Bee and the Los Angeles Times. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Conservation and Resource Studies and a Master of Arts degree in journalism, both from the University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Gosselin was appointed Deputy Director for Sustainable Water Management (formerly Statewide Groundwater Management) on July 9, 2021. In this capacity, Gosselin oversees the Sustainable Groundwater Management Office (SGMO) and the Division of Regional Assistance (DRA). SGMO is responsible for the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and other statewide groundwater management activities. DRA supports the management of California’s water resource through various assistance offerings. It includes two branches in Sacramento and four regional offices in Red Bluff, West Sacramento, Fresno, and Glendale. Gosselin has extensive experience in local groundwater management, and environmental regulations and leadership.

Gosselin joined the Department after serving 13 years as Butte County’s Director of Water and Resource Conservation. He managed Butte County's State Water Project Table A allocation, investigated and reported on groundwater conditions, implemented the Groundwater Management Plan, fostered regional partnerships through the Northern Sacramento Valley Integrated Regional Water Management and other water resource activities. Gosselin led Butte County’s drought response as chair of the Butte County Drought Task Force, while also leading sustainable groundwater management efforts through the implementation of SGMA. He oversaw the development of three Groundwater Sustainability Plans and was administrator of two Groundwater Sustainability Agencies. Gosselin has a passion for advancing innovative scientific approaches. He was an early adopter and collaborator of innovating technologies to further understand geologic conditions important to groundwater management. His leadership paved the way for the statewide initiative to map groundwater basins with airborne technologies.

Prior to Butte County, Gosselin was Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation from 1999 to 2007 and was Assistant Director for Enforcement, Environmental Monitoring and Data Management from 1993 to 1999. During his tenure, he developed regulatory programs to protect surface and groundwater quality. From 1989 to 1993, he was the Director of Regulatory Services for the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture.

Gosselin received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and a Master of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts.

John Paasch was appointed Security and Emergency Management Program Deputy Director on June 26, 2021.

Paasch provides executive-level policy direction, coordination, and leadership for Department emergency management and security programs.

Paasch joined DWR in 2009 as a levee inspector and flood fight specialist and has served in numerous emergency management positions within the Department’s Flood Management Division. Most recently, Paasch managed the Hydrology and Flood Operations Office overseeing a multi-disciplinary team of managers, engineers, programmers, scientists, technicians, and analysts to deliver data, tools, and expertise in support of real-time water management with numerous state, federal, and local partners.

Paasch is a licensed Professional Engineer and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Bioresources and Agricultural Engineering form Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He also earned a Certificate in Business and a Master of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University, College Station.

Kasey Schimke was appointed assistant director of the Legislative Affairs Office in May 2007. His responsibilities include monitoring and guiding legislation and representing us before the State Legislature. He also assists the director in policy discussions with the Governor's Office, government agencies, and private groups.

Prior to his appointment, Schimke served as personal staff to several members of the California State Legislature for more than 8 years. From 2000 to 2005 he served as staff to the Assembly Budget Committee. Schimke's assignment to the Committee included reviewing the budgets of the departments of the Resources Agency, CalEPA, and the Department of Food and Agriculture. During this time, he was involved in reviewing funding proposals and crafting implementing legislation relating to the nearly $9.3 billion in environmental protection bonds approved by voters between 2000 and 2002. From 2005 to 2007, Schimke served as staff to State Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny, where he worked on a broad range of issues, including water policy, state budget, social services, agriculture, Indian gaming, and tribal sovereignty.

Bianca Sievers was appointed Deputy Director for Special Initiatives at the Department of Water Resources on October 15, 2021. In this capacity, Sievers will be working to implement the Department’s Human Right to Water Policy; build and strengthen partnerships with vulnerable communities and environmental justice organizations; and align Department strategic thinking and actions related the Water Resilience Portfolio, DWR Strategic Plan, and organizational health efforts. Sievers has been Policy Advisor to the Director of the Department of Water Resources since 2018.

Sievers held multiple positions at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development from 2014 to 2018, including Senior Business Development Specialist and California Competes Tax Credit Specialist. Sievers was Legislative Assistant for the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. from 2012 to 2014. Sievers earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Davis, Graduate School of Management, and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from the University of California, Davis.

Stephanie Varrelman was appointed Deputy Director of Business Operations in May 2022. In this position, Varrelman is responsible for all Business Operations functions for the Department including fiscal management, human resources, procurement and contracting, facilities management, printing and mail, and information technology services. Additionally, Varrelman oversees bond accountability functions, as well as the Electric Power Fund and Wildfire Charge Fund programs.

Prior to assuming this position, Varrelman served as the Department’s Equal Employment Opportunity Officer and managed the Office of Workforce Equality. In this role, Varrelman launched DWR’s participation in the Capitol Collaborative on Race and Equity team and oversaw many Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives across the Department. In addition, Varrelman held the position of Policy Advisor to the prior two Deputy Directors for Business Operations and served in a variety of other policy and administrative positions in Executive and Business Operations, including as Administrative Officer for DWR’s Departmental Services Office. During her tenure, Varrelman has also served on project teams for enterprise initiatives including DWR’s Safety Project, Enterprise Budget Planning Project, and Next Wave SAP Migration project.

Varrelman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Arts degree in History from California State University, Sacramento.

Delphine Hou was appointed Deputy Director for Statewide Energy at the Department of Water Resources in January 2023. In this capacity, Hou oversees electricity-focused programs that support California during extreme events that disrupt electric reliability, and serves as a backstop for the state to retain and secure clean energy resources.  

Prior to her appointment, Hou was the Director of California Regulatory Affairs at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) where she was responsible for engagement with state agencies on all CAISO-related issues including electric reliability, the wholesale electricity market, and transmission planning.  Prior to the CAISO, Hou was in private consulting focused on transmission planning in wholesale electricity markets at The Brattle Group and ICF International.  Hou earned her Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, and Bachelor of Science in Finance and International Business at the Stern School of Business at New York University.

Anecita Agustinez has served as our tribal policy advisor since August 2013. Agustinez has over 30 years of advocacy experience on behalf of California’s Native American tribes. She provides policy support and recommendations regarding tribal issues to the director and chief deputy director and has been actively engaged with our projects and programs, assisting with tribal consultation and development of the DWR Tribal Consultation Policy.

Michael Anderson is the State Climatologist for California, a collaborative position between the State and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide climate data services for California. He also manages the State’s Atmospheric River Research Program and serves as a subject matter expert on climate for DWR and other State agencies.

Anderson earned a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Davis and completed post-Doctoral work at UC Davis in hydroclimate system modeling.

John Andrew is DWR's Executive Manager for Climate Resilience. He has advised and assisted DWR Directors in the formulation, revision, and implementation of policies and programs related to climate resilience since 2006.

Andrew joined DWR in 1997 in the Delta Planning Branch. His previous managerial assignments with the Department include Chief of Fish Facilities and Chief of Special Planning Projects. He also served as the Drinking Water Quality Program Manager of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program. His other organizational affiliations include the Stege Sanitary District, California Department of Health Services, US Environmental Protection Agency, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Andrew earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Louise Conrad joined DWR as its Lead Scientist in July 2022. The Lead Scientist position provides science leadership for the agency by ensuring and advancing best practices and capacity for conducting science, by tracking and prioritizing scientific initiatives and direction, and by providing science-related policy guidance to the DWR Directorate.

Prior to serving as the Lead Scientist, Conrad was the Deputy Executive Officer for Science at the Delta Stewardship Council, where she focused on science funding processes, science communication, and coordination of scientific initiatives to inform decision-making for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. She worked for DWR from 2010 to 2019 within the Division of Integrated Science and Engineering where she conducted research in floodplain ecology, impacts of drought on the Delta ecosystem, control of invasive aquatic weeds, and worked closely with the Interagency Ecological Program to advance synthesis of long-term environmental monitoring datasets. Prior to working in the Delta system, Conrad worked for the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in the Russian River watershed of California, co-managing a captive broodstock and reintroduction program for endangered coho salmon.

Conrad is a fisheries biologist by training and earned her Ph.D. in Animal Behavior from the University of California, Davis in 2008.

Mabel Lun was appointed Manager of the Internal Audit Office in March 2023, overseeing the internal audit and investigative units at DWR. Mabel is responsible for directing all activities and resources of the Internal Audit Office and implementing the statewide auditing function for DWR. The Internal Audit Office is responsible for evaluating the adequacy of the Department's internal controls over its resources, programs and functional areas and ensure its compliance with laws, regulations and standards.

Mabel has more than 18 years of combined experience in internal audit and public accounting. Prior to joining DWR, Mabel held various roles including Internal Audit Manager at PRIDE Industries, Principal Auditor at VSP Global and Audit Senior with the public accounting firm Ernst & Young.

During her tenure in the private sector, Mabel oversaw various types of engagements including financial, operational, regulatory and IT audits as well as business continuity, disaster discovery, data analytics, cybersecurity maturity model certification (CMMC) and enterprise risk assessment.