Water Learning Series: Los Angeles - Session Seven

Welcome to the Water Learning Series: Los Angeles

session seven

We welcome Liz Crosson (Sustainability, Resiliency and Innovation Officer, Metropolitan Water District) and Anselmo Collins (Senior Asst. General Manager - Water System, Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power).

Liz Crosson

Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation Officer, Metropolitan Water District.

Liz Crosson is the chief sustainability, resilience and innovation officer for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). She is responsible for developing a district-wide sustainability and resiliency strategy that includes efforts to reduce MWD’s carbon footprint and adapt to immediate climate change impacts. Liz develops and pursues strategies, programs, and policies that address energy use, conservation, pollution, environmental justice, and climate resilience. She also drives initiatives to foster innovation. Prior to joining Metropolitan in March 2022, Liz served as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s director of infrastructure and was the mayor’s chief policy liaison to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the five bureaus under the city’s Department of Public Works. She also previously served as the city’s deputy chief sustainability officer and the mayor’s first appointed water policy advisor. From 2010-2015, Liz was the executive director of Los Angeles Waterkeeper, a nonprofit organization that protects and restores waterways throughout Los Angeles County through Clean Water Act enforcement, advocacy, restoration and community action. Liz earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, policy and management from the University of California-Berkeley; a master’s degree in biology from Southern Oregon University; and a juris doctorate from Lewis & Clark Law School, where she graduated with honors, with a certificate in environmental law.

Anselmo G. Collins,

Senior Asst. General Manager - Water System, Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power

Anselmo G. Collins is the Senior Assistant General Manager of the Water System for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). As one of the largest and most complex municipal water systems in the world, the Los Angeles Water System has an annual operating budget of $1.5 billion and serves high quality drinking water to over 4 million people in a 472 square-mile area. Mr. Collins leads an organization of more than 2,400 employees.

Mr. Collins has over 28 years of experience with LADWP. His experience has been both in engineering and managerial capacities involving planning, designing, construction, project management, construction management, procurement, operations, and maintenance.

Mr. Collins most recently served as Director of the Water Operations Division where he was responsible for Water System operations and maintenance activities of water transmission and treatment facilities in the Metropolitan-Los Angeles Area, as well as those of the Los Angeles Aqueduct system. Mr. Collins also oversaw the Owens Lake Dust Mitigation Program and managed Water System's property issues and real estate holdings.

Previously, Mr. Collins served as Assistant Director of Water Operations Division. Before joining Water Operations Division, he was the Assistant Director of Water Engineering and Technical Services Division, and Acting Director of Supply Chain Services.

Mr. Collins received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State University Northridge and a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University. Mr. Collins is a registered Civil Engineer in the State of California.