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Born: El Paso, Texas
Representing
City of San Fernando
Previous time on board:
Served from February 2019 to February 2021 representing the city of Fullerton; began March 2021 representing the city of San Fernando
Current committee appointments:
Chair − Board; Executive Committee
Professional and community activities:
Adán Ortega, Jr. took office as chair of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on January 1, 2023. He is the first Latino chair to be elected to the post.
The principal of Ortega Strategies Group, he has worked in government relations for 30 years and has helped lead efforts to bring technical assistance to small community water systems in disadvantaged communities around California.
He served as Metropolitan’s vice president of external affairs from 1999 to 2005. Prior to joining Metropolitan, Ortega served as chief deputy for then-Secretary of State Bill Jones and as assistant general manager of both West Basin and Central Basin municipal water districts.
In 2013, he was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the California Water Commission. Prior to that, he was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, where Ortega chaired its water committee from 2005 to 2012.
A Fullerton resident, Ortega has bachelor’s degrees in English and history from Whittier College.
