Water Policy Forum & Dinner

Water Policy Forum & Dinner

June 15, 2026

You are invited to join us for an evening of meaningful discussion, networking, and policy insights at the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) Water Policy Forum & Dinner. This signature event will take place on Monday, June 15, at 5:30 p.m. at The Westin. The forum will focus on the future of California water management, featuring a panel on the Sites Reservoir Project. Experts will discuss water rights, regional benefits, costs, and next steps for this key infrastructure effort.

Moderated by MWDOC President Larry D. Dick, speakers include:

• Brian Thomas, Consultant, Sites Project Authority
• Heather Dyer, General Manager, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
• Randall Neudeck, Manager, Bay-Delta Programs at Metropolitan Water District
• Paul A. Weghorst, Executive Director of Water Policy, Irvine Ranch Water District

Exploring the challenges and opportunities shaping the state’s water future, this event is ideal for professionals committed to water policy, environmental sustainability, and regional planning.

Register to reserve your spot, and connect with industry leaders, policymakers, and water experts as we explore innovative strategies to secure our region’s water resources.

Speaker Profiles

Larry D. Dick

MWDOC President 

Larry D. Dick was elected to the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) Board of Directors in November 2000. He represents Division 2, which includes portions of East Orange County Water District, portions of Garden Grove, portions of Golden State Water Co., and portions of Irvine Ranch Water District, Orange, and Serrano Water District.

Director Dick has been active in the Orange County water community since the 1990s when he was first selected as a board member of the Serrano Water District and SWD Recreation, Inc., which governed recreation activities at Irvine Lake and provides water for Villa Park and a portion of East Orange. Read Director Dick’s full bio.

Brian Thomas, Consultant
Sites Project Authority

Brian Thomas has over forty years of experience in the water and power industry. He is an independent consultant, assisting water and wastewater districts in California. His current clients include the Sites Project Authority, where he supports the Authority’s financial planning and management efforts. In addition, he is currently serving as the Executive Director for the Delta Conveyance Finance Authority. Other clients include the Friant Water Authority and the Department of Water Resources.

Prior to starting his own consulting firm, he was a Managing Director with PFM Financial Advisors LLC (PFM), the country’s largest independent municipal advisory firm, where he managed PFM’s water and wastewater financial advisory practice in the West. At PFM, Mr. Thomas’ clients included the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, Las Vegas Valley Water District, Metropolitan Water District, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Eastern Municipal Water District, Coachella Valley Water District, Contra Costa Water District, Irvine Ranch Water District, Santa Margarita Water District, Moulton Niguel Water District and Truckee Meadows Water Authority. Mr. Thomas has also served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Las Vegas Water District and Southern Nevad Water Authority. Prior to his work at PFM, Mr. Thomas served as the Assistant General Manager and Chief Financial Officer for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for over a decade. He was the District’s Assistant Chief of Planning & Resources for almost five years. He has a Ph.D. and a Masters degree from the University of California, Riverside, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Economics from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Heather Dyer, General Manager
San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District

Heather Dyer, M.S., M.B.A., is the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, where she leads a bold organization focused on empowerment, innovation, and regional impact. Since 2019, she has led the agency through transformative growth, delivering more than $400 million in critical water infrastructure investments to strengthen long-term water reliability across Southern California.

An endangered species biologist by training, with deep expertise in river ecosystems, Ms. Dyer brings a strong foundation in fisheries science and watershed ecology to her leadership presence in California water. By integrating scientific rigor, business strategy, and regional partnerships, she is building climate-resilient infrastructure and collaborative watershed solutions that secure sustainable water resources for future generations.

Randall Neudeck, Manager
Bay-Delta Programs at Metropolitan Water District

Biography coming soon.

Paul A. Weghorst, Executive Director of Water Policy
Irvine Ranch Water District

Paul Weghorst is the Executive Director of Water Policy at Irvine Ranch Water District, where he leads the District’s strategic efforts in water policy development, supply reliability planning, water transfers and exchanges, and water use efficiency. He has extensive experience negotiating and developing complex surface and groundwater supply programs across the western United States, including the District’s innovative groundwater banking projects in the Central Valley.

Paul’s career has focused on advancing long‑term, sustainable, and resilient water supply solutions that strengthen regional reliability. He currently represents the District on the Sites Reservoir Committee providing guidance on project governance, engineering, operations, cost risk, and contract development. Outside of work, Paul enjoys teaching others to fly RC airplanes – a hands-on hobby that lets him share the joy of aviation.

Past Events

January 26, 2026, Water Policy Forum & Dinner

The Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) Water Policy Forum & Dinner took place Monday, January 26, at 5:30 p.m. at The Westin in Costa Mesa. The keynote speaker was Shivaji Deshmukh, newly appointed General Manager of The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. With more than two decades of leadership in water resource management and public service, Mr. Deshmukh has been instrumental in advancing sustainable and reliable water supplies in Southern California.

Serving as Metropolitan’s 16th General Manager, Mr. Deshmukh leads the nation’s largest wholesale water agency, responsible for ensuring that more than 19 million Southern Californians have access to clean, reliable water. His keynote address outlined Metropolitan’s strategic priorities, regional partnerships, and the path forward to a resilient water future.

The Water Policy Forum offers an invaluable opportunity for professionals committed to water policy, environmental sustainability, and regional planning. Connect with industry leaders, policymakers, and water experts as we explore innovative strategies to secure our region’s water resources. We look forward to an inspiring evening of collaboration, insight, and forward-thinking solutions.

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE EVENING