Government relations official Kristine L. Murray and former Montebello City Councilmember Edward C. Vasquez were sworn in today as members of Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors.
Murray replaces Marcie L. Edwards as the city of Anaheim’s representative on Metropolitan’s 37-member board. Edwards had represented Anaheim on Metropolitan’s board since December 2005.
Vasquez joins Phillip D. Hawkins in representing Central Basin Municipal Water District on Metropolitan’s board. He succeeds Robert Apodaca, who had served on the Metropolitan board since June 2003.
Murray is executive director of government relations at the Orange County Transportation Authority, overseeing local, state and federal affairs for the agency. In that capacity, she also serves as executive director of the Orange County Council of Governments.
Prior to joining the OCTA, Murray was vice president of government affairs for the Orange County Business Council, representing the county’s business community in a variety of strategic areas, including economic development, workforce development and infrastructure. While with the council, she established OC Moves, a public-private initiative aimed at improving county and regional transportation infrastructure.
She previously directed the OCTA’s legislative agenda in Washington, D.C., where she helped secure federal funding for countywide and regional transportation projects. She also led a statewide transportation industry coalition seeking Proposition 42 funding and preventing funding cuts to state transportation projects.
An Anaheim resident, Murray serves as vice chair of the Anaheim Public Utilities Board and is an ex-officio member of the Southern California Association of Government’s executive committee.
Born in Long Beach, Murray earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Long Beach, and a master’s certificate in transportation management from the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University.
She and her husband, Steve Murray, have a son.
Vasquez is in his second term on Central Basin’s Board of Directors, representing the cities of Bell Gardens, Downey, Montebello, Norwalk and Vernon. He currently serves as board president.
A long-time Montebello resident, Vasquez served on the Montebello City Council from 1996 to 2004, including a term as mayor from 2001 to 2002. He retired in 2007 after 30 years as the chairman, director and professor of radiologic technology at Los Angeles City College.
The past chair of the education committee for the Los Angeles District of the California Society of Radiologic Technologists, Vasquez has served as a member of the affirmative action committee at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, the Montebello Rotary Club, Montebello Jaycees, American Youth Soccer Organization and the Iguala-Montebello Sister City Organization.
A Loma Linda native, Vasquez earned a bachelor’s degree in health and safety from California State College at Los Angeles, which is today the California State University, Los Angeles. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1962 to 1968.
He and his wife, Rosemary, have two children and three grandchildren.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving 19 million people in six counties.The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.
Note to editors:Digital photographs of the new Metropolitan directors are available upon request.
Contacts:
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Bob Muir,
213-217-6930; 213-324-5213, mobile
