Discover the extraordinary range of career opportunities within the water sector!

Meet employers who are looking for you!

From humanities to law, STEM and beyond, students from all majors can find a satisfying career in water.

Join us for a series of short talks from pioneers in the water sector, refreshments and bring your resume for a free resume review!

• Date: 11/14/22
• Time: 2:00 – 6:00pm
• Address: UCI Student Center Pacific Ballroom
  • Click here for directions!

Cedric David
Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Dr. Cédric H. David is a scientist in the Water & Ecosystems group of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA.  Before joining JPL, Cédric was a Project Scientist at the University of California, Irvine.  His activities focus on the terrestrial water cycle at continental to global scales with particular focus on river flow within large networks.

Talk’ Title: Earth’s Water as Seen from Space: Why and How?

Speaking Time: 2:30-2:40

Duncan Griffiths
CEO, Hyperion Analytical LLC

Duncan Griffiths is the co-founder and CEO of Hyperion Analytical LLC, a company focused on developing and commercializing new analytical instrument technologies. After obtaining a B.S degree in Chemistry from University of California, Irvine, he worked in the field of particle characterization for almost three decades. Roles included scientist, technical sales representative, marketing manager, and product manager for Malvern Instruments, NanoSight, and Horiba. Two analytical technologies are being developed by Hyperion Analytical, both of which have applications in water treatment. The winding path from materials characterization to monitoring and optimizing water processes has provided a spectrum of challenges and rewards in both professional and personal realms.

Speaking Time: 2:45-2:55

Katie Janss

Program Operations Manager, Navajo Water Project, DigDeep

Katie Janss (she/her) is the Program Operations Manager for the Navajo Water Project at DigDeep. She started and currently runs the Water Is Life Fund, a microgrant program aimed towards funding community-led grassroots water access projects on the Navajo Nation. She is also the Director of Operations at The Chapter House, an Indigenous arts and community space based in Los Angeles and on the Navajo Nation. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Speaking Time: 3:00-3:10

Mark Toy
General Manager, Yorba Linda Water District

Mr. Mark Toy, P.E. serves as the General Manager for the Yorba Linda Water District (YLWD) located in Yorba Linda, CA. The mission of the YLWD is to provide water and sewer services to protect public health and the environment with financial integrity and superior customer service. As General Manager, Mark oversees the maintenance, operation, and construction of the water works system of the district. He reports to the Board of Directors in accordance with the rules and regulations as it adopts.

Speaking Time: 3:15-3:25

Christopher Tull
Project Manager, California Data Collaborative

Christopher Tull is a public technologist, nonprofit leader, and data scientist currently serving as the project manager for the California Data Collaborative where he leads a lean nonprofit team supporting a coalition of water utilities. He has an M.S. in Urban Informatics from New York University and a B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics from CSU Channel Islands.

Speaking Time: 3:30-3:40

Angela Howe
Senior Legal Director, Surfrider Foundation

Angela Howe is an expert in non-profit management, coastal law and environmental strategy. She directs Surfrider Foundation’s legal advocacy efforts throughout the United States in order to guide grassroots chapters on the Clean Water Act, ocean conservation, beach access, plastic pollution, sea level rise and environmental litigation. She also helps guide the organization through general counsel duties. Angela earned her law degree from University of California Berkeley School of Law. Before joining Surfrider’s staff in 2007, she worked for Hogan & Hartson LLP in both their D.C. and Los Angeles offices in the Environmental Practice Group.  She is also an Adjunct Professor of Ocean and Coastal Law and an Advisor to the California Lawyers Association’s Environmental Law Section.  Angela served as Chair of the Clean Seas Coalition for seven years and has consulted the United Nations Environment Assembly on ocean issues.  She has also served on the Board of Directors for The Recreation Alliance, the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council and Surfrider Foundation Canada. Locally, Angela serves as Co-Chair of the Zero Waste Committee at Concordia Elementary School and has been mentoring law students throughout her legal career.

Speaking Time: 3:45-3:55

Christine M. Frahm
Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Chris Frahm skillfully navigates legal, political and business
challenges to ensure water agency and utility infrastructure
projects are successful and sustainable. Whether creating a
strategic plan or drafting an agreement, she brings a track record
of getting deals done and a determined approach to achieve
optimal results designed to meet the needs of all parties and
stakeholders. Few, if any, can rival Chris’ experience in and
understanding of water issues in southern California. She works
closely with key policy leaders and legislative decision-makers to
develop and implement public policy-based solutions that meet her
clients’ water, energy and infrastructure needs while mitigating risk
in an ever-changing political, financial and legal landscape.

Speaking Time: 4:00-4:10

Jose Solorio
State and Local Policymaker, Moulton Niguel Water District

Jose Solorio, of Santa Ana, was raised in a farmworker family in the Central Valley and knows that water nourishes our bodies, preserves our environment and our fuels our economy. He has been a Government Affairs Officer at Moulton Niguel Water District since 2018. In prior roles, California Water Commissioner Solorio was a Santa Ana City Council Member from 2016 to 2020 and from 2000 to 2006, Senior Policy Advisor at Nossaman LLP from 2014 to 2017 and a California State Assembly member for the 69th District from 2006 to 2012. Solorio earned a Master of Public Policy degree in government and business policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine in Social Ecology.

Speaking Time: 4:15-4:25

Noya Wang
Managing Partner, Oyen Structural Inc.

Noya Wang, PE, SE, is a licensed civil and structural engineer with 10 years of experience in planning, design, and construction of private development and public infrastructure. She is currently a managing partner at an engineering consulting firm, Oyen Structural, Inc. Noya holds a Master of Science in Structural Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, both from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition, Noya serves on the Planning Commission for the City of Alhambra, advocating for resources to create affordable housing, and shaping policies to support development across the city for equity and resiliency. She also serves as a commissioner for the Safe Clean Water program Lower San Gabriel River Watershed Steering Committee, allocating funding to build and update water infrastructure in LA County to capture and recycle billions of gallons of water we lose every year in the face of a changing climate. 

Speaking Time: 4:30-4:40

Dyana Peña
Deputy Director of Projects, Orange County Coastkeeper

Dyana Peña was born, raised, and resides in Lynwood, CA. She is a first-generation daughter of Mexican immigrants and a lifelong environmentalist whose respect and love for our world grew from a young age thanks to her parents. After graduating from UC Irvine in 2012 with degrees in Urban Studies and Drama, her internship at a local non-profit organization solidified her career in protecting water resources. Through some hard work and luck, Dyana has dedicated her entire ten-year career to protecting the environment, specifically clean water, through program management, outreach, fundraising, and implementation at Orange County Coastkeeper. 

Speaking Time: 4:45-4:55

Kevin O’Toole
Senior Planner, Orange County Water District

Kevin O’Toole been with the Orange County Water District for nearly 15 years. The first decade
of his career was spent in the field collecting groundwater and surface water samples measure
the quality of the basin and the sources used to recharge it. While in this role Kevin ran
monitoring programs focused on monitoring and investigating various anthropogenetic
groundwater contamination sources basin.
In 2019, Kevin pivoted in his career at OCWD and began a new role as a Senior Planner. This
role requires forward thinking and collaboration with local stakeholders on various multi-
benefit projects and programs designed to preserve, enhance, and protect the quality and
quantity of water used to recharge the Orange County groundwater basin.
Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine. He resides in
Huntington Beach, California with his wife and three young children.

Speaking Time: 5:00-5:10

Peggy Vogt
Manager, H2O TECHCONNECT, Metropolitan Water District

Peggy Vogt is the Manager of Metropolitan’s H2O TECHCONNECT Community and a member of Metropolitan’s Sustainability, Resilience, and Innovation (SRI) Team.  H2O TECHCONNECT is a Smart Matchmaking Portal that connects the water sector and other industries with entrepreneurs, universities, investors, service providers, mentors, technology corporations, economic development professionals and other key players in the global innovation ecosystem, to facilitate highly efficient and relevant networking and collaboration and drive economic impact in terms of technology commercialization, start-up growth and job creation.  Ms. Vogt also works with many non-profits, utilities, incubators, and the innovation community to pilot and implement new technologies and create funding and grant opportunities

Ms. Vogt is a Board Member of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation Los Angeles Founding Chapter which Advances Science and Technology in America.  ARCS was founded in 1955 and has donated over $120 million to scholars in science, engineering, medicine, and technology.  .  Peggy loves people, discovering new innovations and technologies and always asks how can I help,  what are you excited about, and talk to me about VR/AR and cool innovations.

Speaking Time: 5:15-5:25