San Diegan and registered civil engineer Lois Fong-Sakai has been elected secretary of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Los Angeles-based water wholesaler that serves nearly 19 million people in six counties.

Fong-Sakai, who represents the City of San Diego on the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors, is the first Asian-American to serve as an officer of the MWD board.

“It’s a great honor to serve not only San Diego County, but all of Southern California,” said Fong-Sakai. “Extreme drought conditions create significant challenges that will be best addressed through collaboration and cooperation across the region.”

Fong-Sakai’s relatives were Chinese Americans and Japanese Americans who came to the United States in the 1850s and embraced the importance of voting and civil discourse – elements of democracy that Fong-Sakai is passionate about in her new role. “As secretary, I will seek to allow all voices and opinions to be heard respectfully, including those of minority positions,” she said. “Open and inclusive discussions will make Metropolitan stronger and benefit everyone in Southern California.”