Sunday, June 28, 2026
9:00 am Refreshments and networking / 9:20 am Start
Pre-Conference Golf
*Separate registration required. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Kick off the GM Summit with a relaxed, Southern California–inspired round of golf. Join our sponsors and fellow attendees for a morning of sunshine, rolling greens, and easy networking. CSDA Business Affiliates Centrica Business Solutions and Umpqua Bank will host refreshments and networking before you tee off. It’s the perfect way to ease into the Summit with great company and a casually polished vibe.
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Pre-Conference Workshop: So, You Want to be a General Manager?
Scott Carroll, Costa Mesa Sanitary District
Sponsored by SDLF
*Separate registration and payment required. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Includes continental breakfast and buffet-style lunch.
This is a practical career development workshop for senior executives and emerging leaders in special districts. This action-oriented workshop includes group and panel discussions on the journey, roles, and skill sets of a general manager; identifying general manager opportunities; developing positive relations with the board, staff, and peer agency executives; and leadership best practices.
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Pre-Conference Workshop II: Crisis-Ready Leadership - Leading with Clarity, Credibility, and Calm When Everything Is On Fire (Literally or Figuratively)
Stephanie Smith, Best Best & Krieger LLP
*Separate registration and payment required. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Includes continental breakfast and buffet-style lunch.
Special district GMs are often operationally prepared for crisis. What is less frequently addressed is the leadership psychology, board alignment, and public trust dynamics that emerge when pressure intensifies.
Crisis-Ready Leadership is a hybrid masterclass and strategy lab designed to equip district executives with practical tools and executive frameworks for leading during high-scrutiny events. The focus is not emergency operations protocols, but decision-making, communication strategy, governance stability, and long-tail trust preservation.
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Pre-Conference Activity: Courtside Connections: A Pre-Summit Pickleball Social
* Separate registration and payment are required. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Join us for Courtside Connections, a relaxed pre-conference pickleball social designed to kick off the General Manager Leadership Summit. This casual, non-competitive gathering is all about conversation, connection, and easing into the event—no experience required, just good vibes and great company.
3:30 - 5:00 pm
Speed Networking
*Separate registration required. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Come and enjoy lively and fun speed rounds of networking and prizes and learn about CSDA business affiliate members that can save your district time and money - or both! Limited space, so register now! Limited to special district staff and board members only.
5:00 - 6:30 pm
Wine and Welcome Reception
Registration Open
Kick off your General Manager Leadership Summit experience at the Wine and Welcome Reception, offering the perfect opportunity to connect with your fellow general managers from across the state. Raise a glass and toast to leadership, collaboration and inspiration at this year’s Summit – we cannot wait to welcome you!
Monday, June 29, 2026
7:30 - 8:30 am
First Time Attendee Breakfast
Kick off your first full day of the conference with a welcoming breakfast. Designed for first time attendees, prospective members, and those new to CSDA membership, this gathering builds on connections made at the opening reception.
Enjoy breakfast while meeting CSDA leaders, fellow attendees, and staff who can help you navigate the conference, learn about member benefits and resources, and make the most of your CSDA experience. Whether you’re exploring membership or getting oriented, this is a great way to start the day feeling informed and connected."
8:00 - 8:30 am
General Session Room Open for Coffee and Continental Breakfast with the Exhibitors
8:30 - 10:00 am
Opening Keynote: Employalty: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work
Joe Mull
Sponsored by SDRMA
In a time of constant change, shifting employee expectations, and heightened pressure on leaders, do you really understand what leads ordinary people to become extraordinary employees?
Hall of Fame speaker and award-winning author Joe Mull dispels the myths and misperceptions that prevent leaders from activating employee commitment (Hint: it’s not all about money, and it’s absolutely false that “no one wants to work”) and introduces a powerful framework that helps leaders finally make sense of why commitment shows up or disappears inside their organizations.
10:00 - 10:30 am
Break and Networking with the Exhibitors
10:30 am - 11:45 am
Breakout Session Options Options
Harmonious Workplace: Leading through Discord
Kathy Harris, CPS HR Consulting
Effective leadership requires the ability to manage conflict and guide teams through challenging dynamics. This session offers practical tools for navigating workplace discord, restoring alignment, and fostering collaboration across differing personalities and pressures.
10:30 am - 11:45 am
AI for General Managers: From Insight to Impact
Amber Boone, South Orange County Wastewater Authority
VC3
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important tool for public agency leadership. This GM Summit session features a district perspective and VC3 insights on how general managers can use AI to enhance operations, manage resources more effectively, and support sound decision‑making. Real-world examples and practical strategies will help GMs move from awareness to responsible, impactful use of AI.
10:30 am - 11:45 am
From Ambiguity to Action: Framing Decisions as a GM
Josh Bonner, Coachella Valley Public Cemetery District
Framing is one of the most critical steps before starting any project, as it establishes the foundation for every decision, action, and evaluation that follows. A well-defined frame provides clarity and direction, while a poor frame can result in wasted resources, unclear goals, and unnecessary obstacles. This session will explore the essential foundations of decision quality and demonstrate how effective framing leads to stronger strategies and more successful outcomes.
10:30 am - 11:45 am
SB 707 and the Brown Act: What General Managers Need to Know Now
Nick Ghirelli and Fabiola Ceja, Richards Watson Gershon
Recent updates to the Brown Act under SB 707 bring important changes to public meeting requirements, enforcement, and compliance expectations for local agencies. This session is designed specifically for General Managers and executive leadership, providing a clear, practical overview of what has changed, what remains the same, and where agencies face increased risk. Learn how SB 707 affects meeting procedures, public participation, and cure-and-correct demands—and what steps GMs should take to ensure compliance and protect their agency.
11:45 am - 1:00 pm
Networking Luncheon
1:00 - 2:15 pm
Breakout Session Options
Unlocking Your Agency’s Potential: Attracting Talent and Building the Leadership Pipeline
Ryder Todd Smiith and Christine Martin, Tripepi Smith
Agencies face increasing challenges attracting and retaining high‑level talent—while also preparing for leadership transitions and institutional knowledge loss. This session explores how agencies can stand out in a competitive talent market while intentionally building a strong succession pipeline. Learn strategies to attract top performers, inspire long‑term engagement, and develop future leaders from within, ensuring continuity, stability, and results well into the future.
Burnout-Proof Leadership
Stephanie Smith, Best Best & Krieger LLP
Special district General Managers operate in environments of constant visibility, political complexity, and high decision volume. Over time, even high-performing leaders can experience decision fatigue, diminished clarity, and subtle erosion of leadership energy — often without recognizing it until performance is impacted.
Burnout-Proof Leadership is designed to help experienced public leaders sustain performance without sacrificing clarity, confidence, or institutional effectiveness.
This session focuses on executive cognitive load, governance stress cycles, decision architecture, values alignment, and practical structural adjustments that protect leadership capacity over the long term.
Building Financial Sustainability in Special Districts
Josh Byerrum, Samantha Prall, Platinum Strategies Inc.
Maintaining long-term fiscal health is a critical responsibility for public agencies. This session examines key strategies including reserve policies, multi-year budget forecasting, revenue volatility management, and balancing restricted and unrestricted funds. Participants will also explore practical lessons drawn from water, fire, and resource district case studies.
Building Resilient Operations Through Emergency Preparedness
Tony Coletta, Jacob Green and Associates
Discover practical tools to maintain service continuity, support staff readiness, and coordinate effective response during impactful and disruptive emergencies.
2:15 - 2:45 pm
Break: Networking with the Exhibitors
2:45 - 3:45 pm
Breakout Session Options
Protect Public Trust by Protecting Your Systems
VC3
Ransomware attacks affect municipalities more than any other industry, and yet many do not even have the “basic basics” in place—multi-factor authentication (MFA), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and data backup. Because of this situation, insurers increasingly see municipalities as uninsurable. Municipalities are facing several steep challenges as many insurers are refusing to insure them or raising premiums to a very high level. We will educate municipalities about this critical situation while also providing some tips on navigating the cyber insurance environment today
Building High-Performing Teams Through Trust, Clarity, and Collaboration
Jacob Green, Jacob Green & Associates
Learn practical, engaging team-building techniques that strengthen communication, increase trust, and improve collaboration to equip special district leaders in building cohesive, motivated, high-performing teams.
Getting and Maintaining Support of Governing Bodies for Negotiations
Jon Holtzman and Luke Jensen, Renne Public Law Group
Learn how to build and maintain governing body alignment during negotiations, using tools to educate officials, sustain majorities, adapt strategy, and advance fiscal sustainability, competitiveness, service delivery, and public trust.
2:45 - 3:45 pm
Public Contracting Made Simple
Jeff Frey, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
Sole sourcing? Competitive bidding? Bid protests? These are just a few of the complex issues public entities must navigate when managing public works projects. While public contracting can seem daunting, it becomes much more manageable once you understand the fundamentals. This presentation will provide an overview of public contracting law in California, public procurement, common public works issues, and common contracting provisions.
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Breakout Session Options
Districts in Search of Money – Getting Capital Projects Funded
Curtis Paxton, Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District
Rick Brandis, Oppenheimer & Co Inc.
Dmitry Semenov, Ridgeline Municipal Strategies, LLC
The session focuses on key aspects of project financing (bonds, private placements, financing leases, and government loans - USDA, SRF, WIFIA, etc.) and how market changes are impacting your district's ability to borrow money:
- Preparing for financing and deciding how much to borrow
- How the municipal financing process works
- What team members you need to have on board
- How to select appropriate financing tools
- Why interest rate is not the only criteria you should consider
- Decision-making process when you are caught in a market storm
- What on-going responsibilities you have once debt is issued
A market update will also be provided, because even though we may not always know what the future holds, we should always know where we stand right now.
Your Website May be Compliant, But Are Your Documents?
Mac Clemmens, Streamline powered by CivicPlus
Most agencies have focused on getting their websites ADA compliant—but documents are often overlooked. Learn what’s required, why accessible PDFs matter, and practical, sustainable ways to address document accessibility.
Leading Through Generational Change: Building Your Next-Level Workforce
Kammy Haynes, CPS HR Consulting
California special districts can lead the public sector in engaging an intergenerational workforce by using succession planning to develop internal talent, strengthen retention, and inspire the next generation of leaders.
Listen Like a Leader: Techniques That Lower Defense and Build Trust
Stephanie McGann Jantzen, El Dorado Hills Community Services District
Struggling with your board? Learn practical, battle-tested strategies to meet your directors where they are, deepen trust, reduce friction, and equip your board to lead with clarity, confidence, and civility.
5:15 - 6:45 pm
California CLASSic Reception
Sponsored by California CLASS
As the sun sets, join us outdoors for a relaxed evening reception sponsored by California CLASS. Enjoy a true California favorite with the iconic In-N-Out Burger truck, casual networking, and a laid-back atmosphere under the open sky. A classic California experience to close out the day.
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
8:30 - 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast with the Exhibitors
9:00 - 10:30 am
General Session with Keynote ON FIRE: Ignite a Radically Inspired Life
John O'Leary
Sponsored by SDLF
We live in a world where “accidental living” – mindlessly moving through routines, wasting countless hours on social media, or complaining about what’s wrong in our jobs, families, and society – has become the norm. But John reminds us that just because we got out of bed this morning, does not mean that we are truly living.
What would our day, impact and output look like if we lived a radically inspired life, every, single day? Living radically inspired means you learn from past mistakes, rise above challenges, and thrive no matter the circumstances.
No one embodies this more than powerhouse inspirational speaker John O’Leary - who was nearly killed in a devastating fire at age nine.
In this talk, John:
- Shares the critical truth that “inflection points” - moments in time that change everything that follows - occur daily.
- Empowers audiences through mighty examples that life has far less to do with what happens to us, and much more to do with how we respond.
- Uses key questions to explore the difference between a victim and victor mindset, sharing tactics for how to apply them in ways that can catalyze transformational growth in life and in your organization.
10:30 - 11:00 am
Break: Networking with the Exhibitors
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Breakout Session Options
Beyond Boundaries: Building Coalitions that Drive Real Change
Mauricio Guardado, United Water Conservation District
Federico Barajas, San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority
Tom Coleman, Rowland Water District
Discover how three powerhouse industry leaders shape policy, amplify impact and turn challenges into collaboration. This session reveals the bold coalition-building needed to navigate California’s regulatory, financial and legislative hurdles.
RESOLVING CONFLICT UNDER PRESSURE: PRACTICAL DE-ESCALATION FOR SPECIAL DISTRICTS
Rock Rockenbach, Rock Solid Options
Practical strategies for district officials and staff to de-escalate conflict, manage emotionally charged interactions, and respond effectively under pressure in public, governance, and workplace settings.
Succession Planning Success: Lessons from a Special District
Sean Barclay and Caty DeLone, Tahoe City Public Utility District
When two-thirds of senior leaders retired in two years, Tahoe City Public Utility District turned challenge into opportunity. Discover practical succession planning strategies, leadership development approaches, and board-staff collaboration lessons to strengthen leadership continuity in your special district.
12:30 - 2:30 pm
Closing Lunch: State of Play in the Capitol
Kyle Packham and Aaron Avery, CSDA
2026 is the last year in office for Governor Gavin Newsom and the first year as Senate President pro Tempore for State Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara); meanwhile, in November, California voters will choose our next Governor and cast ballots on 152 contests for state and federal lawmakers – not to mention numerous propositions. As the new Fiscal Year approaches July 1, how will state leaders address California’s structural budget deficit, tenuous economy, and mounting federal fiscal pressures? And, where do things stand on the biggest legislative threats and opportunities facing special districts and the communities they serve? Hear the very latest insights from inside Sacramento related to property tax, development related fees, Brown Act, pensions, AI, CEQA, ZEVs, mandates and more.