California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León announced on March 16 that the Senate Rules Committee has appointed La Cañada Flintridge resident Maria Mehranian to the Delta Stewardship Council.
The Delta Stewardship Council was created to advance the state’s co-equal goals for the Delta — a more reliable statewide water supply and a healthy and protected ecosystem, both achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique characteristics of the Delta as an evolving place. The Delta Stewardship Council is composed of members who represent different parts of the state and offer diverse expertise in fields such as agriculture, science, the environment and public service. Of the seven, four are appointed by the governor, one each by the Senate and Assembly, and the seventh is the chair of the Delta Protection Commission.
Mehranian is managing partner and chief financial officer of Cordoba Corp., a nationally recognized infrastructure development firm based in Los Angeles. Mehranian holds a master’s of urban and regional planning from UCLA. She previously served as a gubernatorial appointee on the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board from 2008-16. She participates in numerous water policy panels on water quality and supply issues, and serves as a guest lecturer for universities throughout the state.
“I am thrilled to join the Delta Stewardship Council and am looking forward to working with the council as it pursues the co-equal goals of ensuring a reliable water supply for the state while protecting, restoring and enhancing the precious and unique ecosystem of the Delta,” said Mehranian. “I am honored that Sen. de León and the Senate Rules Committee have invested their trust in me to be a steward of the Delta Plan.”
Mehranian holds leadership positions for several academic institutions, including the Woodbury University Board of Trustees and the Dean’s Leadership Board at Cal Poly Pomona College of Engineering. She is currently the International Chairperson of Armenia Fund Inc., which has raised more than $120 million for humanitarian and infrastructure development in Armenia. For exemplifying outstanding qualities in both her personal and professional life while continuing to preserve the richness of her Armenian heritage, Mehranian is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
“We are so proud of Maria for this appointment,” said Cordoba Corp. President and CEO George L. Pla. “Maria’s past experience as a regulator involved in important water policy issues, her planning background, and her keen sense of understanding important environmental and public policy issues will serve her well in this position.”
