Cal Cities and CEAC President’s Welcome
Local Streets and Roads Awards
Keynote

How many times have you heard: “I never got the notification,” “Who decided to remove parking for a bike lane?” or “Who do I talk to about the sprinklers that run nonstop?” As demand for instant information rises, local agencies are under pressure to deliver timely, clear, and accessible messaging. In this session, public works directors and a communications team member will share effective engagement strategies. Learn what works — from quick posts to high-impact videos — and leave with actionable ideas and adaptable communication plan templates for your agency’s size and resources. Even if you “are" the communications team, this session will help you take your outreach to the next level.

Speakers: Sanjay Mishra, Director of Public Works, Fairfield | Erica Ahmann Smithies, Public Works Director, American Canyon | Bill Way, Communications Manager, Fairfield

Learn how agencies can unlock greater value from data already collected through Pavement Management Systems (PMS) by looking beyond basic Pavement Condition Index (PCI) scores and focusing on additional indicators. By cracking the data that has already been collected and paid for, agencies can improve the selection and timing of maintenance and rehabilitation work. This talk will show what to focus on, and how to improve decision making regarding treatment selection and timing.

Moderator and Speaker: Matt Randall, Deputy Director, Department of Public Works, Placer County

Speaker: John Harvey, Director, University of California Pavement Research Center, Davis

In a galaxy not so far away, the City of Rosemead faced an epic challenge: nearly two decades of deferred maintenance threatening civic well-being. Enter a new Public Works Director launching a bold mission to restore balance to the city’s facilities within the first six months on the job! Along with Schneider Electric, Rosemead used California’s Government Code 4217 energy performance contracting statute to bundle critical citywide improvements into one self-funded project. This initiative is modernizing outdated mechanical systems, replacing unsafe electrical infrastructure, upgrades lighting at City Hall, community centers, and advances a citywide streetlighting plan. This panel shows how collaboration, smart funding strategies, and technology can help cities overcome the dark side of deferred maintenance.

Moderator and Speaker: Sam Hall, Public Partnership Leader, Schneider Electric

Speakers: Sulma Hernandez, Program Manager, SoCalREN, County of Los Angeles | Arlene Tieu, Public Works Administrative Analyst, Rosemead

As fiber de0ployments accelerate across California, local governments face increasingly complex questions about franchise rights, permitting, and the use of public assets. This session clarifies state and federal regulatory frameworks, including CPUC oversight, recent FCC actions, and new California laws on microtrenching and batch permitting, while outlining practical strategies for managing rights-of-way and negotiating access to government-owned fiber and conduit. Presenters will highlight best practices to avoid common permitting pitfalls, strengthen pavement and ROW management, and evaluate partnership opportunities with private providers. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the legal landscape and greater confidence in overseeing fiber projects.

Moderator: Tillman "Tim" Lay, Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP

Speaker: Bennett Givens, Of Counsel, Best Best & Krieger LLP

Catch up with colleagues while enjoying appetizers and no-host beverages during the evening networking reception.

Join California Water Service for a panel discussion on how local governments, public safety agencies, and utilities prepare for a variety of natural disasters including wildfires, earthquakes, and floods to ensure that they stay coordinated as they work to keep the public safe. Learn more about what goes on behind the scenes in disaster response preparation discussions, and how to quickly start the recovery process.

Speakers: Brendan Ottoboni, Second Vice President, Public Works Department and Director of Public Works, Engineering, Chico | Henry Wind, Operations Director, California Water Service Co

Join our dynamic discussion highlighting the experiences, challenges, and successes of women in public works. This conversation will center around real-world insights, leadership strategies, and lessons learned on navigating career growth in a traditionally male-dominated industry. This roundtable is open to everyone who wants to build more diverse, successful teams within their communities.

Speaker: Julie Lucido, Director of Public Works, Napa

Public works professionals have been referred to as the silent first responders. Typically, they are the first to arrive after natural or manmade disasters, clearing the way for other first responders, and last to leave, long after the emergency is over. Despite the Presidential Policy Directive 8 which officially recognizes public works as first responders, issued in response to 9/11, many do not regard public works as first responders This presentation will share how to increase the visibility of your public works department with the public, elected officials and other departments within your agency.

Moderator and Speaker: Joubin Pakpour, Region 8 Director, American Public Works Association

Speakers: Warren Lai, Public Works Director, Contra Costa County | Adam Nelkie, Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer, Pleasanton | Rich Payne, Director of Public Works, Walnut Creek

In 2025, the California Air and Resources Board (CARB) withdrew its waiver request to allow stricter enforcement of vehicle emission standards. But, the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) rule doesn’t require a waiver, leaving it up to state and local governments to lead the charge in California’s EV transition. Is your agency prepared for the 100% ZEV procurement requirement coming in 2026? This panel brings together public works leaders – each representing different scales and stages of EV fleet implementation–to share lessons learned as they navigate the challenges of planning, funding, and deploying electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

Moderator: Sam Zantzinger, Head of EV & Fleet Electrification, ForeFront Power

Speakers: Guy Eisenbrey, Director of Municipal Services, Apple Valley | Charley Marchesano, Chief, Capital Construction and Sustainability Program, County of San Diego

Artificial Intelligence isn’t an abstract concept, it’s a tool transforming how public works departments operate and engage with their communities. This session moves beyond introductory concepts to showcase real-world applications, lessons learned, and implementation strategies. Explore how AI is being used for predictive maintenance, smart dispatching, asset management, and synthesizing public input. Highlighting tools like Co-Pilot, ChatGPT, Claude, and more, along with California city-specific AI pilot programs and internal usage policies, this session will demonstrate how AI can enhance productivity, improve customer service, automate reporting and support decision-making, while maintaining ethical guardrails and transparency. Participants will leave with actionable insights, sample guidelines for safe experimentation, and a roadmap for integrating AI into everyday workflows. Whether you're looking to streamline processes, elevate community engagement, or just understand what the AI fuss is all about, this session will give you the confidence to take the next step.

Moderator: Carmen Kasner, CA Sector Growth Director, Ardurra

Speakers: Gabriela Dow, Director, Community Relations & Public Affairs, Ardurra | Kristina Ray, Director of LEAN Government, City of San Marcos

Stormwater runoff is heavily regulated throughout California, requiring municipalities of all sizes to implement comprehensive programs to control the discharge of pollutants in runoff. This panel presentation will explore an approach to tracking and quantifying benefits from structural stormwater controls, that provides a cost-effective way for municipalities to document regulatory compliance and communicate benefits to the environment and surrounding communities.

Moderator: Grant Sharp, Manager, South OC Watershed Management Area, Public Works, Orange County

Speakers: Kathleen Elmquist, Product Owner, Environmental Science Associates | Aaron Poresky, Senior Principal, Geosyntec Consultants

This session highlights how the City of Sunnyvale paired field condition assessment with GIS to track and triage 4,700 sidewalk repair locations across the city. Through customized mobile data collection and asset management integration, Sunnyvale created an interactive platform for budgeting, planning, and progress tracking. The data enabled a hybrid approach, combining low-cost slicing repairs and full replacements, streamlining repairs, and improving public safety. Learn how public agencies can replicate this model to cut costs, prioritize repairs, and justify capital funding. The presentation includes workflow examples, data schemas, and lessons learned from implementation.

Speakers: Joseph Ortega, Vice President, Precision Concrete Cutting | Sean Smith, Deputy Director-Public Works Operations, Sunnyvale

Obtaining grant funds should be a core mission of each and every public works department. Grant funds allow your agency to leverage limited local funds to deliver more impactful and high-quality public works projects. Join this session to learn important grant writing tips and tricks from two grant writing professionals who will each present a case study of recent successful grant applications. You will also hear insightful perspectives of a local agency project/grant manager. In addition to practical techniques, this session will emphasize the importance of strategic funding development through the intentional alignment of funding program efforts with community priorities and capital projects. Participants will explore how to develop a proactive funding strategy, identify competitive opportunities, build internal capacity for sustained success, and achieve community goals through successful grant writing and strategic planning.

Moderator: Jennifer Rosales, Project Director, Ardurra

Speakers: Michael Dour, Senior Transportation Planner, Psomas | Brendan Ottoboni, Second Vice President, Public Works Department and Director of Public Works, Engineering, Chico | Alison Winter, Sr. Funding Manager, Ardurra Group, Inc.

This session equips maintenance superintendents with practical insights on how modern asset management can protect their workforce and infrastructure. Explore the challenges posed by an aging workforce, knowledge loss, and outdated legacy systems, while learning how documenting and formalizing maintenance practices can streamline daily operations, preserve institutional expertise, and strengthen capital planning. Through real-world examples and case studies, this session highlights how superintendents can lead change, improve efficiency, and build resilient teams ready for future demands. Additionally, learn how ArcGIS Online can be used to create custom solutions designed to track the repair and replacement of city assets, such as signs, potholes, ADA ramps, and more.

Moderator and Speaker: Jeff Muir, Regional Manager, PSD Citywide

Speakers: Timothy Hunt, Trees and Hardscape Supervisor, Lakewood | Kelli Pickler, Director of Public Works, Lakewood | Aaron Sutton, GIS Manager, Bucknam Infrastructure Group

A Cal Cities legislative representative, joined by a county representative, will answer your questions and provide their insights into the latest in public works-related policies being discussed in Sacramento.

Speaker: Damon Conklin, Legislative Advocate, League of California Cities

Keynote: Mastering Your Memory
The human brain possesses an incredible amount of power to store and recall information. Unfortunately, most people are never taught how to fully access this ability. In this fun and highly engaging keynote, attendees will learn unique and exciting methods to increase their memory skills to extraordinary levels. Most importantly, this session will teach you how to use these concepts in daily life. Instantly recalling people’s names, giving presentations without notes, increased focus, and improved mental organization are just a few of the practical benefits attendees will take away from this session.

Closing Remarks: Brendan Ottoboni, Second Vice President, Public Works Department and Director of Public Works, Engineering, Chico