April Town Hall: Owens Valley Team Shines Spotlight on Dynamic Long Valley Dam Improvements & Emergency Slidegate Replacement
The April Employee Town Hall took place in Bishop on April 15. This Town Hall marked the first with David W. Hanson, Interim General Manager, at the helm. He along with other Department staff traveled to Bishop to host approximately 200 employees from the Owens Valley at the Bishop Tri-County Fairgrounds.
Before launching into the day’s topic, Hanson provided opening remarks that highlighted Department happenings including Power System leadership appointments, the annual Mono Lake level reading, final snowpack measurement, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, the Women’s Career and Wellness Expo, and the Lineman’s Rodeo.
Intake Turns 100
Preparation and Response to Atmospheric River Fueled Storm
Hanson then invited the day’s presenters to the stage which included Tyler Kaplan – Civil Engineering Associate with Northern District Engineering, Brad Weller – Construction and Maintenance Supervisor and Aqueduct Safety Coordinator, and David Pratt – Director of the Owens Valley Operations Division. Together, this talented Owens Valley team gave an engaging and detailed presentation about the recent Long Valley Dam improvements and emergency slidegate replacement. The presenters shed light on how dynamic these projects were, requiring collaboration by a variety of groups within the Department all while adhering to complex safety protocols. Notably, the team shared the work was completed with zero safety incidents!
Following the presentation, the presenters joined Hanson on stage for a Q&A session to answer questions from audience members. Employees who were not able to tune in to the April Town Hall can visit MyDWP for more information from the meeting. Stay tuned for details about the June Employee Town Hall!
From Power Lines to Painted Lines: Meet LADWP’s Vince Leal
LADWP prides itself on our diverse and inclusive team, allowing us to serve our equally diverse and vibrant communities. Each employee has unique talents and a story that forms the framework of the formidable LADWP workforce.
Meet Vince Leal, a Patrolman in the Overhead Transmission group in the Power Transmission and Distribution Division. Leal began his career with the City of Los Angeles in 1999 as a Traffic Officer. Eventually, he set his sights on LADWP and made the leap in 2002 as an Apprentice Lineman. What is unique about Leal’s story is that his desire to serve does not end when he clocks out for the day. Instead, he uses his spare time to serve the Owens Valley community in another way besides providing electricity – he also provides art.
Leal began painting when he was 16 years old, and when he moved to the Owens Valley in 2008 and purchased a home in Lone Pine, he finally had the space to set up an art studio. This space allowed him to further develop his craft. Eventually his talents started to flow out from the four walls of his art studio and onto the walls of various community establishments. From “Ambiance of Reverie” at Owens Valley Elementary School and “Social Media Mural” on Bonanza Mexican Restaurant, to “The Social History of Inyo County” on NAPA Auto Parts, his work is embedded throughout the place he has called home for the past 18 years.
When asked to pinpoint a favorite piece out of what he estimates to be around 30 pieces he has done around the Owens Valley, he identified “The Social History of Inyo County.” This piece, which he first began working on 10 years ago to celebrate Inyo County’s 150 year anniversary, will stand at a massive 16 feet by 76 feet once completed.
“The Social History of Inyo County”
“Social Media Mural”
“The mural ("The Social History of Inyo County") features 8 chapters with subplots running throughout. The chapters are: The Minors, The Pioneers, The Paiute/Shoshone, The Ranchers, The Movie Makers, Manzanar, Tourism and Inyo County Today. The mural features multiple Inyo County landscapes, and when viewing the mural, one gets a sense of what a driving tour of the county would be like. This mural and all the research I’ve put into it has really given me a deeper sense of place and people in Inyo County.”
Vince Leal, Patrolman, Power Transmission Distribution
Leal has undoubtedly inspired creativity in his community with his artwork. He has invited fellow community members to get their creative juices flowing by hosting a photography contest as part of his “Social Media Mural,” offering art workshops for local kids, and sharing performance art pieces.
This desire to represent and give back to surrounding communities is a trait that is shared by many Department employees, and Leal truly embodies that spirit. Next time you are in the Owens Valley, take an extra close look at your surroundings. You will no doubt be greeted by beautiful scenery as well as a masterpiece by LADWP and Owens Valley’s very own Vince Leal.
Select a photo below to click through the gallery.
"Ambiance of Reverie"
"The Improvisation of Nature #16"
"The Social History of Inyo County"
Kids Take Over JFB for Bring Your Children to Work Day
Bring Your Children to Work Day returned to JFB on April 1, welcoming employees and their children for a morning focused on learning, exploration and fun. Hosted by Employee Health and Benefits, the event invited children ages 5 to 18 to get a closer look at the important work happening across the Department while encouraging curiosity about future career paths.
The Cafeteria Patio area was transformed into an interactive learning space featuring educational exhibits and science activities. Several employee resource groups from across the Department helped bring the event to life through STEM-focused activities. The ASPIRE (AANHPIs Supporting Progress, Inclusion, Respect, and Empowerment) booth hosted a science-centered slime-making activity that explored simple polymers through hands-on learning. Nearby, LADWP-NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) provided windmill building kits that allowed children to explore engineering and renewable concepts while building their own small windmill structures. Wildwoods, a nature-based educational program, also participated in the event with activities that encouraged children to explore science and the natural world.
“The Social History of Inyo County”
“Social Media Mural”
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Throughout the patio and A-level exhibit areas, children participated in hands-on PVC-pipe building activities and marshmallow engineering challenges designed to introduce basic problem solving and construction concepts in a fun and engaging way. They also explored microscope demonstrations showcasing microorganisms and bacteria related to water-testing, coloring activities, and other science-inspired exhibits.
One of the highlights of the day was the career panel held in the auditorium for children 12 and older. Employees from different areas of the Department shared insights into their careers and answered questions about working in public service.
Lunch and giveaways helped round-out the family-friendly event as LADWP encouraged employees to support curiosity and inspire the next generation through education, mentorship, and exploration.
LADWP Prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a Tabletop Exercise
When it comes to security plans ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, behind-the-scenes preparation happens long before the games and fans arrive.
In June, the southland will transform into a global destination for soccer fans as the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to the region. SoFi Stadium in the City of Inglewood will host several matches from June 12 to July 10, while the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will welcome thousands of fans for the official FIFA Fan Festival from June 11 to June 14, featuring live match broadcasts, cultural programming, and food that reflects L.A.’s diversity.
With the world’s attention on L.A., LADWP convened a multiagency tabletop exercise in April at our La Kretz Innovation Campus with security as the focus.
Participating agencies included the Mayor’s office, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles World Airport Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, as well as LA Metro, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Transportation Security Agency, and Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency.
“To use a sports metaphor, LADWP's Security Division plays defense for the Department, but we can’t ‘win’ without a game plan that includes teammates across federal, state, and local agencies. We are so grateful for their expertise, which will most certainly inform our security protocols for the games.” Daniel Lucero, LADWP Assistant General Manager of Security Services
The exercise explored a realistic scenario involving physical security threats to LADWP facilities and employees, and how to stand up an emergency response across agencies, serving as a “dry run” to evaluate and strengthen security procedures and ensure readiness during the World Cup.
“There’s really no substitute for sitting in the same room to play out the security scenario and making contact with the people who we’ll be calling on during a real-world emergency.” Mona Freels, LADWP Assistant General Manager of Emergency Management
Chief Information Officer and Chief AI Officer Norma Grubb Honored with CDO Vision Award
LADWP’s Chief Information Officer and Chief AI Officer Norma Grubb recently received a CDO Vision Award from AIM Media House. Norma accepted the award at an event in Los Angeles on March 27 alongside other distinguished leaders in AI across industries and sectors.
The award highlights the impact of Norma’s extensive and accomplished career in AI leadership and her role as a people-focused leader driving responsible and transformative AI and data innovation. From leading our AI transformation through ethical roadmaps spanning from Agentic automation to predictive analytics, Norma has been instrumental in modernizing LADWP’s systems and improving productivity through the introduction of new technologies, including the launch of Microsoft Co-Pilot enterprise-wide, the Co-Pilot Community of Practice to support its adoption, and the successful implementation of Workday. Additionally, Norma has consistently shown dedication to championing innovative ways to utilize technology to strengthen LADWP’s resiliency and reliability, while democratizing access to AI tools internally at LADWP, all for the benefit of our customers, communities, and co-workers.
Recognizing Norma for her stand-out work at LADWP and across the industry, this award highlights her success in charting new territory at the intersection of utilities, technology, and AI. Congratulations, Norma!
Rinaldi-Tarzana Transmission Lines 1 & 2 Upgrade Recognized with Award
Recently, the Rinaldi-Tarzana Transmission Lines 1 & 2 Upgrade Project was selected as a winner of a 2026 Baldwin Group Build America Merit Award in the “Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering and Collaboration Merit Award” (Project $20M and above) category. Construction for this project, led by LADWP’s Capital Projects, Transmission and Distribution teams, spanned from November 2024 to April 2025 throughout the San Fernando Valley. The work primarily took place along the transmission corridor connecting the Rinaldi, Northridge, and Tarzana Receiving Stations.
Designed to modernize and strengthen a critical portion of LADWP’s electrical transmission system, the project replaced and upgraded aging high-voltage power lines and related infrastructure that had originally been installed between the 1950s and 1970s. The upgrades significantly improved power reliability and increased the amount of electricity the system can safely deliver to homes and businesses by approximately 50 percent. The project also helped reduce the risk of emergency overloads, lowered long-term maintenance costs, and supported the City’s broader clean energy and reliability goals identified under the LA100 initiative.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was helping modernize critical infrastructure that directly improves reliability for the communities we serve. Coordinating construction across active transmission corridors, plant nurseries, railroad crossings, freeway crossings, major street crossings, and sensitive community areas required exceptionally close collaboration between engineering, construction, environmental, and stakeholder teams. The complexity of working within these constrained and high‑visibility environments demanded proactive planning, constant communication, and disciplined execution. Despite the challenges, it was especially rewarding to see the project delivered ahead of schedule, within budget, and with zero lost‑time incidents and zero recordable incidents.” Monika Vaghashia, Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer
On March 25, Monika Vaghashia, Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer, and Jose Jr. Verduzco, Project Assistant Manager and Electrical Engineering Associate III, attended the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida where they accepted the award. Congratulations to the teams who worked on this complex and impactful project that will benefit the San Fernando Valley for years to come!
Appointment of John Vanacore as Chief AMI Officer
Long time employee John Vanacore is preparing for retirement following his appointment as Chief AMI Officer. John's illustrious career includes contributions that have helped establish a strong foundation for the AMI program and positioned the next generation of leaders to continue advancing this important work modernizing how we serve our customers. In April 2026, John Vanacore was appointed LADWPs Chief AMI Officer, a role created to oversee one of the largest metering modernization efforts in the Department’s history. Reporting directly to the Interim General Manager, he leads the deployment strategy for LADWP’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program, including the installation of approximately 1.6 million electric meters and more than 700,000 water meters across the service territory. John is responsible for coordinating the many teams involved in the project, while also focusing on system performance, cybersecurity, customer communication, workforce readiness, and long-term planning.
John is a dedicated Utility Operations leader who began his career at LADWP as an Electrical Craft Helper at the Lincoln Heights Training Center. He has years of experience managing large utility operations and modernization projects. He is known for bringing teams together, solving complex challenges, and keeping major projects moving forward. Before becoming Chief AMI Officer, John served as Incident Commander for LADWP’s Unified Utilities Rebuild Operations Center (UUROC) helping support recovery and rebuilding efforts for communities impacted by the Pacific Palisades wildfires. He worked closely with residents, businesses, contractors, and city agencies to help restore utility services, and support the rebuilding process. His career also includes leading the Joint Safety and Training Institute (JSTI) to provide resources and training to keep our workforce safe as we perform critical work.
As he concludes a rewarding 34-year career at LADWP, we thank him for his leadership, dedication, and years of service to the Department.
