San Diego Region - Board Members

General Statement

The primary duty of the Regional Board is to protect the quality of the waters within the Region for all beneficial uses. This duty is implemented by formulating and adopting water quality plans for specific ground or surface water bodies and by prescribing and enforcing requirements on domestic and industrial water discharges. The specific responsibilities and procedures of the Regional Water Quality Boards and the State Water Resources Control Board are outlined in the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Division 7, California Water Code

Board Members and Executive Officer

Susan Ritschel, Board Member

Susan Ritschel, of San Clemente, currently serves as council member for San Clemente Ms. Ritschel also served two terms as Mayor of San Clemente. She was previously chair of the Orange County Fire Authority and San Clemente's Beach Ad Hoc Committee, Planning Commission, and Housing Element Advisory committees. In the private sector, Ms. Ritschel held positions as regional portfolio manager for Lincoln Property Co./ Legacy Partners and project manager for Bedford Properties/Kemper Inc.

Dr. Richard Wright, Board Member

Dr. Richard Wright, of Jamul, fills the position of county government member on the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Dr. Wright is Emeritus Professor of Geography and past Co-Director of the Center for Earth Systems Analysis Research at San Diego State University. He is a specialist on geographic information systems (GIS), cartographic visualization, and coastal watershed analysis. He has been a consultant to private industry and public agencies on a variety of mapping and geographic information systems projects. He has chaired the United States-Mexico Transboundary Resource Inventory Program, the Education Committee of the United States University Consortium for Geographic Information Science, and the California Geographic Information Association. He has served on numerous boards and commissions including the San Diego County Planning Commission, the Otay Water District Board of Directors, the California County Planning Commissioners Association, the Water Conservation Garden Authority, the San Diego Oceans Foundation Board, the San Diego Museum of Natural History Research Committee, the International Geographic Information Foundation Board, the GIS/LIS National Steering Committee, and the Association of American Geographers National Council. He is also a current member of the Research Committee of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, the San Diego Integrated Regional Water Plan Advisory Committee, the Board of Governors of the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, and the Jamul-Dulzura Community Planning Group. Dr. Wright earned a bachelor and master of arts degrees from Indiana University, and a doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Kansas.

Eric Anderson, Board Member

Eric Anderson, of Elfin Forest, is vice president of La Costa Flower Shop and Nursery, a horticulture business, which specializes in the production, harvest, breeding, and processing of ornamental seeds and seedlings. He has served as director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau for over 12 years and was president from 1996-1998. He also serves on the County of San Diego Sunset Review Commission and previously served on the Resource Protection Review Committee. Mr. Anderson is also serving on the Elfin Forrest Harmony Grove Town Council. He is a past President of the San Diego Flower and Plant Association and a member of the International Palm Society. Mr. Anderson earned a bachelor of science degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

David King, Board Member

David King, of San Diego, founded The King Law Group, where he practices business and real property law. Mr. King was a deputy city attorney for the San Diego City Attorney's Office. Previously, he was an associate for the law firms Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati PC and Brown & Wood. Before law school, David worked as a Certified Public Accountant. David graduated from the University of Florida's Fisher School of Accounting in 1991. He earned his juris doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Master of Laws with a concentration in environmental law from the University of San Diego. He also serves on the San Diego River Conservancy and the San Diego County Assessment Appeals Board.

Wayne Rayfield, Board Member

Wayne Rayfield, of Dana Point, was appointed to the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board in November 2007. He most recently served on the Dana Point City Council from 1998 to 2006. In this position, Mr. Rayfield also served as mayor of Dana Point in 2005. Prior to that, he directed information technology activities for The World Bank from 1971 to 1994 and was a member of the faculty at the University of Wisconsin from 1965 to 1971, where he retired as director of the computing center. Mr. Rayfield previously was a manager for various computer system developments for the RAND Corporation from 1957 to 1965 and was a seismologist for Standard Oil of California from 1956 to 1957. He currently serves as chair of the board for the Dana Point Earth/Ocean Society and is a member of the board of directors for the Ocean Institute as well as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley.

Kris Weber, Board Member

Kris Weber, of Ladera Ranch, was appointed to the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board in November 2007. He started at Hunsaker & Associates, a civil engineering and planning firm, in 1980 and has been a principal there since 2000. Prior to that, Mr. Weber was a planner for Ron Martin and Associates from 1978 to 1980 and the city of Walnut from 1976 to 1978. He is a member of the International Erosion Control Association, California Building Industry Association and American Planning Association.

John Robertus, Executive Officer

John Robertus has served as the Executive Officer of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board since November 1995. Prior to his current position, Mr. Robertus served 27 years on active duty as a Marine Corps Engineer Officer, in various command, staff and facilities assignments. He directed environmental and natural resource programs at three Marine Corps installations on the East Coast and in California over a 12 year period, including management of hazardous materials and wastes and oversight of compliance with discharges to the environment for solid waste, wastewater and airborne emissions. Colonel Robertus served his last four years in the Marine Corps as the Facilities Director of Camp Pendleton, California and retired in San Diego in July 1995. He has a degree in Physics from the University of California, an MBA from Chapman College and a Masters Degree in National Security Studies from the Naval War College.