Our Board of Directors

Helix is governed by a five-member board of directors, elected by the communities in which they reside, who oversee district policies and represent Helix in regional and state-level water resources management and policymaking.

Mark Gracyk

Board President / Division 3 Director

Current term December 2016-December 2020
First Elected December 2016

Email Director Gracyk
Division 3 Map

DeAna R. Verbeke

Board Vice President / Division 2 Director

Current term December 2018-December 2022
First Elected April 2005

Email Director Verbeke
Division 2 Map

Dan McMillan EA, MS, MBA

Division 1 Director

Current term January 2018-December 2020
Appointed January 2017

Email Director McMillan
Division 1 Map

Kathleen Coates Hedberg PE, MPH

Division 4 Director

Current term December 2018-December 2022
First Elected December 2006

Email Director Hedberg
Division 4 Map

Joel A. Scalzitti

Division 5 Director

Current term December 2016-December 2020
First Elected December 2012

Email Director Scalzitti
Division 5 Map

Calendar Year 2020

Committee Assignments

Boardmembers rotate committees annually, as directed by the board president.

Helix Water District

Water Quality and Resources Committee
Director McMillan, Chair
Director Scalzitti, Vice Chair
Director Hedberg, Alternate

Engineering and Operations Committee
Director Gracyk, Chair
Director Verbeke, Vice Chair
Director McMillan, Alternate

Finance and Administration Committee
Director McMillan, Chair
Director Hedberg, Vice Chair
Director Gracyk, Alternate

Parks, Land, Lakes and Garden Committee
Director McMillan, Chair
Director Scalzitti, Vice Chair
Director Verbeke, Alternate
Director Hedberg, Alternate

Advanced Water Purification Ad Hoc Committee
Director Scalzitti
Director Hedberg

Scholarship Committee
Director Gracyk
Director Hedberg, Alternate

Regional and State-Level

San Diego County Water Authority
Director Hedberg, Board of Directors, Engineering Committee, Water Planning Committee, Water Conservation Garden Committee Alternate

Director Scalzitti, Board of Directors, Audit Committee, Engineering Committee, Imported Water Committee

Association of California Water Agencies
Director Verbeke, Region 10 Chair, Business Development Committee, Energy Committee, Finance Committee and Membership Committee

Director McMillan, Joint Powers Insurance Authority

Director Hedberg, Communications Committee and JPIA Alternate

California Special Districts Association
Director Hedberg, Past President and Grant Committee Alternate

Director McMillan, Alternate and Fiscal Committee

Director Gracyk, Grant Committee

East County Economic Development Council
Director Verbeke
Director McMillan, Alternate

Environmental Sustainability Commission, City of La Mesa
Director Gracyk
Director Hedberg, Alternate

Water Conservation Garden Authority
Director Verbeke
Director McMillan, Alternate

Harry Griffen Regional Park Joint Powers Authority
Director Gracyk
Director McMillan, Alternate

San Diego River Conservancy
Director Verbeke
Director McMillan, Alternate

Urban Water Institute
Director Hedberg

Cleantech San Diego
All

San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce
All

Council of Water Utilities
All

WateReuse Association
All

Your Representative

Helix board members are elected by residents in each of the five divisions shown on the map.

Dan McMillan, Division 1

DeAna Verbeke, Division 2

Mark Gracyk, Division 3

Kathleen Coates Hedberg, Division 4

Joel Scalzitti, Division 5

Resolution 85-59 of the Helix Water District Board of Directors states that the district’s general election will be held in conjunction with the statewide general election.

Each director is elected for a term of four years and assumes office at 12 p.m. on the first Friday in December following the election. Elections are held in November in even-numbered years.

Individuals interested in serving on the Helix Water District Board of Directors are invited to visit the County of San Diego Registrar of Voters for the latest information on how to file as a candidate, including filing deadlines.

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