Commissioners
The Commission has 27 members (and their alternates). Commissioners include members of the public, and officials who represent federal, state, and local governments.
Members of the Commission
R. Zachary Wasserman, Commission Chair
Governor appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Governor Brown
appointed on: 02/14/2012
Alternate vacant
Rebecca Eisen, Commission Vice Chair
Governor appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Governor Newsom
appointed on: 06/02/2022
Alternate vacant
Mark Addiego, Commissioner
Association of Bay Area Governments appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Association of Bay Area Governments
appointed on: 01/20/2011
Alternate vacant
Eddie Ahn, Commissioner
Assembly Speaker appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Speaker of the Assembly
appointed on: 04/25/2018
Alternate vacant
Dr. Tessa Beach, Commissioner
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers appointee
Alternate: Williams
appointed by: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
appointed on: 10/28/2019
Tommy Williams, Alternate
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers appointee
Alternate to Beach
appointed by: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
appointed on: 10/28/2019
Stephen Benson, Commissioner
Department of Finance appointee
Alternate: Almy
appointed by: Department of Finance
appointed on: 10/02/2023
Matt Almy, Alternate
Department of Finance appointee
Alternate to Benson
appointed by: Department of Finance
appointed on: 06/02/2022
Ellen Blake, Commissioner
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
appointed on: 06/21/2022
Alternate vacant
Matt Dorsey, Commissioner
City and County of San Francisco appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: City and County of San Francisco
appointed on: 04/15/2025
Alternate vacant
Jenn Eckerle, Commissioner
Secretary of Natural Resources appointee
Alternate: Kimball
appointed by: Secretary of Natural Resources
appointed on: 01/22/2020
Justine Kimball, Alternate
Natural Resources appointee
Alternate to Eckerle
appointed by: Natural Resources Agency
appointed on: 09/21/2023
Pat Eklund, Commissioner
Association of Bay Area Governments appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Association of Bay Area Governments
appointed on: 09/16/2021
Alternate vacant
Dina El-Tawansy, Commissioner
California Department of Transportation appointee
Alternate: Ambuehl
appointed by: California State Transportation Agency
appointed on: 01/08/2021
David Ambuehl, Alternate
California Department of Transportation appointee
Alternate to El-Tawansy
appointed by: California State Transportation Agency
appointed on: 08/15/2021
Lisa Gauthier, Commissioner
San Mateo County appointee
Alternate: Canepa
appointed by: San Mateo County
appointed on: 01/15/2025
David Canepa, Alternate
San Mateo County appointee
Alternate to Gauthier
appointed by: San Mateo County
appointed on: 01/12/2021
John Gioia, Commissioner
Contra Costa County appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Contra Costa County
appointed on: 01/05/199
Alternate vacant
Juan González, Commissioner
Association of Bay Area Governments appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Association of Bay Area Governments
appointed on: 03/20/2025
Alternate vacant
Dr. Andrew Gunther, Commissioner
Regional Water Quality Control Board appointee
Alternate: Belin
appointed by: Regional Water Quality Control Board
appointed on: 06/08/2020
Letty Belin, Alternate
Regional Water Quality Control Board appointee
Alternate to Gunther
appointed by: Regional Water Quality Control Board
appointed on: 9/14/2022
Karl Hasz, Commissioner
Governor appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Governor Newsom
appointed on: 07/01/2021
Alternate vacant
Rebecca Hermosillo, Commissioner
County of Sonoma appointee
Alternate: Rabbitt
appointed by: Sonoma County
appointed on: 01/07/2025
David Rabbitt, Alternate
County of Sonoma appointee
Alternate to Hermosillo
appointed by: Sonoma County
appointed on: 01/05/2021
Grace Kato, Commissioner
State Lands Commission appointee
Alternate: Pemberton
appointed by: State Lands Commission
appointed on: 12/26/2024
Sheri L. Pemberton, Alternate
State Lands Commission appointee
Alternate to Kato
appointed by: State Lands Commission
appointed on: 08/30/2012
Otto Lee, Commissioner
Santa Clara County appointee
Alternate: Kishimoto
appointed by: Santa Clara County
appointed on: 01/12/2021
Yoriko Kishimoto, Alternate
Santa Clara County appointee
Alternate to Lee
appointed by: Santa Clara County
appointed on: 08/18/2021
Mitch Mashburn, Commissioner
Solano County appointee
Alternate: Vasquez
appointed by: Solano County
appointed on: 1/10/2023
John Vasquez, Alternate
Solano County appointee
Alternate to Mashburn
appointed by: Solano County
appointed on: 01/10/2023
Stephanie Moulton-Peters, Commissioner
Marin County appointee
Alternate: Cox
appointed by: Marin County
appointed on: 01/12/2021
Joan Cox, Alternate
Marin County appointee
Alternate to Moulton-Peters
appointed by: Marin County
appointed on: 02/26/2025
Belia Ramos, Commissioner
Napa County appointee
Alternate: Manfree
appointed by: Napa County
appointed on: 01/05/2023
Amber Manfree, Alternate
Napa County appointee
Alternate to Ramos
appointed by: Napa County
appointed on: 01/07/2025
Commissioner vacant
Governor appointee
Barry Nelson, Alternate
Governor appointee
Alternate to Vacant
appointed by: Governor Brown
appointed on: 06/26/2018
R. Sean Randolph, Commissioner
Governor appointee
Alternate: Mendoca
appointed by: Governor Schwarzenegger
appointed on: 05/06/2005
Lenny Mendonca, Alternate
Governor appointee
Alternate to Randolph
appointed by: Governor Newsom
appointed on: 06/02/2022
Patricia Showalter, Commissioner
Senate Rules Committee appointee
Alternate: Lefkovits
appointed by: Senate Rules Committee
appointed on: 09/04/2019
Stephen Lefkovits, Alternate
Senate Rules Committee appointee
Alternate to Showalter
appointed by: Senate Rules Committee
appointed on: 06/08/2022
Lena Tam, Commissioner
Alameda County appointee
Alternate: Gilmore
appointed by: Alameda County
appointed on: 01/24/2023
Marie Gilmore, Alternate
Alameda County appointee
Alternate to Tam
appointed by: Alameda County
appointed on: 03/15/2011
Cecilia Taylor, Commissioner
Association of Bay Area Governments appointee
Alternate: Vacant
appointed by: Association of Bay Area Governments
appointed on: 03/20/2025
Alternate vacant
Legislative appointees
The Honorable Catherine Stefani
Assembly representative
Alternate: Falzon
Frankie Falzon, Alternate
Assembly Speaker appointee
appointed by:Speaker of the Assembly
appointed on: 02/13/2025
The Honorable Jesse Arreguin
Senate representative
Alternate: Amezcua
Luis Amezcua, Alternate
Senate Alternate representative
appointed by:Senator Jesse Arreguin
appointed on: 05/1/2025
How Commissioners are appointed
The Commission has 27 members, who are appointed by the following officials and agencies:
- Five, including the chairman and vice-chairman, appointed by the Governor
- One appointed by the Speaker of the State Assembly
- One appointed by the State Senate Rules Committee
- One each appointed by the boards of supervisors of each of the nine Bay Area counties
- One each from a north, east, south, and west Bay city appointed by the Association of Bay Area Governments
- One from the California Business and Transportation Agency
- One from the California Department of Finance
- One from the California Resources Agency
- One from the California State Lands Commission
- One from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region
- One from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
- One from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
One member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Rules Committee, and one member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, also meet with and participate in the Commission, to the extent that their participation is not incompatible with their respective positions as members of the Legislature.
Ex parte communications
Ex parte communications raise due process and fair hearing concerns because Commission decisions must be based on information that has been provided to all parties and the public, and also must be based on material contained only in the administrative record.
The memorandum on ex parte communications explains the prohibition on ex parte communications, and Commissioners’ duties to disclose and report such communications if they occur to preserve the integrity of the Commission’s decision-making process.
The Commission’s regulations prohibit ex parte communications in adjudicatory actions (permit, consistency and enforcement actions) before the Commission. (Cal Code Regs., tit. 14, § 10283(a).) If a prohibited ex parte communication nevertheless occurs, the regulations require Commissioners to disclose the content of the communication on the record, and to submit to the Executive Director a copy of any written communication, including any response, or a memorandum that includes the substance of any oral communication, including any response, and identifies the party or parties involved. (Id. § 10283(c), (d), (e)).
If an ex parte communication occurs for any permit application, enforcement action or consistency review determination, Commissioners should complete an Ex Parte Communication Disclosure Form.
Commissioners or members of the public may also contact the Commission legal staff at exparte@bcdc.ca.gov.