Section Events
Section Reports
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Your 2021-2022 River City Section Officers
Kevin Pfeiffer,
River City Section Director
Kevin is an Engineering Geologist at the California Department of Parks and Recreation in the Natural Resources Division. He has been a PECG member for 7 years and has served on the as President and Treasurer of the River City Section in addition to membership on the PECG Political Liaison Committee. Kevin is a registered PG, and holds a Bachelor of Science from UC Davis. His primary interests with regard to union activities are pension protection and expansion, increased leave time, and expansion of health care benefits. In his free time, Kevin enjoys cooking, reading, and playing board games with friends.
Email Kevin Pfeiffer / (916) 323-7905
Timothy Chow,
River City Section President
Tim is a Water Resource Control Engineer at the California State Water Resources Control Board in the Division of Water Rights, Permitting Section. Tim worked as an Environmental Specialist in the Biotech industry and as an Engineer in consulting. He received his B.S. in Environmental Engineering from UC Riverside and is pursuing his M.S. in Civil Engineering at CSU Sacramento. He previously served as the Secretary and President Elect for the PECG River City Section. When not at work, he can be found hiking, traveling, and talking to the monsters under his bed.
Email Timothy Chow / (916) 341-5435
KhristinaRae Leyba,
River City Section President Elect
Khristina is a Water Resource Control Engineer working for the Cleanup Fund at the State Water Resource Control Board. She received a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, San Diego. She began her career in the private sector as an engineer in San Diego prior to starting her state service in Sacramento. A few of her hobbies include mentoring, crabbing, camping, and having random dance-offs with her spouse and kids.
Brandon Roosenboom,
River City Section Vice President Rank and File
Brandon is a Water Resource Control Engineer at the California State Water Resources Control Board in the Division of Water Quality’s NPDES Industrial and Construction Stormwater Unit. Before joining public service in 2018, Brandon was an environmental consultant in the Bay Area within the biomedical, healthcare, and technology sectors. He earned his B.S. in Biological System Engineering at the University of California, Davis in 2016. In his spare time, Brandon enjoys backpacking, fishing, and hosting dinner parties for his friends and family.
John Murphy,
River City Section Vice President Supervisory
John is a Senior Engineering Geologist (Supervisory) with the Central Valley Water Board in Rancho Cordova and licensed Professional Geologist and Certified Hydrogeologist. He holds a B.S. in Geology from St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY) and a M.S. in Geology from Binghamton University (Binghamton, NY). Prior to employment at the Water Board, John started his career in the petroleum industry as a Borehole Geologist with Schlumberger in Bakersfield, CA. John joined the Central Valley Water Board in 2016 as an Engineering Geologist with the Site Cleanup Program and was promoted into a Senior role with the Site Cleanup Program in April 2020. John is also the current President of the Sacramento Chapter of the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG). This is John’s first leadership role with PECG.
Emily Cushman,
River City Section Vice President At Large
Emily is an Engineering Geologist working for the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board’s Department of Defense Regulatory Unit. She received a B.S. in Soil and Water Science and B.A. in Geology, both from the University of California, Davis. When not protecting water quality, Emily skis, mountain bikes, and hosts dance parties in stunningly beautiful outdoor locales.
Bryan Moore,
River City Section Secretary
Bryan is a Water Resource Control Engineer at the California State Water Resources Control Board in the Division of Water Quality Cannabis Regulatory Unit but started his career in the transportation industry. Bryan received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from California State University, Chico.
Raja Ramesh,
River City Section Treasurer
Raja currently works as an Air Pollution Specialist at the California Energy Commission. As part of PECG’s River City Section, Raja appreciated the opportunity to work with other members to increase awareness of support resources and engage across agencies. Please reach out to him if you have any questions about our Section finances or PECG in general.
River City Section Committees
Communications Committee -- Newsletters, Website, Outreach
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
The Communications Committee is dedicated to providing and updating our River City Section Members with PECG information as well as River City Section specific events/resources.
Lunch Meets is a NEW method for River City Section Members to network and meet other professionals in our Section. Lunch Meets sets up you and three other members from our River City Section for a virtual lunch. This opportunity allows you to meet other members from our Section, share work experiences, and develop mentor/mentee relationships. A list of questions will be provided to participants to stimulate the conversation. Participants will be prioritized to participate in River City Section sponsored lunches during their Lunch Meets Post-COVID19, !
Sign up HERE!
The River City Section Website organizes information specific to our Section as well as information pertaining to PECG. Be sure to check out the Section calendar for upcoming events!
Our quarterly newsletters keeps our River City Section members up to date with PECG activities as well as our Section events. The members in the Communications Committee write these newsletters which contains updates from PECG Cooperate, River City Section Events, as well as our Section’s Committee activities.
The Committee meets every few weeks to discuss the items above. We welcome our River City Section members to drop in on a meeting to hear more about our activities!
Learning Resources Committee -- Reference Material, Prep Courses, Study Groups, and Tutors
LEARNING RESOURCES COMMITTEE
The mission of the Learning Resources Committee is to provide Members with additional resources regarding licensure in their field. This includes things such as steps to obtain a professional license, connecting with others who are studying for exams, and money saving tips on exam fees and materials.
The Committee plans to host monthly sessions for Members who are interested in collaborating with others and share knowledge on application processes, reimbursement procedures, and exam material. Sessions are not intended to replace exam preparation courses or content, but aim to connect members who may have similar questions or can share solutions to difficult problems.
Our meetings are open to Members! If you are interested in attending a meeting, please email one of the contacts below. We are always interested in hearing from you and welcome any help we can get.
Chair – Lang Khang Lang.khang@waterboards.ca.gov
Member – Sahand Rastegarpour Sahand.Rastegarpour@waterboards.ca.gov
Member – Annabelle Carter Annabelle.carter@caloes.ca.gov
Member Support Committee -- New Employee Orientation and Membership Benefits
Member Support Committee
The Member Support Committee is dedicated to creating and organizing PECG resources to support our members’ wellbeing and prosperity. The Committee is for our members, by our members.
- Explore ways to improve current maternity/paternity leave benefits for Bargaining Unit 9 (BU 9). Winter 2019/ongoing.
- Member Appreciation Care Package. Summer 2020.
- Supervisors Appreciation Care Package. Winter 2020.
Current Maternity Leave Benefits
The State’s outdated Maternity Leave program offers six weeks of leave only for females. The amount of supplemental income also depends on the type of leave program the employee is enrolled in. Male employees and adoptive parents are not eligible to receive compensation for time off for leave. The limited leave time may generate strain and difficulties during a time when the health of our members is vital. In addition, complications during pregnancy and unforeseen events can create financial stress on our members and/or their partners during.
Proposed Maternity/Paternity Leave
The Committee is exploring the support of 12 weeks of paid family leave for both male and female BU 9 employees. This approach will use the current benefits offered under the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program as a guide to determine who will be included. This proposal will provide paid leave and an increase of wage replacement percentage to allow BU 9 employees time to bond with their child and lessen the financial burden while on leave. This proposal will:
- Reduce the inequalities in family leave between BU 9 employees and the private sector and other bargaining units that have SDI.
- Contribute to the healthy development of a BU 9 employee’s family.
- Promote time-off for parents and caregivers to care for and bond with very young children without jeopardizing their income.
- Promote family financial preparedness.
- Could help increase the percentage of women working in BU 9.
- Incentivize younger professionals to seek a career in state service and learn from our veteran staff.
- Promote a healthy work-life balance.
- Support Governor Newson’s goal to expand Paid Family Leave in California.
As of November 2020, the Committee meets about once a month to discuss the items above. We welcome our River City Section members to drop in on a meeting to hear more about our activities! If you are interested in learning more about the Member Support Committee, please contact PECG.RCmembers@gmail.com
Philanthropy Committee -- Scholarships, Relief Programs, Community Volunteering Opportunities
PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
- American River Clean-Up
- Sacramento County Academic Decathlon
- Sacramento Regional Science Bowl
- Square Root Academy’s Great STEM Summit
- Square Root Academy’s Hack the Park
- STEM for Girls
Political Liaison Committee -- Engage with Individuals that support PECG’s Mission
POLITICAL LIAISON COMMITTEE
We’re always looking for likeminded individuals to be a part of our Committees.
If you are interested in joining a committee or simply learning more, please contact Karmina Padgett at karmina.padgett@waterboards.ca.gov.
Useful Resources
Ballots for the 2022-2023 River City Section annual election will be emailed to members with a return deadline of August 17, 2022.
For your ballot to be counted, you must vote by August 17, 2022.
Director: Tim Chow
I am immensely interested in continuing my involvement with the River City Section. As the River City Section President, I am seeking the Director position for 2022-23. Having experienced salary negotiations and multiple lay-offs in my career, I truly appreciate the value and benefits PECG brings to its members. Serving as the RC Section Director, I would be eager to continue overseeing our Section’s activities. In this role, I would also like to continue putting effort to create a stronger community, provide support and resources to our members, and affirm the benefits of collective bargaining within our Section.
President Elect: John Murphy
After enjoying the countless benefits PECG has provided in my tenure as both a member and state employee, I was thrilled to take on the Vice President Supervisory role last year with the River City Section. Over the past year, I saw firsthand how dedicated our leaders are to represent our members, organize social events, and volunteer on various committees. Our work is also drastically changing this year and now, more than ever, we need representation at the local level given the unique challenges faced in the River City Section. I intend to capitalize on what I learned in my recent PECG leadership role as well as my ubiquitous leadership experiences with professional organizations to serve as President for our section. I look forward to the challenge of representing our engineers, geologists, and related professions. I also intend to support and elevate work from our committee groups. I therefore ask for your vote and thank you for your support! John.Murphy@waterboards.ca.gov
Vice President Rank and File: Brandon Roosenboom
Brandon is a Water Resource Control Engineer at the California State Water Resources Control Board in the Division of Water Quality’s NPDES Industrial and Construction Stormwater Unit. Brandon is currently serving as PECG River City’s VP of Rank and File and hopes to continue engaging with members of the union represent their views while also hosting outreach events to expand our membership. Additionally, he participates on the Philanthropy Committee to better serve our local communities and environment.
Vice President Supervisory: Kristi Shelton
Hello fellow River City Section Supervisory Members –
Thank you for considering me as your VP Supervisory for the River City Section. I have been an active member of PECG since I was hired at the Water Boards in 2007. I am proud to have served in numerous positions both at the corporate PECG level and within the River City Section. I promoted to a Senior WRCE position in the Central Valley Region of the Water Boards in 2021. I would be honored to represent my fellow supervisors within the River City Section. Supervisors are coping with many new challenges and if elect I will relay your concerns to the other officers within the River City Section.
Thanks for your consideration and support.
Vice President At Large: Mohammad Biswas
I like what the River City has to offer for its members, which is why I am highly encouraged to run for a section officer position. With my new position I hope to better represent the section’s At-Large members while promoting the overall image of engineers and related professional in the CA government.
Secretary: Jessika Dunn
I am new to the professional field, but I hope that a fresh perspective and enthusiasm will assist me in contributing to our Union. I have worked as an engineering geologist for a little over two years now. I transferred over to the State Waterboards from Caltrans, where I worked as a drafter. I am a recent graduate from Sacramento State. I have strong reading/writing comprehension and I take thorough notes.
Secretary: Jacques Lord
I wish to contribute my time and talents and over 35 years of experience to PEGC since it has been my first union experience (and a positive one) and I have benefitted from PEGC. It’s my turn to give more than dues. My experiences in the private sector include Construction Management, Contract Management, and Project Management for multimillion dollar remediation programs. I have been a board member for 501c organizations as well. Thank you for your consideration!
Treasurer: Ndeshiya Lydia Montgomery
Lydia is a Water Resource Control Engineer at the California State Water Resources Control Board in the Division of Financial Assistance Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Unit. Lydia received a B.S. in Environmental Resources Engineering from Cal Poly Humboldt.