San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District President Melody McDonald today announced the appointment of Betsy Miller Vixie as general manager, replacing former General Manager Daniel Cozad, who, after 12 years of exceptional service with the District, has retired.
Miller Vixie is the first woman general manager in the District’s 90-year history. She came to the District in 2019 as Assistant General Manager/Land Resources Manager.
Prior to her work at SBVWCD, Miller Vixie spent 17 years with the City of San Diego as an environmental planner, biologist, natural resources manager, and more. Working in both the Planning and Parks & Recreation Departments, she gained expertise in land and resource policy, project management, and leading intra-and inter-agency teams from planning through successful project implementation. She has a biology degree from Whitman College and a master of arts degree from San Diego State University in geography with a specialty in natural resources management.
“Betsy’s deep knowledge and experience in environmental planning and organizational development make her ideal to manage the District,” McDonald said. “We are excited to see how these skills help to shape our future under her leadership.”
“SBVWCD has the right track record, the right team, and the right partners to continue moving groundwater sustainability forward in California’s uncertain water future,” says Miller Vixie, referencing the District’s roots in groundwater management dating back 100 years. “I plan to build upon SBVWCD’s legacy of holistically achieving our mission, in harmony with critical local economic drivers, critically endangered species, and key long-term partners. It is my hope that the work we do here becomes a global model for arid regions struggling to replenish their groundwater.”
Miller Vixie is a native Californian with roots on the Central Coast prior to spending her high school and college years in the Pacific Northwest. Outside of work and volunteering, she spends her time reading, gardening, and traveling with her husband, Cameron.