SFPUC Commission

Newsha K. Ajami, is the President of the Commission. She is the Chief Strategic Development Officer for Research in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Area (EESA) at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL). A leading expert in sustainable water resource management, smart cities, and the water-energy-food nexus, she uses data science principles to study the human and policy dimensions of urban water and hydrologic systems. In her role at LBL she is focused on developing and leading interdisciplinary and impact-focused research initiatives at the nexus of water, energy, and climate.

Dr. Ajami was a two-term gubernatorial appointee to the Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board. She is a member of National Academies Board on Water Science and Technology and serves as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute. Dr. Ajami also serves on number of state-level and national advisory boards. Before joining LBL she served as the founding director of the Stanford Urban Water Policy program and as a senior research scholar at the Stanford Woods Institue for the Environment. Earlier in her career, she also served as a Science and Technology fellow at the California State Senate’s Natural Resources and Water Committee where she worked on various water and energy related legislation.

She has published many highly cited peer-reviewed articles, coauthored two books, and contributed opinion pieces to the New York Times, San Jose Mercury and the Sacramento Bee. Dr. Ajami received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the UC, Irvine, an M.S. in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Amir Kabir University of Technology in Tehran.

Commissioner Ajami serves in Seat 1: Shall be a member with experience in environmental justice policy and an understanding of environmental justice issues. She is fulfilling the unexpired portion of a term ending August 1, 2024.

Sophie Maxwell is the Vice President of the Commission. She served three terms on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, representing San Francisco's District 10 which includes Potrero Hill, Bayview Hunters Point, Visitacion Valley, Silver Terrace, Dogpatch, Little Hollywood, and the Portola districts.

During her tenure, Commissioner Maxwell worked for more equitable distribution of public resources, increasing economic development opportunities for all San Franciscans, and nurturing and empowering our City's most vulnerable residents. Commissioner Maxwell continues to advocate for environmental justice, clean energy, and children's health and educational programs.

Commissioner Maxwell was the Chairperson of the Land Use and Economic Development Committee, where she focused on sustaining and enhancing San Francisco's communities by investing in its residents.

As a member of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee, she was a driving force for accountability and transparency in local government, and for new business and economic development.

As a member of the County Transportation Authority and a Board member of Workforce Investment San Francisco, Commissioner Maxwell played an integral role in shaping San Francisco's workforce system. One of her goals was to support strong working partnerships involving businesses, educational institutions, community-based organizations and City agencies.

"All San Franciscans are a source of true pride, and they represent the most important resource for our City's future."

Commissioner Maxwell serves in Seat 2: Shall be a member with experience in ratepayer or consumer advocacy. Her current expires August 1, 2025.

Tim Paulson has over two decades of experience in the labor movement. In 2018 he was elected the Secretary-Treasurer of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, which consists of 32 unions representing 20,000 San Francisco construction workers.

Prior to this election, he was the Executive Director of the San Francisco Labor Council, which is comprised of 150 local unions representing over 100,000 working men and women in San Francisco. Before joining the San Francisco Labor Council, he worked as the Political Director and Assistant Executive Officer of the San Mateo County Central Labor Council.

A Journeyman Tilesetter since 1981, Commissioner Paulson served as a principal officer and business agent for the 45-county Bricklayers, Tilelayers, and Allied Craftworkers Local 3 and was Apprenticeship Coordinator for the Northern California Tilelayers and Tile Finishers Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee.

He is the chair of the San Francisco State University Labor Archives Board and serves on both the San Francisco City College Labor Studies and the University of California Berkeley Institute for Labor Education and Research advisory boards. He serves on the executive board of the California Democratic Party as elected Chair of the Labor Caucus.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Macalester College and lives in San Francisco.

Commissioner Paulson serves in Seat 3: Shall be a member with experience in project finance. His current term ends August 1, 2024.

Tony Rivera was born and raised in San Francico's Mission district. Tony is a 28-year veteran of the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD). He served in fire suppression as a Lieutenant and Captain. During his career, Tony received two lifesaving awards from the SFFD, the "Firehouse" magazine National Heroism Award (1998), the Hispanic Lyon's Club Firefighter of the Year (2002), the Lyon's Club International Firefighter of the Year (2014), and the Irish-Italian Firefighter of the Year (2017).

He ran the Bureau of Equipment where he managed the SFFD's fleet of vehicles and procured firefighting equipment. Tony incorporated green technology into the department's fleet. He added solar panels to all of the SFFD's vehicles, replaced the gasoline powered rescue tools to electric, and introduced significant emission reducing features to the large vehicles in the fleet. Tony was nominated for the 2016 SPUR Good Government Award for his achievements.

He reached the rank of Assistant Deputy Chief where he managed the SFFD's capital projects, supervised purchasing contracts, and was the liaison to the SFPUC. His work with the SFUPC included hydraulic modeling for the extension and upgrading of the Emergency Firefighting Water System, the planning of City Distribution hydrants for large developments, and the modeling for disaster preparedness. Tony also managed the fire department's ESER bond water projects, including the refurbishment of the SFPUC's two large capacity saltwater pump stations, cisterns, and the design and placement of water manifolds along the bay and Treasure Island for fireboat connections. Tony also served as Director for the San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 board where he supported labor rights and participated in collective bargaining. Tony is a founding member of the San Francisco Firefighters Veterans Association, which promotes helping all veterans and reaching out to at-risk youth.

Tony is a veteran of the United States Navy and was honorably discharged in 1994. During his time in the Navy, he held a Security clearance, studied oceanography, and served as an aircrew member in an anti-submarine patrol squadron.

Tony currently serves on several boards of San Francisco organizations. He is an associate board member of the San Francisco Fire Credit Union. He serves on the Archbishop Riordan High School Alumni Board where he helped establish the Lt. Vincent Perez scholarship for economically challenged students in the City. Tony is also a board member with the San Francisco Olympic Club's Foundation Committe which funds grants for underserved youth sports programs throughout the Bay Area. In addition, Tony is a member of the American Legion Cathay Post #384.

Tony and his wife, both native San Franciscans, are raising their two children in the city that they love.

Commissioner Rivera serves in Seat 5: Shall be an At-Large member. His current term ends August 1, 2024.

Kate Stacy worked as a Deputy City Attorney for the Office of the City Attorney of San Francisco where she served as the Chief of the Land Use Team (2008-2021), and as the Deputy City Attorney on the Land Use Team (1998-2008). Projects she managed included the Water System Improvement Program, Giants Ballpark, Mission Bay, M.H. DeYoung Museum construction, Palace of the Legion of Honor expansion, 34th America's Cup, Inclusionary Housing Charter amendment and legislation, affordable housing implementation, and office, mixed use, and housing development projects. She also served as General Counsel to the Planning Commission and Department, Historic Preservation Commission, and City Arts organizations. 

Kate graduated from the University of Chicago Law School and received her B.A. from Swarthmore College.

Commissioner Stacy serves in Seat 4: Shall be a member with experience in water systems, power systems, or public utility management. Her current term ends August 1, 2026.