Online, Zoom meeting format
At our February event, we'll talk about getting that first job in water operations and maintenance.
Our guests are O&M leaders and they look forward to answering your questions! Consider it like a mini-career coaching session.
Meet the experts:
- Chris Castaing; Operations & Maintenance Manager, San Diego County Water Authority
- Dr. Gilbert Barela, Mechanical Systems Superintendent, Jurupa Community Services District
- Everyday is an interview.
- Getting that first entry-level role.
- The career path roller coaster.
- Then it's your questions - what have you been wanting to ask?
After you sign-up, the system will email you the Zoom meeting link to use on February 19th. Email us if you have questions and we look forward to seeing you there!
About the Speakers
Chris Castaing is an Operations & Maintenance Manager for San Diego County Water Authority overseeing the system operations, operations technology (SCADA), and technical services departments. He has been employed with SDCWA since 2004. He began his career in water industry with Valley Center Municipal Water District as a Meter Reader/Backflow Tech in 1997.
Chris is also an adjunct instructor for Palomar College and Mt. San Jacinto College where he teaches Backflow Tester Certification, Cross Connection Control, Management & Supervision, Advanced Water Treatment, and Advanced Water Distribution for their respective Water Technology programs.
Chris holds a D5 Water Distribution Operator Certificate and a T2 Water Treatment Operator Certificate with the state of California along with a Backflow Tester and Proctor Certificate and Cross Connection Control Specialist with California-Nevada Section of AWWA.
Gilbert G. Barela, PhD
I am a seasoned professional with a career built on service, leadership, and resilience. My journey began in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Soldier, where I learned discipline, teamwork, and the importance of leading from the front. Those early lessons carried into private security and defense contracting in support of the Department of Defense, and later into law enforcement—roles that demanded integrity, accountability, and calm decision-making under pressure.
For the past 18+ years, I have dedicated my career to the water and wastewater industry. I currently serve as Mechanical Superintendent at Jurupa Community Services District (JCSD), in Jurupa Valley, California, where I oversee maintenance and asset reliability programs across treatment plants, pump stations, and other critical infrastructure that communities depend on every day.
Leadership, to me, is service. That philosophy has guided not only my professional work, but also my long-standing volunteer commitments. Since 2007, I have been actively involved with the California Water Environment Association (CWEA), serving in multiple leadership roles, including State President (2024–2025). I also serve as a Delegate-at-Large for the Water Environment Federation (WEF) House of Delegates, representing California’s water professionals at the national level. Through these roles, I have contributed to certification programs, mentored professionals, and helped strengthen teams across the sector.
Academically, I hold a PhD in Organizational Leadership, along with an MBA, an MS in Management and Leadership (MSML), and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. My academic work, combined with decades of field experience, informs my focus on organizational strategy, workforce development, and asset reliability in high-accountability environments.
I am also the author of Grounded Integrator Leadership, a practical leadership framework developed from real-world experience leading teams in military, public safety, and critical infrastructure settings. At its core, the framework reflects a simple belief: effective leadership is built on clarity, steadiness, accountability, and human connection—especially when the stakes are high.
Across every chapter of my career—Army, security, law enforcement, and water—the focus has remained the same: build strong teams, lead with integrity, and leave organizations better than I found them.
