Allison Febbo comes to the Westlands Water District from the Mojave Water Agency. Photo contributed

The Westlands Water District board of directors has elected its newest general manager — also the organization’s first woman to serve in the role.

Allison Febbo comes to Westlands by way of the Mojave Water Agency north of San Bernardino, where she is currently general manager. Before that, she was the deputy operations manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley operations office.

She has nearly 25 years of experience in natural resources, hydrology and water operations.

Febbo took the position with Mojave Water Agency on Dec. 1, 2021, according to the Victorville Daily Press.

“Westlands has long been recognized as a leader in California water policy, and I look forward to working collaboratively with staff, water users, and other agencies to explore and implement creative, comprehensive and climate-resilient approaches,” Febbo said in a press release.

Febbo takes over for Jose Gutierrez, who held the position of interim general manager after the departure of Tom Birmingham, who had been with Westlands for 22 years.

Febbo holds a bachelor’s degree in earth and atmospheric science from Georgia Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in hydrologic science from the University of California, Davis.

Most recently, the water district made significant inroads with its required groundwater sustainability plans.

At the beginning of the month, Westlands announced the Department of Water Resources had recommended approval of its sustainability plan submitted to the State under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The Department of Water Resources had announced decisions on 12 sustainability plans in the Central Valley, rejecting half of them.

Febbo begins in her general manager role April 24.