Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Karla Nemeth

94. Karla Nemeth

California has been blessed with two “normal” winters, meaning the dreaded word drought hasn’t been thrown around a lot lately. But even in wet times, water conservation and water issues in general remain a priority for the Golden State. Which is where Karla Nemeth, the director of the Department of Water Resources comes in. She’s been at the helm since the Brown administration and her importance has only increased. Gov. Newsom recently tapped her to advise his administration on water priorities, including achieving the governor’s water supply strategy, which involves modernizing the state’s water conveyance infrastructure. If your eyes glazed over at that last bit just know this: Nemeth is Newsom’s water guru and water is muy importante in California now and forever, thus making her more than worthy of this list.