David A. Briggs
Director of Operations & Maintenance
David Briggs obtained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, but he did not feel inspired to pursue a career in academics. Instead, he discovered his passion for delivering water to the public. David joined EBMUD in 2017 after achieving success at other Bay Area water agencies. He started by managing water operations and is now the Director of Operations and Maintenance. David finds joy in making positive impacts every day.
As a leader, "I try to encourage a diverse range of opinions before making decisions to ensure I understand all implications and potential impacts. I don’t know everything. When assembling a team, I seek people who think differently from me." David is dedicated to creating an organization that is open and diverse. To achieve this, he focuses on the hiring process, making sure to conduct extensive outreach to attract applicants from all backgrounds. He also collaborates with other District executives to provide job training programs. Furthermore, he is committed to developing his staff and helping them advance into leadership roles.
In 2021, David was part of the executive team that showcased the District's infrastructure accomplishments during Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to the Upper San Leandro Water Treatment Plant. The tour emphasized the significance of water- and community-related investments, which resulted in federal funding. He and General Manager Chan were invited to the White House to observe President Biden's signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law later that same year.