Commissioner Daniels provides leadership in the area of sustainable water policy, including watershed and urban runoff management, groundwater recharge, water re-use, and food policy as it relates to sustainable agriculture.
For over 20 years, Daniels has been actively involved in California environmental policy issues in large part due to her longtime and close involvement with Heal the Bay, an environmental group whose mission is to improve and protect Southern California coastal waters and beaches. Daniels was also commissioner with the California Coastal Commission, and a gubernatorial appointee on the governing board of the California Bay-Delta Authority (a cooperative effort among more than 20 state and federal agencies that work with local communities to improve the quality and reliability of California’s water supply).
She has served on a number of non-profit boards of environmental and Asian American non-profit organizations, and is the recipient of a number of recognitions and awards, including: Heal the Bay’s Superhealer Award (1991); the Environmental Leadership Award of the California League of Conservation Voters (2005); and the Water Quality Leadership award from the State of California Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (2007).
Until her appointment by Mayor Villaraigosa to the fulltime Board of Public Works, her day job was as a trial attorney handling civil litigation, primarily representing businesses and professionals. She was also a mediator and arbitrator.