Commission

Stephen Whitburn, Chair

Stephen Whitburn Chair Whitburn has served as a City of San Diego member on San Diego LAFCO since 2023. Mr. Whitburn represents the City of San Diego Council District 3, which includes the Downtown, Little Italy, Bankers Hill/Park West, Middletown, Mission Hills, Hillcrest, University Heights, North Park, Balboa Park, South Park, and Golden Hill areas. Mr. Whitburn is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, and earned a Leadership Certificate from the Center for Executive Development at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management. Chair Whitburn's current term ends on May 2029.

Baron Willis, Vice Chair

Supervisor Paloma Aguirre

Supervisor Aguirre Supervisor Paloma Aguirre is a first-generation Mexican-American and long-time community organizer and public servant whose career has been shaped by her dedication to environmental justice and advocacy for working families. Born in San Francisco and raised between the U.S. and Mexico, she became the first in her family to graduate college and later earned a master’s degree in marine biodiversity from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution. Her early career included grassroots organizing in South San Diego, where she helped low-income families navigate issues like immigration and housing. She later worked on coastal conservation and cross-border pollution issues with groups like Wildcoast and the International Community Foundation.

Aguirre made history as the first Latina elected to both the Imperial Beach City Council and later as Mayor, where she championed efforts to clean up the Tijuana River Valley and pushed for federal investment to address public health crises caused by sewage pollution. In 2025, she was elected to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors representing District 1. She brings a strong voice for immigrant communities, environmental health, and housing equity, and has already made a mark by securing federal funds for wastewater infrastructure and taking on leadership as Chair Pro Tempore of the Board. Commissioner Aguirre's current term ends on May 2027.

Joel Anderson

Commissioner Joel Anderson has served as a county member on San Diego LAFCO since 2021. Mr. Anderson served East County San Diego in the State Assembly from 2007-2009 and in the State Senate from 2010-2018. Prior to that, he served on the Padre Dam Municipal Water District and the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego Board of Directors. Mr. Anderson is husband to his wife Kate of 31 years, and father to their three children - Mary, Maura, and Michael. Commissioner Anderson's current term ends on May 2029.

Kristi Becker

Commissioner Kristi Becker has served as a city member on San Diego LAFCO since 2021. Ms. Becker separately serves as the Deputy Mayor of the City of Solana Beach and has been on the Council since 2018. She is a former trial attorney for a national law firm as well as for the County of San Diego County Counsel’s Office. Other regional appointments include serving as Chair of Clean Energy Alliance and the San Elijo Joint Powers Authority. Commissioner Becker's current term ends on May 2027.

Dane White

Commissioner Dane White has served as a city member on San Diego LAFCO since 2023. Mr. White separately serves as the Mayor of the City of Escondido where he is a 5^th generation resident. Prior to running for Mayor, he worked in construction and opened his own small business—WhiteWerks Flooring LLC—providing flooring installations and refinishing throughout San Diego County. In addition to his work in construction, Dane worked as a Resident Manager operating a residence for individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addiction as well as mental health issues. Other regional appointments include serving on the Escondido Union High School Board in 2016. Commissioner White's current term ends on May 2029.

Jo MacKenzie

JoMacKenzie Commissioner Jo MacKenzie has served as a regular district member on San Diego LAFCO since 2015. Ms. MacKenzie separately has served as an elected Director for the Vista Irrigation District since 1992 representing portions of the Cities of San Marcos and Vista as well as the unincorporated community of Twin Oaks Valley. Ms. MacKenzie is a land use planner. Commissioner MacKenzie's current term ends on May 2028.

Certificate(s):

AB 1234 Public Service Ethics Education (2024)

Brigette Browning

Since May 2021, Brigette Browning has been the Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. Previously, Brigette was the President of Unite Here Local 30. Local 30 has doubled in size under Brigette’s leadership. She is hoping to do the same at the Labor Council. Brigette has also emphasized coalition-building with progressive community groups and like-minded labor unions to deliver better results for San Diego’s workers. On issues ranging from housing and public transit to environmental justice and health care, Brigette works hard to ensure the needs of union members are considered in public policy debates around the County. Being a former non-union organizer, Brigette is passionate about organizing non-union workers. She hopes that by electing pro-union legislators we will be able to create opportunities for affiliated unions to organize thousands of new members. By organizing new members, we can start to re-build the middle class in San Diego. Brigette was born and raised in San Diego and grew up in Ocean Beach. She attended UCSD and has degrees in Chemistry and Spanish Literature. Brigette currently resides in Chula Vista with her husband, and children. Commissioner Browning's current term ends in May 2029.

Eileen Delaney, Alternate

Eileen Along with a business background, Eileen Delaney has over 30 years of extensive experience and knowledge in planning and land use. She has served as an elected member of the Fallbrook Planning Group since 1999 and is the Chair. In this capacity Eileen has worked on fire, water, revitalization and parks ordinances along with zoning and general plan amendments. She is the co-founder and vice Chair of the Association of Planning Groups - San Diego County as well as an Alternate Advisory Board Member on SANDAG.

Public Service has always been a priority and Eileen has served on many County and local non profit Boards including the Boys & Girls Club of North County, District 5 Revitalization Committee, San Diego County Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board and Chamber of Commerce.

Eileen has been honored as a California State Senate Woman of the Year, California Assembly Woman of Distinction/Woman of the Year and Fallbrook Citizen of the Year. One of her greatest honors was being chosen as an Olympic Torch Bearer in the 2002 Olympics. Eileen is an alum of CSUF. She is dedicated to helping improve the lives of others and making San Diego County an even better place to live and visit. Commissioner Delaney's current term ends on May 2027.

David Drake, Alternate

Commissioner David Drake has served as an alternate special district member on San Diego LAFCO since 2021. Mr. David Drake was appointed to the Board of Directors in January of 2006 as the Division II representative of Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District’s Parent District and Improvement District “E.” Mr. Drake currently serves as Rincon Water’s Board President and on the Sewer and the Operations: Engineering and Long-Range Planning committees and as an alternate on the Audit committee. He is Rincon Water’s representative to the ACWA Joint Powers Insurance Authority (ACWA/JPIA) and Chairs ACWA/JPIA Worker’s Compensation Committee. In May of 2015 he was elected to the Executive Committee of the ACWA/JPIA. Mr. Drake has lived in Escondido since 1979 and has been married to Virginia for 37 years. Commissioner Drake's current term ends on May 2027.

John McCann, Alternate

Commissioner John McCann has served as an alternate city member on San Diego LAFCO since 2023. Mr. McCann separately serves as the Mayor of the City of Chula Vista while simultaneously holding the role of full Commander in the United States Navy Reserve. Prior to running for Mayor, McCann was enlisted in the Navy, later commissioned to Naval Officer, and mobilized to serve “boots on the ground” during the war in Iraq. In addition to his role as Mayor and Commander, he owns his own successful small business and continues to volunteer in his community. Commissioner McCann’s current term ends on May 2027.

Marni von Wilpert, Alternate

Commissioner Marni von Wilpert has served as an alternate City of San Diego member on San Diego LAFCO since 2021. Marni has been a deputy city attorney for the City of San Diego since 2018. Marni grew up in Scripps Ranch and went to UC Berkeley undergrad. Graduating law school at the top of her class, Marni followed the values that have always guided her and chose a career of service. As an attorney at the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, DC, Marni enforced the country’s labor laws to ensure everyone who goes to work is treated fairly and paid honestly. She also founded a legal clinic with the Mississippi Center for Justice, to combat discrimination, assist people living with HIV/AIDS and help people lift themselves out of poverty. Commissioner Wilpert's current term ends on May 2029.

Monica Montgomery Steppe

commission cac302 San Diego LAFCO is governed by a 13-member “Commission” comprising county, city, special district, and public members. All Commissioners are appointed elected officials with the exception of the two public members. Commissioners serve four‐year terms and divided between “regulars” and “alternates” and must exercise their independent judgment on behalf of the interests of residents, landowners, and the public as a whole. Commissioners are subject to standard disclosure requirements and must file annual statements of economic interests. The Commission has sole authority in administering its legislative responsibilities and decisions therein are not subject to an outside appeal process. The current Commission roster follows.

Commission Roster