Director, Division 4 — Vallecitos Water District

A.J. van de Ven has been on the forefront of water conservation within the landscape irrigation industry since 2005, first as a software engineer developing products to help government entities conserve water and most recently as President of the business. Having worked closely with numerous government agencies, including water districts, across the United States, A.J. is uniquely suited to work with Vallecitos staff to develop creative solutions to help ratepayers conserve water while identifying opportunities to reduce their fixed costs during this unprecedented drought.

Van de Ven graduated from CSU San Marcos in 2004 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration. He is also continuing his education by attaining Certificate in Water Resources Management and Leadership from CSUSM. 

Outside of work, A.J. volunteers as President on his local HOA, a position he has held since 2010. During his tenure, he worked closely with other Board members to reduce homeowner dues by nearly 20% and work to reduce overall expenditures, including a recent 22% reduction in management fees.

Mike Sannella currently serves as President of the Board and was first elected to the Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors, Division 4 in 2014.  He represents parts of San Marcos, Carlsbad, and the Lake San Marcos community.

A resident of San Marcos since 1996, Sannella’s involvement in the community includes having served as City Planning Commissioner,  Vice President of the San Marcos Economic Development Corporation, and Vice President of San Diego County Crime Stoppers. Additionally, he supports the San Marcos Boys & Girls Club volunteering on the Club’s annual auction committee.

Mike currently works in the Financial Services industry and has over 18 years of business and corporate security management experience.

A lifelong resident of northern San Diego County, Mike is an advocate for increased transparency, public outreach, and innovative solutions that promote water sustainability and a vibrant local economy.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, San Marcos and is a graduate of the Leadership North County program also through CSUSM.

Mike resides in San Marcos with his wife Amy who works for San Marcos Unified School District and their daughter Brook who attends Carrillo elementary.

 It has been an absolute pleasure serving our community on the Vallecitos Water District, Board of Directors - thank you for your trust and support - it means everything to me!

I've had the great fortune of living my entire life in northern San Diego County and the past 20 years in San Marcos. There is truly no better place to grow up, raise a family, and live a healthy and happy life.  We've made many friends and amazing family memories here and I will be forever grateful for being part of this community.  It was this love for our community that stoked a fire in me to get involved.

It is no secret that California has been in a historic drought, a drought that has impacted all of our lives.  I am so proud of how our region tackled this challenge head-on by embracing new conservation efforts.  Thank you for all you have done!

When water supplies are threatened, I understand the impacts that has on our families, economy, and quality of life.  I will continue to focus on innovative solutions that promote water sustainability and a vibrant local economy.

We've accomplished a lot in recent months.  Introducing desalination,  advancing water reclamation, and increasing transparency throughout district operations, highlight some of our recent successes. But there's still more to do.

I am working hard every day to ensure our district has policies in place that advance sound fiscal practices, leverage efficiencies, and reduce costs to help keep our water supply both reliable and affordable.   With your support, I will continue my dedication to foster an open and transparent forum to conduct the District's business while continuously exploring ways to save our customers money and deliver world-class service providing safe, affordable, and sustainable water.