Xavier Fernandez is an environmental scientist with over 25 years of experience. He currently leads the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (Water Board) Planning Division, where he is responsible for several Water Board programs, involving development of water quality standards and policy, assessment of ambient water quality, preparation of water quality improvement plans referred to as Total Maximum Daily Loads, and permitting of agricultural operations and navigational dredging projects. He is heavily involved with the Water Board’s Climate Action Initiative and provides regulatory guidance to internal and external stakeholders on permitting of climate adaptation projects. He previously led the Water Board’s creek and wetland permit program, and oversaw permits for large wetland restoration projects, such as the Bair Island and Cullinan Ranch Restoration Projects. Xavier has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Dominican College of San Rafael and an M.S. in Environmental Management from the University of San Francisco.