*This news release was originally published and distributed by the Office of Mayor Bass.
Quiñones to conclude service March 27, 2026, following period of infrastructure and cultural transformation
LOS ANGELES (March 4, 2026) – The City of Los Angeles today announced that Janisse Quiñones will step down as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), effective March 27, 2026, as part of a planned leadership transition.
Quiñones has led the nation’s largest publicly owned water and power utility through a period of operational focus, infrastructure modernization, and organizational strengthening – positioning LADWP to meet the evolving demands of climate change, wildfire risk, emergency management, system resilience, and long-term reliability.
“Janisse brought steady leadership and engineering expertise to LADWP during a critical period for our city,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “Her focus on resilience, reliability, and strengthening the workforce has helped position the Department for continued progress. We thank her for her service to Los Angeles.”
“Serving the people of Los Angeles has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life,” said Quiñones. “I am deeply grateful to Mayor Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles for the trust placed in me to steward essential infrastructure that supports the health, safety, and economic vitality of our communities. Los Angeles is a city defined by innovation, diversity, and resilience. It has been a privilege to serve a community that continually rises to meet its challenges.”
Quiñones also expressed appreciation for LADWP’s more than 12,000 employees, saying, “The true strength of LADWP lies in its people. I had the privilege of working alongside dedicated public servants whose professionalism and resilience power Los Angeles every day.”
During her tenure, LADWP reinforced electric grid and water system reliability, enhanced coordination during wildfire events, and advanced investments to strengthen resilience amid increasing climate pressures. A central focus of her leadership was culture transformation – building a more accountable, collaborative, and mission-driven organization prepared to navigate rapid industry change.
Quiñones will return to Puerto Rico to take a leadership role supporting the modernization and transformation of the Island’s electric grid – an opportunity that reflects both her professional commitment to infrastructure leadership and her longstanding personal connection to her home.
This leadership transition has been coordinated to ensure stability, continuity, and uninterrupted service to Angelenos. LADWP’s leadership team and operational strategy remain firmly in place to support continued progress. The City will announce interim leadership details shortly.
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