May: Leadership Visalia

Leadership Visalia Explores the Roots of Agriculture and the Flow of Water Shaping Our Community

By Ashley Irvine, Visalia Unified School District

Our Ag & Water Day kicked off with a great presentation from Carlos Acuna at Mountain View Fuit Sales. He gave us an inside look at how fruit goes from seed to store, and shared how his team is creating new varieties to meet evolving market trends. You could feel his passion, made it clear that growing fruit is a mix of science, business, tradition, and creativity. It’s not just about farming, it’s about innovation.

Next, we heard from a powerful panel made up of Shane Smith, General Manager of Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District, Tricia Stever Blattler, Executive Director of Tulare County Farm Bureau, and Bill Hendrickson, Director of Environmental Affairs at California Dairies, Inc. Their career paths were all over the map—military, education, counseling—but all roads led to ag and water. They broke down water regulations, SGMA, and the constant balancing act between sustainability and keeping ag alive. Their stories showed how nontraditional journeys can still make a major impact in this space.

We also got to tour ImagineU Children’s Museum, which was such a fun and inspiring part of the day. From the treehouse play area to the U-Fix-It garage where kids become mechanics, every exhibit was hands-on and built to spark curiosity. The museum blends play with learning—covering everything from health and science to art and agriculture. It’s more than just a museum, it’s a community hub supporting kids, families, and early learning through partnerships with local schools and programs.

Later in the day, we sat in on a panel with Kevin McCusker, Director of Government and Community Affairs from California Water Service and Nick Bartsch, Public Works Director with the City of Visalia. They walked us through how our city’s water system operates—Nick explained that Visalia relies 100% on groundwater and detailed the wastewater treatment process, including their tertiary treatment facility. Kevin shared how Cal Water runs as an investor-owned utility and talked through some of their conservation efforts, like tiered water rates, leak enforcement, and rebate programs. They also touched on water recycling for businesses, landscape regulations for new builds, and how the city is prepping for the future with lawn-to-garden initiatives and flood control strategies. It was a deep dive into the complexity behind getting clean water to our taps every day.

We ended the day with a tour of the Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah, led by Hayden Doyel, Lead Park Ranger with Army Corps of Engineers. He walked us through the history, purpose, and daily operations of the dam, and then took us inside the spillway and into the canals where the water flows out. It was wild—like stepping into the guts of a massive machine. Honestly, something most of us would never get to see if we weren’t part of Leadership Visalia. A seriously unforgettable way to wrap up an already incredible day.