Olivia Sanwong, a current director for the Zone 7 Water Agency, announced this week that she will be running for the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors in the Nov. 8 election.

Sanwong, who was just re-elected to a second term on Zone 7 in the June primary, said she would step down from the Tri-Valley water and flood control board if she wins her bid for EBRPD's Ward 5, which represents communities such as Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, Newark, Sunol and parts of Fremont.

"Should my campaign for the East Bay Regional Park District Ward 5 seat be successful, I will resign from the Zone 7 Water Agency Board of Directors," Sanwong told the Weekly.

A Pleasanton native, Sanwong has past experience with EBRPD as a member of the Park Advisory Committee starting in 2016. She won elected office for the first time in 2018 to the Zone 7 board.

In a press release launching her EBRPD candidacy, Sanwong emphasized her campaign mission to "balance access to recreation activities with environmental stewardship and responsible financial management while also planning for extreme weather events." Another major goal is to support environmental education in the area.

"I feel incredibly passionate about our work to plan for extreme drought and flood events in the Tri-Valley," Sanwong said. "I also see my Zone 7 knowledge and experience as a unique asset I would bring to the EBRPD Board of Directors. One only needs to look at the water level at Shadow Cliffs to know that EBRPD faces similar climate challenges as Zone 7."

In her campaign for Ward 5, Sanwong has been endorsed by the current EBRPD Ward 5 Director Ayn Wieskamp, who is retiring after her current term following more than 20 years on the regional parks board.

"Olivia is a community leader who cares about EBRPD and has valuable ideas and insights," Wieskamp said in a statement. "I am confident Olivia will use her knowledge and experience to best represent the constituents of Southern and Eastern Alameda County. She is my choice to succeed me on the Board because she is up-to-date on EBRPD issues through her service on the Park Advisory Committee."

Sanwong, a longtime Tri-Valley resident and Amador Valley High School alumnae, has received several other endorsements from public officials, including Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez, Pleasanton Mayor Karla Brown, Livermore Vice Mayor Gina Bonnano and Zone 7 Board President Sarah Palmer.

To learn more about Sanwong's candidacy, visit her campaign website at oliviasanwong.com.