SCV Water’s executive management team is dedicated to serving our customers and our community. They are committed to carrying out SCV Water’s mission of providing responsible water stewardship to ensure the Santa Clarita Valley has reliable supplies of high-quality water at a reasonable cost. You can read more about our leadership team below.

Stephen Cole - General Manager

Stephen Cole is the General Manager of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water), where he oversees agency operations to ensure the reliable delivery and effective management of its water supplies for the Santa Clarita Valley. He was instrumental in the formation of SCV Water, collaborating with stakeholders over a two-year period to support the passage of SB 634 (Wilk) which established the regional water agency in January 2018. Cole was appointed to the position, effective August 1, 2026, and previously served as Assistant General Manager for eight years.

During his tenure with SCV Water, Cole has focused on strengthening regional water resiliency by advancing initiatives that help the Agency adapt to extreme weather conditions, meet evolving regulatory requirements, and secure a reliable water supply for customers. He is also leading a proactive, multi-year effort to restore local groundwater supplies through the construction of water treatment facilities that remove PFAS and improve water quality.

Drawing on more than 25 years of water industry experience, including 13 years as General Manager of the former Newhall County Water District, Cole is focused on ensuring the Agency meets the evolving needs of the Santa Clarita Valley. His experience helps align employees around shared goals, while his calm, approachable, and trustworthy leadership fosters a collaborative and supportive workplace culture.

Cole is certified by the State of California as a Grade V Water Distribution Operator, a Grade 3 Water Treatment Operator and as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Fresno State and a Master of Science in Environmental Science from California State University, Northridge. Beyond his Agency responsibilities, Cole remains active in the Association of California Water Agencies, having served as Region 8 Chair for 8 years. He also participates in the Sites Reservoir Committee and represents SCV Water as a Board member of the State Water Contractors, participating in statewide water policy and supply discussions.

Outside the office, Cole enjoys spending time with family, including anything outdoors, hiking, biking, fly fishing and a newfound addiction of playing pickleball.

Keith Abercrombie  - Assistant General Manager

Keith Abercrombie is the Assistant General Manager of the Agency and previously the Chief Operating Officer. He was also the Retail Manager of the former Santa Clarita Water Division. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business from Colorado State University and received his Master's in Business Administration, Agribusiness from Santa Clara University. Prior to employment with Castaic Lake Water Agency, Mr. Abercrombie served as General Manager of the Valencia Water Company. Mr. Abercrombie previously worked at the Newhall Land and Farming Company, serving as assistant to the Vice President of Agriculture and Manager of Energy Resources. Mr. Abercrombie holds a Grade 5 Water Distribution Operator certification and a Grade 2 Water Treatment Operator certification from the State Water Resources Control Board – Division of Drinking Water and is a member of the American Water Works Association and the Association of California Water Agencies.

Rochelle Patterson- Assistant General Manager

Rochelle Patterson is the Assistant General Manager for the Agency. Ms. Patterson has held several roles over the past 25 years with the Agency and NCWD, including Accounting Supervisor, Accounting Manager and Director of Finance and Administration. Ms. Patterson has taken a leadership role in building and shaping the Agency’s Finance and Administration team. These roles have included transitioning the four legacy agencies from separate budgets, audits, accounting, human resources and customer service functions and systems to a unified single agency. Ms. Patterson serves as the Agency’s alternate to the ACWA JPIA board and is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association and the California Municipal Financial Officers Association. Ms. Patterson received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree and Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.

Courtney Mael - Chief Engineer

Courtney Mael is the Chief Engineer of the Agency and is responsible for the engineering department including right of way and construction inspection. Prior to joining SCVWA in July of 2020, Mr. Mael worked for Padre Dam Municipal Water District in Santee California for 22 years. His water agency expertise includes policy development, project management, interfacing with contractors, developers, and local public agencies, as well as construction standards and inspection. He has worked on a wide variety of projects ranging from land development infrastructure to reservoir and pump stations design and construction. Mr. Mael is a Registered Civil Engineering with the State of California. He received his Bachelors degree from University of California Santa Barbara. He also has a certificate in Water Management and Leadership from Cal State San Marcos.

Mike Alvord - Chief Operating Officer

Michael Alvord is the Chief Operating Officer of the Agency. He previously served as the Director of Operations & Maintenance from January 2018 through July 2026. With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Alvord was employed with Valencia Water Company (VWC) and then Newhall County Water District (NCWD) before the formation of SCV Water in 2018. At VWC, Mr. Alvord held the positions of Water Quality Specialist, Manager of Water Quality, Assistant Operations Manager, and Operations Manager before moving to NCWD where he served as the Director of Operations and later the Assistant General Manager. Mr. Alvord earned his B.A. in Environmental Biology and his M.S. in Environmental & Occupational Health from California State University, Northridge, and has taught environmental- and math-related courses at CSUN, College of the Canyons and for the American Water Works Association. He holds a Grade 5 Water Distribution Operator certification and a Grade 3 Water Treatment Operator certification from the State Water Resources Control Board – Division of Drinking Water and is a member of the American Water Works Association.

Contact Key Staff

Organizational Chart

Executive Management Required Trainings and Filings

Staff Ethics Training Certificates
SB 827 Staff Fiscal & Financial Training Certificates