Board of Directors

James G. Gunther

Member, Board of Directors 
Term 2024 - 2028
Committees: Engineering & Information Technology (Chair); Operations & Water Quality
Contact: Email James Gunther

James G. Gunther is a professional engineer and currently serves as a supervisor for Transit America Services, Inc. He holds a Hazardous Materials Management Certificate and was formerly both a registered environmental assessor and a facility supervisor with an environmental cleanup and emergency response firm. He has 12 year of experience as a U.S. Coast Guard officer/engineer. Mr. Gunther has served as an active member of the Association of California Water Agencies since 1995 and has volunteered with the Fremont Fire Department, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and the Niles Canyon Railroad. Mr. Gunther has served as a Director of the Alameda County Water District since 1995.

Mr. Gunther holds a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering, U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Judy C. Huang

Member, Board of Directors 
Term 2022 - 2026
Committees: Engineering & Information Technology; Legal, Intergovernmental & Community Affairs (Chair), Intergovernmental & Community Affairs
Contact: Email Judy Huang

Judy C. Huang is a Registered Professional Engineer in California. She worked for the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board as a Water Resource Control Engineer from 1993 to 2006. From 2006 through 2025, she was an environmental engineer/project manager for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ms. Huang returned to her prior position as a Water Resource Control Engineer for the San Francisco Bay  Regional Water Quality Control Board starting May 2025. Ms. Huang has served as a Director of the Alameda County Water District since 2002.

Ms. Huang holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Sethy

Member, Board of Directors
Tern 2022-2026
Committees: Finance & Administration; Operations & Water Quality (Chair)
Contact: Email Paul Sethy

Paul Sethy is a career veteran of Silicon Valley's high technology industry and has worked in various management positions for corporate leaders such as Verbatim, Xerox, 3Com, VeriFone, and Hewlett-Packard.  He held full profit and loss responsibilities in more senior roles.

In 1999, Mr. Sethy became the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of AirPrime, Inc., for which he raised $82 million in venture capital financing from 2000-2001.  The company eventually became a leading manufacturer of cellular modems for personal computers, smartphones, and industrial applications.  AirPrime also introduced the world's first internet-capable smartphone in 2001, which both Sprint and Verizon retailed.  AirPrime was later acquired by Sierra Wireless, a NASDAQ listed corporation (Stock Symbol: SWIR).

Mr. Sethy is also a co-author of the book "The Wireless Industry" (2001, Aspatore Books), now considered a multinational technology classic for his essay on how the Internet was established on the cellular system.

Mr. Sethy was elected to the Alameda County Water District’s Board of Directors in 2010, and re-elected in 2014, 2018, and 2022.  He served as Board President in 2014, 2018, and 2023.

Beyond his role with the ACWD Board, he has served as the Board President of the Delta Conveyance Finance Authority, 2023-2024, and Director since its 2018 inception.  Board Director and Treasurer, Los Vaqueros Reservoir Joint Power Authority, 2022 – 2024.

Additionally, Mr. Sethy’s involvement extends to serving on various committees, including the Water Management, Local Government, and Business Development Committees of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA).  He is an active member of the Alameda County Special Districts Association (ACSDA) and the California Special Districts Association (CSDA).  In 2018, he was elected by ACSDA membership to represent their interests on the County of Alameda Countywide Oversight Board (2018-2024). Mr. Sethy has also served as a director on the board of the Southern Alameda County Geographical Information System Authority from 2011 to the present.

In other civic engagements, and for many years, Mr. Sethy has been an active member of the Fremont Cultural Arts Council, Mission Peak Heritage Foundation, and the Washington Township Historical Society.  He is also a long-time Fremont Chamber of Commerce member and has served on the Government Affairs Committee since 2011. 

Mr. Sethy grew up in Fremont, California, and graduated from Mission San Jose High School.  He then attended the University of California at Berkeley, School of Letters and Science, majoring in Economics and Business Administration.

John H. Weed

Vice President, Board of Directors 
Term 2024 - 2028
Committees: Finance & Administration (Chair); Water Resources & Conservation
Contact: Email John Weed

John H. Weed is an attorney and also works in property development. He has military experience as a civil engineer and water utility consultant with the United States Air Force on installations worldwide. He retired as a Colonel with the U.S. Air Force Reserves in 2000. He was previously employed as an engineer technician with the Santa Clara Valley Water District and was the Special Assistant to the Division Manager of Ordinance Engineering at FMC Corporation. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency and is an appointed member of the Alameda County Assessment Appeals Board. He is an active member of the California State Bar (88299). He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) from 2005-2009, and is currently a Member of the ACWA Region 5 Council. Mr. Weed served as an elected Trustee of the Ohlone Community College District from 1977 to 2010 and has served as a Director of the Alameda County Water District since 1995.

Mr. Weed has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Santa Clara, a master’s degree of business administration in finance from Eastern New Mexico University and doctoral level graduate studies at Water Resource Administration in University of Arizona. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Santa Clara.

Aziz Akbari

President, Board of Directors 
Term 2024 - 2028
Committees: Legal, Intergovernmental & Community Affairs; Water Resources & Conservation (Chair)
Contact: Email Aziz Akbari

Aziz Akbari is an experienced public servant and engineer who was elected to the ACWD Board in 2016. He is a product of our local public schools, having attended Parkmont Elementary School, Centerville Junior High School, and Washington High School. His educational background is in Industrial and Systems Engineering with concentrations in Resource Planning and Data Sciences from the University of Southern California. Previously, Mr. Akbari served as a Consumer Affairs Commissioner in Alameda County – the youngest to ever serve in this capacity. Outside of his duties on the Board, Mr. Akbari volunteers with several local organizations and is an active member in the Niles Rotary Club. 

Mr. Akbari holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California.