Reviving the Imperial Valley Chapter with a Dynamic Duo Leadership
In 2023, the Imperial Valley CSMFO Chapter has gone from dormant to fully awake and roaring with enthusiasm. The Imperial Valley is a County with an international and state border, fertile ground, and rare natural resources. The Imperial Valley predominantly remains a farming community, with the Glamis sand dunes and State of Arizona to the East, San Diego to the West, the Salton Sea and forthcoming lithium valley to the North, and Mexicali, Mexico to the South.
The CSMFO chapter revival all started at the 2023 Sacramento annual conference during lunch were Adriana Anguis, Finance Supervisor from the City of Holtville and Adriana Amezcua, Finance Manager from the Heber Sanitation District were asked by CSMFO Board Member, Karla Romero if they would be interested and willing to lead the Imperial Valley Chapter.
The Imperial Valley chapter has been dormant since about 2007 – that’s 16 years (no pressure). They looked at one another nervously, smiled and said YES together!! After being reassured that they would have the support of many seasoned individuals including CSMFO board members, past and current Chapter Chairs, Vice Chairs, and commercial members and others in leadership positions; they fell into a grove and are now running by extending their professional network, finding speakers, engaging local CSMFO members and non-members and being a resource for other finance professionals.
The dynamic Adriana duo have a long-standing professional relationship which includes working together at the City of El Centro. Now a funny memory, but then a real dilemma, when both would sign with their initials “AA” on documents.
As their careers progressed to different agencies, they continued to provide one another support, by sharing information learned, discussing regulatory and accounting changes, and attending CSMFO conferences together where they had time to reconnect while also networking and learning new skills. Together they have worked for the county, cities, and a special district, which provides a unique and varied perspective into a variety of challenges faced by finance government agencies.
CSMFO is grateful to both Adriana’s for their commitment to the finance profession and their willingness to lead the Imperial Valley Chapter by providing training, leadership development, and promoting communication and collaboration amongst government agencies facing similar challenges in the region.
The Imperial Valley will be hosting its first meeting on May 23rd. Registration is open, and we look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event.
Learn more about the dynamic duo below.
Adriana Anguis, Imperial Valley Chapter Chair
Adriana Anguis started working with the County of Imperial Planning and Development Department at the age of 18. This is where she learned about local governments. She loved serving the community and being a part of making the county and cities better. From restoring parks, to bringing more businesses, jobs, and community development. But she found her true passion when she was asked to help with accounting work due to staffing shortages. She immediately changed her major from criminal justice to accounting and since then has earned both a bachelor’s degree in accounting and masters in public administration. Anguis has been the Finance Supervisor for the City of Holtville since 2021.
Adriana Amezcua, Imperial Valley Vice Chair
Adriana Amezcua has 23 years of accounting experience in the private and public sector. Her introduction to accounting began while working at a regional hospital for nearly 11 years, followed by some time in the private sector, until she reached the public sector where she has worked in two cities and now a special district. She finds great satisfaction in being able to directly help the community and maintains a positive outlook and focuses on generating solutions. Amezcua is currently the Finance Manager for the Heber Public Utility District.
Karla Romero is the Controller at Coachella Valley Water District and a CSMFO Board Member. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration; with 17 years of progressive government finance experience. She enjoys seeing others succeed and is passionate about mentoring and sharing knowledge. On her free time, she enjoys reliving her childhood with an active son named Titus, traveling, and staying connected with family and friends.
