RICK, a multidisciplinary planning, design and engineering firm serving the Western United States, has appointed Allied Gardens resident Kristina Hysler, PE, as the director of Watershed Science and Planning.

A recognized authority in water resource engineering and water quality consulting with over 20 years of experience, Hysler has managed more than 1,000 water quality compliance projects for municipal clients, including the first approved Water Quality Improvement Plan in the San Diego region for the San Dieguito Watershed.

“We are thrilled to have Kristina join the RICK family and establish a new Watershed Science and Planning Group within our Water Resources Division,” said Venkat Gummadi, associate principal, Water Resources. “We have worked with Kristina on many projects over the years and appreciate her professionalism, keen insight, commitment to the environment and industry leadership,” he said. “She brings our clients vast knowledge and expertise in water quality and compliance issues.”

Hysler has held a variety of senior-level positions over the course of her career, including at WSP USA, where she rose to senior vice president and managed a team of 30+ engineers and scientists.

In the San Diego region, she has worked with municipalities to negotiate and implement regional National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. In this regional framework, she led the multi-stakeholder party process to develop and implement three watershed-based water quality improvement plans (WQIPs) and served as principal reviewer on two additional WQIPs.

Hysler earned a master’s degree in environmental and water resource engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and bachelor’s degrees in German language and civil engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.

She is this year’s conference co-chair for the California Stormwater Quality Association, a post she also held in 2020 and 2022. Hysler is a founding member and former vice president of Engineers Without Borders’ San Diego Professional Chapter. This nonprofit fosters engineering projects worldwide that empower communities to meet basic human needs.

Following Hysler’s appointment, two additional environmental scientists have joined the RICK Watershed Science and Planning Team. Darcy Ebentier McCargar and Jeremy Burns, who have distinguished themselves with long careers in the water quality industry, have both been named assistant directors at the firm.