Mr. Jim O’Tousa is the newest member of the ECI Board of Directors and is one of ECI’s most active volunteers. He serves asthe Co-Chair of the Technical Committee and is leading the efforts of the CPSWQ Program Committee, which is currently working on reviewing the scope and areas of practice and further defining the purview of the CPSWQ certification. He has been a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) since 2014 and a Certified Erosion, Sediment and Stormwater Inspector (CESSWI) since 2018 and is a Presenter/Trainer for both certifications.
Mr. O’Tousa has worked both in the private and public sectors during his career including starting a consulting firm in the areas of civil and geotechnical engineering as well as geology and water conservation. He has been consulting for the State of California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists since 2013. Mr. O’Tousa is a Professional Geologist and Certified Engineering Geologist with over thirty (30) years of practice and presently is the County of Ventura Geologist and has specialized expertise with slope movement processes and erosion control. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Geology with a minor in biology (California State University, Northridge, 1983) a Masters in Geology from California State University, Los Angeles, 1990 and a Masters of Business Administration (California Lutheran University, 1998). He is a Professional Geologist and Certified Engineering Geologist licensed in California and in addition to his ECI certifications, he also holds Certifications as a Green Belt Practitioner as well as Qualified Stormwater Designer/Practitioner (QSD/P). He has written and published articles regarding landslides (La Conchita and Flying Triangle) as well as geomorphology of alluvial fans. In 2015, he was awarded the Engineering Manager of the Year award for the County of Ventura and in 2016 began serving as the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors representative on a technical advisory group with regards to sustainable groundwater management.