Burbank City Manager Justin Hess has selected Mandip Samra as the next general manager of Burbank Water and Power.
Samra, who previously served as assistant general manager of power supply, is replacing Joseph Lillio, who will resume his role as the chief financial officer of Burbank Water and Power.
Samra joined BWP in 2021 as the assistant general manager of power supply. In this role, she focused on regulatory compliance, managed the Integrated Resources Plan, negotiated power resource contracts, spoke at many state and national conferences and represented the utility on various resource and transmission committees. Samra’s efforts have been central to leading stakeholder engagement initiatives aimed at enhancing Burbank’s sustainability, the city said.
Bringing more than 20 years of experience in power supply and utility management, Samra has held various key management positions at Anaheim Public Utilities, Southern California Edison and Pasadena Water and Power before stepping into her new role.
“I am deeply honored to take on the role of General Manager at Burbank Water and Power,” Samra said. “I’ve dedicated my career to mastering every facet of this industry, from marketing and customer relations to rate management and power supply. I am committed to leveraging our collective strengths to not only sustain but to innovate our services in Burbank. Together, we will continue to build on our legacy of reliability and environmental stewardship, ensuring a resilient and sustainable future for our community. I look forward to leading our exceptional employees and working closely with the community on utility issues.”
Hess said Samra is a good fit for the position.
“Mandip Samra brings a wealth of experience and an understanding of utility management to her new role as general manager,” Hess said. “Her deep knowledge of our community’s needs will be instrumental as she leads our efforts to enhance service delivery and implement sustainable energy and water practices that will benefit both our residents and businesses. I have great confidence in her vision and her ability to drive our utility forward.”
Samra holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from UCLA, a master’s in public administration from The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and a master’s in urban planning from USC.
Samra will assume the role of general manager on May 19.
First published in the May 11 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
