Rebecca Nelson-Brown, Tracey Rossine, Mark Johnson, and Caryn De La Cruz. Photo courtesy of City of Malibu.
Tracey Rossine, Environmental Programs Manager, City of Malibu
City staff in Malibu have faced anything but normal conditions for about a year and a half. In December 2024, the city endured the Franklin Fire, which scorched 4,000 acres and caused the destruction or damage of 48 structures. Even more troubling, the Palisades Fire hit Malibu in January 2025, destroying 720 structures, including several iconic homes along the oceanfront.
Even after the flames are extinguished, efforts persist. Rebuilding and ensuring environmental sustainability are overseen by a dedicated team led by Yolanda Bundy, the Environmental Sustainability Director and Building Official, recognized as one of last year’s Emerging Leaders. She is joined by her top assistant, Tracey Rossine, the Environmental Programs Manager, who has been named one of this year’s Emerging Leaders. Rossine nominated Bundy for the honor last year, and this year, Bundy reciprocated by nominating Rossine.
“While Yolanda, who is an incredible mentor, takes the lead on helping rebuild over 700 homes, I’m helping wherever I can to make everything else run smoothly,” Rossine said. “We have an incredible team. Everyone is pitching in to help.”
Rossine has worked for the city for 20 years. She was promoted to her current position just two years ago. Previously, she worked as an administrative analyst in the same department. She has a long history of working on environmental program planning and can help support all of the City’s environmental programs.
Rossine said that while many of the city’s residents have septic systems, the city also has a wastewater facility, which is run through the public works department.
Aside from the past two fires, Bundy noted that “the City has experienced challenging periods during Tracey’s career, and she has played a pivotal role in maintaining stability within the Department in the aftermath of the Woolsey Fire, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and when the City faced staff turnover, including executive management changes.
“Tracey demonstrated outstanding resilience, ensuring the continuity of essential programs, daily operations, and services,” Bundy said. “She routinely meets with various teams to discuss objectives set by the Director and outline her expectations.”
Rossine has also stepped in to cover duties for the recently vacated Environmental Compliance Coordinator position. In this position, she ensures her team maintains a balanced workload and complies with the Clean Water Act, including the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) mandates, such as monitoring illicit discharges and unpermitted connections.
She supervises technical reports for regional and state agencies related to the City’s water quality monitoring and its MS4 Permit. Additionally, Rossine is the City’s liaison to external agencies, including the State and Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles County Public Health, the Department of Public Works, and the North Santa Monica Bay Watershed Area Steering Committee for the Safe Clean Water Program, which allocates funding to enhance water supply, improve quality, and safeguard public health.
“Tracey is making a profound and multifaceted impact on the environment, particularly through her leadership in the City’s Clean Water Program, Solid Waste, and Wastewater Management,” Bundy said. “Tracey’s management and administrative leadership of these programs is essential in shaping the future viability of Malibu’s community and ecosystem.”
In 2024, Rossine oversaw the issuance of nearly 700 Operating Permits for the Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Program, directed the preparation of quarterly reports for the Civic Center Wastewater Treatment Facility Groundwater and Surface Water Monitoring reports, and managed monthly Malibu Creek and Lagoon Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load monitoring reports, along with the submission of the MS4 annual and semi-annual reports. She also initiated a Locking Lid program for dumpsters to prevent trash from entering the storm drains in commercial areas.
“These critical efforts ensure the City maintains access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water sources,” Bundy explained.
Focusing on clean water initiatives, Rossine directly enhances public health, economic outcomes, and environmental sustainability, while also promoting social equity through equitable access to clean water for those who live and work in Malibu.
“Her successful implementation of these programs reflects her ability to balance complex environmental issues with long-term goals for both the community and the natural environment,” Bundy said. “Under Tracey’s leadership, the City of Malibu has continued forward to a more sustainable and water-conscious future.”
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