Retrospective coverage for October 19, 2026. First published October 26, 2026 06:07 -07:00 (Pacific time). This is an AI-assisted brief compiled from linked public source records; the coverage date is not the publication date.
San Diego County introduced Bridget Premont as its pollution crisis chief on Oct. 19, assigning a former U.S. diplomat to coordinate its response to contamination in the Tijuana River Valley. The newly created role is housed in the Office of County Counsel. County announcement.
Premont's assignment spans public health, public works, environmental health, emergency services, county attorneys and communications staff. She will also work with local, state, federal and Mexican partners.
Her background includes service as political and economic chief at the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana from 2017 to 2021, including a period as acting consul general. She later served as a diplomatic fellow at the Institute of the Americas in La Jolla in 2024–25.
Most recently, Premont was acting chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Burundi. She also previously directed the State Department's Office of Environmental Quality, overseeing environmental negotiations and grant programs. Position and professional background.