The 2003 Smith-Weiss Honorees were Assemblymember Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles Councilmember Jack Weiss, Ed Begley, Jr.,David Nahai, Fran Diamond, and LALCV founder Dorothy Green.

Assemblymember Mark Ridley-Thomas is a lifelong resident of the City of Los Angeles and is one of its most dedicated public servants. He has spent his political career tackling the various complex cultural, economic, and social issues facing the city’s residents, advocating for greater civic participation, and has worked extensively on the economic development and revitalization of greater Los Angeles. He served as chair of the LA City Council's Environmental Quality Committee and led the City's groundbreaking adoption of a Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from city operations

Whether it’s trash TMDLs or sewage, Los Angeles Councilmember Jack Weiss, a former Assistant US Attorney, understands the risks, the burdensand the toll that litigation takes on all sides. In several recent and important Council sessions, Jack has voted, sometimes alone, against the City continuing to fight lawsuits, advocating instead that the money and effort be invested in cleaning up Los Angeles. Councilmember Weiss is active in numerous civic and professional organizations. He serves on the Southwest Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League and is a Trustee for Alternative Living for the Aging. He is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy, the Los Angeles Conservancy, the Westside Forum Heal the Bay, and Los Angeles County Young Democrats, and has served on many local bodies and bar committees.

Ed Begley, Jr. is one of our country's most visible and most passionate environmental advocates. He has earned the respect and appreciation of the environmental movement by taking the time to study as well as advocate for environmental issues. He serves as aboard member for the Coalition for Clean Air, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Environmental Media Association, the Walden Woods Project, Friends of the Earth, and the Environmental Research Foundation. Ed drives an electric car and lives in a solar powered home.

Under the leadership of former Board President David Nahai and current Board President Fran Diamond, the LA Regional Water Quality Control Board has at last taken groundbreaking action in leading the way toward eliminating the blight of urban run-off in Los Angeles. Their strong and committed leadership in debunking the often-outrageous campaign against the Board's strong enforcement actions is a model of civic leadership in protecting the environment.

Today as Vice-Chair and immediate past Chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, Fran Diamondworks to improve water quality for the over 10 million people in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.  Under her leadership, the Regional Board made several landmark decisions that will dramatically reduce the trash and bacteria pollution that spoil our watersheds, and will finally result in a swimmable Santa Monica Bay and the reclaiming of the Los Angeles River. Prior to the Regional Water Quality Board, Fran served on the Los Angeles County Beach Commission for six years when Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky appointed her in l992.For the last l0 years, Fran has served on the Board of the California League of Conservation Voters where she combines her passion for progressive politics with her passion for the environment.

Dorothy Green’s name is virtually synonymous with water issues in Southern California and has been for almost 30 years. In the 1970’s she formed W.A.T.E.R. which dealt with the cost of water, and led the southern California opposition to the Peripheral Canal. In the 1980’s Dorothy was a founder of Heal the Bay and served as its president for 6 years. In the 1990’s Dorothy help found POWER (Public Officials for Water and Environmental Reform) which brings a variety of interests together to explore solutions to water related problems at its annual conference. She served as a commissioner on the LADWP for 3 years and as a board member and past president of the L.A and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council. Dorothy was a founder and past president of LALCV.