Candidate for
Board Member; South Bay Irrigation District; Division 4

Ms. Cuestas has worked for a 501c3 nonprofits organizations for 17 years. Her service work began as a volunteer in her hometown of Tucson, AZ at the age of 17 at a transitional home for abused and neglected children in 1998. She later became an employee of that same organization. Lisa moved to San Diego in 2000 and also started as a volunteer at a local nonprofit, which lead to her opportunity to coordinate and develop activities and programs for youth. She now manages millions in services and programs while administering day-to-day operations of a South Bay organization as Chief Operations Officer.

Ms. Cuestas maintained an active seat on the San Diego Prevention Research Center (SDPRC) Advisory Board in collaboration with SDSU, UCSD, San Ysidro Health Center, and other Community Based Organizations in San Ysidro for 5 years (2003-2008). Active participation and advocacy resulted in the development of a Healthy Families research project. Lisa continues to collaborate and oversees programs and services that are focused on health in the Latino community, nutrition awareness, and resident leadership development.

Lisa currently serves on the 1st Captains Community Advisory Board for the Police Departments Southern Division, as a representative of the community.

Ms. Cuestas was selected to participate in a training targeted at Executive Directors and Emerging Leaders in the nonprofit sector in 2007. The Development Training Institute, now known as The Center for Leadership Innovation, funded this opportunity through a Neighborhood Builder award. Lisa was one of the youngest of almost 200 participants, and has resulted in the formal succession and strategic planning of her organization.

Her passion for volunteerism and civic engagement is a value she and her husband, David, instill in their young children. Lisa and her husband value family time as well as taking opportunities to give back to the community.