11 years ago, we found our forever home and started our family in San Mateo. As your Councilwoman, I am working every day to build a future for all of us, without sacrificing what makes our City so special. We face generational social and economic challenges. Too many San Mateans are being left behind, priced out and excluded from our governance. In this moment more than ever, we need experienced leadership with proven ability to bring people together at City Hall to protect the safety, vibrancy and diversity of our community. 

As a mother, nonprofit executive, and successful businesswoman, I have dedicated my life to creating healthy communities and families. I have extensive training in public policy and public health from Columbia University, combined with a 15+ year career building strong organizations and communities. Since 2019, I have had the privilege and honor to serve on the City Council representing you and championing our values of inclusivity, prosperity and resilience.

In the community and in City Hall I have demonstrated integrity and impact. I stand on my record and our community stands with me because I am always on the side of San Mateo. I humbly ask for your vote this November, together we can build bridges that will bring us together and forward!  

My grandfather came to Florida from Spain and Cuba and eventually managed a small cigar processing plant in NYC. After college, I spent 9 years in Asia, studying Mandarin Chinese and working for American Express. 

When my husband and I returned to the US 30 years ago, we came to San Mateo to work for VISA.  I also was a senior executive for well-known companies such as Charles Schwab, E*TRADE! and Yahoo! and led a global clean water and sanitation nonprofit, bringing health, education and economic opportunity to 2 million people, mostly women and girls.

I experienced a near-death freak PG&E electrical explosion in San Francisco in 2005 that taught me tremendous empathy for people suffering serious life challenges and put me on the road of service that has led to my candidacy today.

After our 2 daughters grew up, I dove into community service as the best way to give back to this great community.  I currently am the President of the San Mateo Library Board; a Director on the San Mateo Neighborhood Watch Board, the Rotary Haciendas Board for low-income senior housing, and the Baywood homeowners’ association; the Chair of the San Mateo Measure S Oversight Committee; and a volunteer for Samaritan House.

I am running for San Mateo City Council to help guide San Mateo through these difficult times and work with each of you to build a better tomorrow together.  I love San Mateo, and  I believe my lifetime of business and nonprofit leadership and community service can help me make an immediate, positive impact on City Council. 

I am a hands-on problem solver who wants to create a great quality of life for all San Mateans.  I have been successful in my personal and professional life because I am able to bring diverse groups together to find common ground that leads to common success.  That is how I would lead as a Council Member.

Our rapidly changing world demonstrates why it is so important who the individuals on the City Council are. We don’t know what big issues we will be dealing with in 12 months.  We need individuals who are balanced and who can look at all aspects of an issue to find a solution that really will solve the problem it’s addressing. 

I am one of those balanced and broad-visioned individuals.  I’m passionate about revitalizing our economy, as an example, but I also want to make sure we have policies and programs that will actually help our local businesses as well as our residents.  I also have brought my business experience to bear to suggest creative ways to finance affordable housing in an era of shrinking government budgets and how to repurpose assets we already have to speed up the timeline to get more people into affordable housing and active in our community. 

I am running for City Council, not senator or president, because I believe that local government is where we have the best chance of engaging people in the work of government.  Residents see if their potholes are fixed, their neighborhoods are safe.  Small businesses see if they are true partners or an afterthought. 

I will spend every day on San Mateo City Council solving problems for our neighborhoods and local small businesses, listening to you and being your advocate.  But I will also use that time to make more of you proud of your government and excited to get involved. 

If we can do that together in San Mateo, we can strengthen our democracy at all levels.  As Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  I would be honored to earn your vote and have a chance to be a problem solver for you and for San Mateo!

Learn more at www.lisaforsanmateo.com.