Hi, I’m Lela Panagides and I’m a businesswoman, a wife and a mother of a teenage son who is a freshman at Sage Creek High School.
Over the last 23 years, I have held senior leadership positions at some of the world’s most admired global companies, and at non-profit and community organizations. I’ve worked at Development Alternatives Inc., PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young, Johnson Controls, and Microsoft. At these global companies, I worked on everything from human resource management to organizational development, strategic planning and operations. In 2010, I started my own business while setting aside twenty percent of my revenue and time to do pro-bono work for non-profit and community organizations.
My work has given me the privilege to live in six countries, so when it was time for our family to put down roots, we asked ourselves “If we could live anywhere, where would we live?” Our answer was: Carlsbad. We fell in love with the natural beauty, the surfing beaches, the great public schools and libraries, the active arts and music culture and the people who welcomed us into the neighborhood. We quickly got involved with our community to give back for so much that we received in return. We are grateful that our dream was fulfilled!
I am a graduate of the Carlsbad Citizen’s Academy, a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, a Steward member of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, member of the San Diego Sierra Club, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Corporate Directors. I am also an active member of the Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance (RCBA), which focuses on emergency preparedness, response and recovery. My favorite hangout spots are our wonderful libraries, farmer’s market, small coffee shops and our many parks and walking trails. However, the beach is where I am most happy.
I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and my master’s degree from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. As a first year MBA student, I was elected as the president of Women in Business and started a mentoring program for high school girls. I was also selected as a William Davidson Institute Fellow at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
My focus on service and hard work was strongly influenced by my parents who taught me that the greatest source of energy is leadership done in the spirit of service. I was raised by a proud Greek-Cypriot father who came to the U.S. in 1956 as a college student. He worked through school, eventually earned a PhD in Economics and became a U.S. diplomat. While in graduate school, he met my mother, whose ancestor, Alexander Caldwell, arrived in America in 1745 and fought in the Revolutionary War. When I turned 10, my mom became a paramedic and then went back to school to become a Physician Assistant focusing on primary care and later completing a master’s degree in epidemiology and international health.
I don’t take living in Carlsbad for granted. Whether you were born here or moved here last month, I want to ensure that everyone who lives in Carlsbad enjoys a high quality of life now and into the future; for our family and for our children’s families. I’m excited to get to know you and to earn your vote as your City Councilmember for District 2 on November 3.
