Following City Council approval, Mayor Todd Gloria recently announced these 12 new appointments and reappointments to serve in key roles on the City’s Boards and Commissions. The City has more than 40 active Boards and Commissions, and San Diegans are encouraged to get involved. Check out the Boards and Commissions webpage to learn about vacancies and apply for a position.

Rodolfo Lopez was appointed to the Board of Library Commissioners. Lopez currently serves as a trustee for the Sweetwater Union High School District, where he helps oversee a district serving more than 34,000 students and manages policy decisions related to a budget exceeding $500 million. He previously served as a governing board member and board president for the San Ysidro School District, where he contributed to policy development, enhanced student services, and supported the successful passage of school bond measures. Lopez's professional background includes public sector service with the cities of National City and San Diego, as well as experience in private business. He brings expertise in stakeholder engagement, communications and partnership development. A lifelong resident of South Bay, he remains actively involved in the community through volunteer efforts supporting education, youth development, and quality-of-life initiatives. Lopez holds a Bachelor of Arts in international business from San Diego State University (SDSU) and is being appointed to a two-year term, and completing the seat's current term ending March 1, 2027, in the District 8 Seat.

Hadley Ajana was appointed to the Board of Library Commissioners. Ajana is an educator, attorney and author who has served as adjunct faculty at SDSU, MiraCosta College, Southwestern College and Cuyamaca College since 2000, teaching American government, humanities, rhetoric and writing studies, ethics, business law, U.S. history, and world history. She previously co-owned Magic Bookstore. She holds a Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, a Master of Arts in history from SDSU, and is a member of the State Bar of California. Ajana has authored publications on women in American politics and recovery through motherhood. Her volunteer service includes the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, Interfaith Shelter, Allied Gardens Community Garden, VITA, Small Claims Court Mediator, and election poll worker. She is a regular patron of the San Diego Public Library's Allied Gardens and Mission Valley branch locations. Ajana lives in Allied Gardens. She is being appointed to a term ending March 1, 2028, as the District 7 Representative.

Arnav Dagar was reappointed to the Youth Commission. Dagar is an incoming freshman at UC San Diego, where he plans to study computer science. He currently serves as a research intern and junior engineer at GoCheck Kids, where he develops artificial intelligence (AI) methods to screen for amblyopia using smartphone images. Previously, he served as a research intern at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, benchmarking AI-based three-dimensional image reconstruction techniques against classical approaches. In addition to his academic and research experience, Dagar has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service through his leadership as president of the Student Leadership Board for the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, volunteer coaching for the MATHCOUNTS program, and mentorship of underserved students at Casa de Amistad. He is being reappointed to a two­-year term, and completing the seat's current term ending July 1, 2026, in the District 1 Seat.

Michael Focken was appointed to the Community Forest Advisory Board. Focken has more than 20 years of experience managing multi-location restaurant operations, where he has overseen facility safety, maintenance and overall operational standards. Through this work, he has developed practical expertise in long-term facility upkeep, maintenance budgeting, and understanding how the condition and design of physical spaces affect the people who use them. He also has a strong personal interest in the outdoors and is an active runner, backpacker and hiker. He has an appreciation for environmental stewardship and green infrastructure, combined with professional management experience. He is being appointed to a three-year term ending Dec. 31, 2028, as the District 6 Representative.

Leonardo Fewell was appointed to the Mobility Board. Fewell currently serves as the for-hire vehicle administrator for the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, where he oversees regulatory compliance for more than 1,700 vehicles and drivers. He is an active member of the Border Transportation Council and brings a strong understanding of the transportation needs and cross-border mobility challenges affecting the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa communities. Fewell holds a Master of Science in transportation management and a safety and security certificate from the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University. He resides in the Nestor community of District 8 and is being appointed to a two-year term, and is completing the seat's current term ending Feb. 1, 2027, in the District 8 Representative Seat.

Reagan Lawson was reappointed to the Board of Building Appeals and Advisors. Lawson is a fire protection engineer with a background in engineering consulting and is currently employed at Coffman Engineers. She is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and holds a master's degree in fire protection engineering from California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo. She is being reappointed to a two-year term, in the Fire Protection Engineer Seat.

John O'Malley was reappointed to the Board of Building Appeals and Advisors. O'Malley is a registered architect based in San Diego with a strong background in design and technical project delivery. He has experience overseeing projects across various sectors, including high-rise developments, laboratories, wellness facilities, and tenant improvements. He holds LEED A+P BD+C certifications, which make him an expert in green building. O'Malley is being reappointed to a two-year term, in the Architect Seat.

Matt Mangano was reappointed to the Board of Building Appeals and Advisors. Mangano has owned and operated MDEP, Inc. for a decade. There, he functions as principal engineer, president and CEO. He oversees engineering design calculation, detailing, drawings and reports of wood, masonry, concrete and steel structures. Prior to this, he served as a structural project manager for Mellor Engineering. He holds certifications in LEED A+P BD+C. Mangano is being reappointed to a two-year term, in the Structural Engineer Seat.

Lakeysha Sowunmi was appointed to the Homelessness Revenue Account Citizens Oversight Committee. Sowunmi serves as the Director of Resident Services at Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation, championing resident-centered programs that connect individuals and families to resources, opportunities and support systems that help them thrive. She previously served as senior director of resident services at Community Housing Works, where she led resident-service programming across 47 affordable housing communities, focusing on financial stability, education and health and wellness for veterans and the broader resident community. She served eight years in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman, including deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Sowunmi holds a Bachelor of Arts in human services from the University of Arizona and is the founding president of the San Diego Women’s Affordable Housing Network. She resides in Spring Valley and is being appointed to a four-year term ending July 20, 2030, in the General Member Seat.

Nick Gulino was appointed to the Homelessness Revenue Account Citizens Oversight Committee. Gulino is the founder and CEO of Recover, a company that partners with state and local governments to expand access to substance use treatment for low-income and unhoused Californians, leading the company through the Y Combinator accelerator and building partnerships with local governments representing more than 5 million Californians. He previously worked on the state and local government transformations team at McKinsey & Company and served as an advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom and as an executive fellow under Governor Jerry Brown, in addition to having experience in the offices of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and California Attorney General Kamala Harris. His background includes personal experience with housing instability as a youth. Gulino is a graduate of Yale Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts with highest honors in rhetoric from UC Berkeley. He serves on the Board of Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County and is a member emeritus of the San Diego County Behavioral Health Advisory Board. He resides in the Serra Mesa community of District 7 and is being appointed to a four-year term ending July 20, 2030, in the General Member Seat.

Joel Celestine was reappointed to the Community Reinvestment Advisory Review Committee. Celestine is the senior vice president and chief legal officer for Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling (RCCB). As general counsel, he is the primary legal counsel and resource coordinator responsible for delivering legal services to RCCB. In his previous role at The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), Celestine was lead counsel for the National Retail Sales group and the East and West Business Units. Prior to his time with TCCC, he worked at Siemens Corporation, where he was lead division counsel for two autonomous divisions within Siemens Energy & Automation (SE&A) and served as the primary legal officer for SE&A division activities within North America. Celestine holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from New York University and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard School of Law. He resides in Rancho Santa Fe and is being reappointed to a four-year term ending June 30, 2030, in the Representative of Large Business.

Peter Mayne Cline was reappointed to the Community Reinvestment Advisory Review Committee. Cline is a Strategy Consulting Associate with T4.AI. He is an Army Veteran, a finance professional, and an entrepreneur who has devoted a significant portion of his life to supporting job seekers, entrepreneurs and economic development. He is the founder of Boots to Books, a nonprofit that assists veterans and their families in upskilling and attaining competitive careers. To date, they have assisted over 11,000 individuals and awarded over $160,000 in scholarships. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Chapman University and holds skills and certifications in financial modeling, securities industry essentials, series 6 and financial edge investment banking. He resides in the Pacific Beach community of District 1 and is being reappointed to a four-year term ending June 30, 2030, in the At-Large Seat.