Sacramento CA— Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) has honored Lisa Rodman, the Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation in Carlsbad, as the 36^th Senate District’s Woman of the Year during today’s Senate session in Sacramento.
“Lisa Rodman’s efforts to help protect one of California’s most threatened coastal wetlands make her a worthy honoree,” said Sen. Bates. “I admire her pragmatic can-do spirit to protect the environment and serve her community, and it is my privilege to highlight her work at the State Capitol.”
Rodman holds a B.A. in Communication from California State University, San Marcos. A Carlsbad resident since 1983, she is passionate about building awareness of the city’s most unique lagoon in Agua Hedionda, also known as “The People’s Lagoon.” The mission of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation is to preserve the lagoon as an accessible and healthy watershed. Rodman has been a part of the foundation’s team for almost nine years with decades of business development experience, raising funds, building relationships, and developing markets in various settings.
In addition to her work with the foundation, Rodman is also the Fund Development Chair of Hospice of the North Coast Board of Directors, a member of North County Philanthropic Council Programs Committee, and a member of Oceanside-Carlsbad Soroptimist. She is a past President of Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary and current member, past Co-Chair for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Green Business Committee, past Carlsbad Planning Commissioner, and served 12 years as a Carlsbad Unified School District School Board Trustee.
Rodman has been married for 37 years and both of her sons graduated from the University of California, Berkeley.
In accepting the recognition, Rodman remarked, “I thank Senator Bates for recognizing the work that my colleagues and I have accomplished educating the future lagoon stewards about the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The 400-acre lagoon invites people to appreciate the environment in many different ways and I hope more people will be inspired to continually act responsibly and enjoy this valuable resource for generations to come.”
Given annually by each California legislator in their districts, the Woman of the Year award celebrates California’s extraordinary women. The first recognition was held in 1987 to help commemorate Women’s History Month. The award has become an annual Capitol tradition to salute women who have done outstanding community service. Honorees are presented with a framed certificate from the Legislature recognizing their outstanding contributions.