The San Diego Parks Foundation will announce its inaugural president and CEO at a groundbreaking ceremony of San Diego’s first official community garden attended by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo, and other city officials at Linda Vista Community Park at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16. The groundbreaking event and introduction of Leona Sublett (above) as its first president are the latest milestones commemorating the nonprofit organization’s five years of increasing momentum and community impact on the region.
Bringing a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in diverse sectors and adding depth to the San Diego Parks Foundation’s leadership, Sublett is serving as its new president as of Dec. 12. Her announcement comes after the organization’s surge in fundraising with revenues exceeding $4 million to date and on the heels of news that the foundation’s key fundraiser, the Undertow Charity Golf Classic, is sold out. San Diegans will have the ability to celebrate the organization’s fifth anniversary at its Soiree on Feb. 3 at the private home of a Foundation board member.
“I’m honored to serve as the San Diego Parks Foundation’s first president and CEO and look forward to continuing our efforts to bridge the gap in park quality across the city and advocating for impactful policy changes that boost the number and quality of parks in all urban areas,” said Sublett. “The foundation’s mission to create more equity in our parks is more urgent than ever as they serve as essential havens that are crucial for mental health and community well-being. In my new role, I’m committed to ensuring all San Diegans have access to these spaces, such as the new community garden in Linda Vista Community Park, and especially for those residing in densely developed neighborhoods.”
In this new leadership role, Sublett will head up the strategic planning, fundraising and development, capacity building, and overall expansion of the foundation. Additionally, as an entrepreneur and small business owner, Sublett brings first-hand experience in finding and generating strategic resources and partnerships to establish a pipeline for increasing both financial and volunteer resources for the foundation to further its mission-driven work.
Over the past five years, the San Diego Parks Foundation has successfully advocated for policy changes and support for San Diego’s Parks and Recreation Department in the new city parks master plan. It has also developed and implemented successful programs such as Park Ambassador, Come Play Outside and Parks After Dark in addition to initiating projects such as tree planting, building programs, and community gardens, namely the Linda Vista Community Garden.
“We are thrilled to have Leona at the helm of the San Diego Parks Foundation,” said Michel Anderson, the foundation’s board chair. “As our first president and CEO, Leona’s dedication to equity will be at the core of our efforts to address structural inequalities in park accessibility.”
“With Leona onboard, we’re eager to propel the foundation’s mission forward, focusing on the community’s needs and fostering a culture of inclusivity within park spaces,” said Martha Phillips, San Diego Parks Foundation’s treasurer. “We’re so pleased to have Leona further our grassroots efforts, commitment to equitable park development, and strategic initiatives align with its vision for a San Diego where every neighborhood thrives through accessible and revitalized park spaces.”
Sublett’s unique blend of nonprofit, corporate, and private industry expertise includes investor relations, communications, marketing, and public relations management for San Diego-based nonprofits, high-tech companies, national accounting and finance firms, and professional sports organizations, as well as start-up corporations. She has held event management and development roles at the American Red Cross and March of Dimes, as well as leadership positions where she served as a liaison with Promises2Kids and The San Diego Family Justice Center Foundation’s Camp HOPE with the City and County of San Diego, helping to spearhead major public-private initiatives.
A lifelong and former collegiate athlete, avid hiker, and outdoor enthusiast, Sublett graduated from University of the Pacific with a degree in communications, where she competed on the two-time D1 national championship Tiger women’s volleyball team. Sublett has also coached the Ramona High School girls’ volleyball team for the past 10 years.
