Board Member Esther Sanchez

Esther Sanchez is the first woman, first Latinx Mayor of Oceanside and first Latinx Mayor in North San Diego County. Daughter of an immigrant, Esther is also part of a 5 generation Oceanside family.

Esther is an attorney and past President of San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association. She earned her BA in Urban Studies from Brown University and JD from UC College of the Law, San Francisco.

Esther served as Deputy Public Defender, San Diego County, for 20 years. In 2000, she ran for city council in her hometown of Oceanside, where she was born and raised. Esther grew up in the Eastside barrio community, the same neighborhood as her dad, and her first language was Spanish.

Esther won her first race and has consistently won re-election, supported by neighborhoods, environmentalists, labor, business and community leaders. Esther served 20 years as a city council member before winning her position as mayor.

Esther has been successful in creating systemic change. She led in transitioning her city into a community policing model reflective of the diversity of her city, created over a thousand affordable housing units, led on a Climate Action Plan, and worked to increase and protect open space and public parkland. She successfully led on a referendum to protect rent control for mobile home park residents, protected senior housing, and helped create after school programs for at-risk youth.

Esther has a lifelong commitment to addressing social, racial, economic and environmental justice and equity/equality issues and creating livable cities/neighborhoods for all.

The North County Coastal area mayors appointed Mayor Sanchez to the Board for a term ending on January 31, 2029.