When Nicole Fernandez signed up for the Green Foothills Leadership Program class of 2016-17, she was looking for new and interesting ways to contribute to her community. Dedicated to making the world a better place, she was working at the time in the elder abuse prevention unit of San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services. She was looking for ways to expand her networks and learn more about advocacy and leadership. In particular, she wanted to learn more about sustainability and the environment.

The Leadership Program met her expectations. She appreciated the diversity of topics and speakers that the program brought in, and she especially appreciated the diverse leaders who chose to be part of the program. She enjoyed learning about effective advocacy strategies, power mapping, and negotiation, all key skills for anyone seeking to understand how policy is made and how legislative change happens.

She also appreciated the connections she made with her fellow Leadership Program participants. “They have been wonderful friends and colleagues,” she said, “and it’s been fun keeping up with them on social media and in real life.”

Today Nicole is district director for California State Senator Josh Becker, and has also successfully run for office herself – she is a city councilmember of the City of San Mateo. She is active in her local Democratic Party and also serves on the board of directors for Samaritan House, the largest anti-poverty nonprofit in San Mateo County.

Her work now allows her to help make the world a better place in many different ways. “My core environmental interest is the intersection of climate and housing, and how where we build housing can make a more climate-friendly world,” she said. “I want to continue working on this on the San Mateo City Council.”

If you or someone you know is interested in the Green Foothills Leadership Program, you can learn more at greenfoothills.org/lead.

The Green Foothills Leadership Program is made possible thanks to Applied Materials Foundation Community Fund, the County of Santa Clara, North Santa Clara Resource Conservation District (NSCRCD), Sand Hill Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Network’s California Wildlife Program, and Green Foothills donors.