I have so much admiration for Mayor Sheila Lodge. I can’t imagine Santa Barbara without her. The impact she had was as deep as the love she shared for our community. In fact, the profound way she shaped our city, decade after decade, is unmatched.
Sheila was the first mayor I knew as a child, so I simply assumed all mayors were women. She was a trailblazer, opening doors for generations of women in public service and proving that leadership rooted in integrity, commitment, and determination can change the course of history.
Beyond the countless improvements she made to our city — right up until the end of her life — her legacy lives on in the many women who followed her into elected office and in everyone she inspired to believe they could lead. I especially admired that she never minced words or tiptoed around difficult issues — she always spoke her mind, bluntly but with that slight twinkle in her eye.
Thank you, Sheila. Santa Barbara is far better because of you. And we will miss you.
You must be logged in to post a comment.