Rancho Santa Fe Community Center hires new executive director

After months of searching for the right candidate, the Rancho Santa Fe Community Center has officially made a decision to hire local resident Erin Weidner as its new executive director.

Weidner comes from a strong non-profit background. In Park City she co-founded Red, White & Snow, a weekend-long wine auction and ski weekend benefiting the National Ability Center, an adaptive ski and sports center. She continued to co-chair the event from RSF this last year during the transition. Her relationships with vintners allowed the RSF Community Center to create its well-received, Soiree de Vin with Napa area vintners coming down to the Ranch to pour their wines for RSF locals in a neighborhood setting.

Weidner brings with her extensive experience working with boards of directors, serving as a board member on many boards in the Park City area. Her experience serving as a trustee for Park City Day School, navigating a merger of two private schools, will be a great asset because of the Community Center’s close relationships with many of the local schools. Weidner has also been involved with the Park City Teen Foundation, as well as the Deer Valley Symphony. She brings some great ideas of community events that have worked well in Park City, with the love and appreciation of what makes Rancho Santa Fe so unique.

Raised in RSF, she went to RSF Elementary, Middle School and Torrey Pines High School. “As a kid, I was a part of what was then Rancho Youth, learning to surf in 5th grade summer camp, wood shop, basket weaving, singing in RSF plays, and reading contests at the RSF Library” remembers Weidner.

Weidner has fond memories of growing up in the Ranch, where riding horses to her girlfriends’ houses, or into town was part of everyday life. “There’s still that same feeling on Paseo Delicias at the 4th of July parade that we’d have when we had school parades in our Halloween costumes. Thankfully, I have a handful of childhood friends who still live here, keep houses here or whose parents still live in the Ranch which made moving ‘home’ that much easier.

“I’m looking forward to being an active part of a community that, while absent for a number of years, I’ve called home for decades. It’s good to be back” says Weidner. “The RSF Community Center already has terrific programs in place. I look forward to getting to know other RSF groups and finding ways that we can work, and grow together. I believe, as JFK said years ago, ‘A rising tide lifts all ships’.”

Outgoing executive director Erin Leahey will shadow Erin Weidner for a few weeks, properly introducing her to the Community Center’s operations and introducing her to many local community leaders. Leahey says, “I am thrilled with the board president’s decision to hire Erin Weidner. I have had the opportunity to work with Erin over the past few months and know she will be a great leader for the Community Center.”

Weidner’s first official day will be Aug. 10.