Eight candidates, most of them newcomers, are seeking six available seats on the La Jolla Community Planning Association board in its annual election.
The field includes incumbents Harry Bubbins and Janette Williams and new hopefuls Ryan Amos, Jeff Crowe, Cameron Etienne, Michael Sacks, Sam Sharp and Kevin Veno.
Six of the candidates attended a forum during the board’s Feb. 5 meeting, where they had the opportunity to give statements. The two other candidates’ statements were read at the meeting.
The election will be held in connection with LJCPA’s meeting Thursday, March 5, at the Recreation Center, 615 Prospect St. Ballots are mailed to eligible members, who can vote from 3 to 6 p.m. the day of the meeting with photo identification. The results will be announced at the end of the meeting, which will start at 6 p.m.
To learn more and see the candidates’ full statements, visit lajollacpa.org/about/elections/2026-trustee-elections.
Here is a synopsis of their comments in the order presented:
Michael Sacks
The third-generation La Jollan and current Bird Rock resident said he is running for a board seat to help ensure his family, which includes a young daughter, can experience La Jolla as “the special place it was for me.”
Michael Sacks (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
“I believe street safety is really important, not only to people but to create spaces that are nice for everyone to walk around and help businesses flourish,” Sacks said. “I think about what more can be done in La Jolla.”
Sacks serves on the Sierra Club conservation committee, where “I learned to appreciate the natural spaces we have in California, and I think about growth in La Jolla and the … laws that push La Jolla to build and develop and I think about how we can maintain these beautiful, natural spaces while complying with city and state laws.”
Kevin Veno
The Windansea resident said he wants a seat because “I really like and enjoy the community here.”
Veno works for a youth-based nonprofit centered on civic engagement “and trying to get different youth issues” such as climate change to the forefront.
Kevin Veno (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
Also, he said, “I really like the outdoor environment, the beaches, the parks … and I am passionate about keeping them here and maintaining them.”
But, he added, “there is a lot of room for improvement here in La Jolla. … I think there is more we can do as a community as far as traffic safety goes.”
His candidate statement says that if he is elected, he will “want to play an active role in road safety, to work on traffic-calming measures around schools and high foot-traffic areas to minimize the number of car fatalities and injuries.”
Sam Sharp
The UC San Diego student, who is studying computer science and urban studies and planning, said he wants to be on the board to “represent an area that is so special to me and so many of my peers.”
Sam Sharp (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
As an advocate for safe public transportation, “I want to ensure La Jolla remains a place that is safe and … walkable,” Sharp said. “I want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to traverse La Jolla safely and get to La Jolla safely.”
He said that includes improvements to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s bus Route 30.
“I [also] want to work toward a preserved La Jolla Village rich with cultural heritage … and the beaches that make the area so special,” he said.
He added that he wants to “remain connected” to other boards and committees in La Jolla.
Cameron Etienne
The Windansea resident and renter has lived in San Diego since 2016. He said “La Jolla is very similar to where I am from originally, which is Bethesda, Md., but better. You can tell there is a rich sense of community … [that] needs to be protected.”
Cameron Etienne (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
Etienne said he studied environmental science in college and learned the importance of stewardship.
“The trustee position [in LJCPA] calls for us to be stewards of this place, to make sure it stays special,” he said.
Etienne, now a structural engineer for a developer, said “I have seen bad development. … I believe you can’t stop progress, but it should be done well and with thought and integrity.”
Etienne added that he would love to see a bicycle corridor connecting La Jolla Shores to The Village and would advocate for such a project should he be elected.
Jeff Crowe
As the director of sales for a backup power supply company, Crowe said he has experience in fields such as security, data and fire suppression.
Jeff Crowe (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
“We see projects everywhere from the beginning to the end,” Crowe said. He added that he could provide expertise for the “middle areas” of a project that might otherwise be overlooked.
“A big initiative would be to … future-proof our local infrastructure as much as possible to make sure La Jolla stays what it always has been,” he said.
Along with that, he said is becoming familiar with the latest fire suppression systems and could share up-to-date information to the group if he is elected.
Crowe said he lived in San Diego twice in his youth, and when he decided to move back full time, the first photo he took was at La Jolla Cove “to show all my friends back in the Midwest that I had made it.”
Harry Bubbins
The former LJCPA president, one of the two returning candidates, joked that he’s OK with not getting votes.
“You don’t really need to vote for me; we have a great slate of candidates,” Bubbins said with a laugh. “But I have a lot I can do, too. I would continue to serve and lead with the collective voices, not with my opinion. I would continue to advocate for safe streets … in La Jolla.”
Harry Bubbins (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
He said his time as president from 2023 to 2025 was “amazing” but that he stepped down in the interest of rotation of leadership.
He touted his leadership in 2024 when LJCPA faced a challenge to its status as the official planning group for La Jolla from the upstart La Jolla Community Planning Group. The San Diego City Council ended up voting 8-1 in favor of LJCPA.
Janette Williams
The UC San Diego alumna and Bird Rock resident could not attend the forum, but her statement was read aloud.
The statement discusses the incumbent’s involvement with other local planning groups and subcommittees in addition to LJCPA.
“My goal as a trustee is to preserve the character and charm that attract homeowners, real estate enthusiasts and developers to our neighborhood while safeguarding the community we cherish,” Williams wrote.
Should she be reelected, she would work “to promote diversity and equality reflecting the La Jolla community [and] the goals, principles and provisions of the La Jolla Community Plan, La Jolla Planned District Ordinance and La Jolla Shores Planned District Ordinance (when appropriate).”
She also would “collaborate with residents, developers, other LJCPA trustees and community committees and boards to achieve timely results,” she wrote.
Ryan Amos
Amos also was unable to attend and his statement was read aloud. He also posted a video of his statement on the LJCPA website at bit.ly/4r4pPzq.
Amos, the father of two children attending La Jolla schools, wrote that “I grew up in a more rural city in Virginia, where I also felt the safety and connection with my neighbors. Now that I have my own family, I feel the true importance of these networks and harboring a safe place for our community to flourish.”
The construction project manager and builder said he is seeking an LJCPA board seat in hopes of “striking this balance between preserving the character of a small town with the sustainability of urban growth.”
He said he has an appreciation for “functional and aesthetically pleasing structures” and would bring field expertise to the board, including in processes and challenges, if elected.
He also has served on the La Jolla Shores Permit Review Committee and said he considers community service “my civic duty.” ♦