Board of Directors
The Encinitas Board of Directors has been selected by the board committee and each member serves 2-year terms. If you’re interested in joining the board or would like to get involved in the chamber committees, please contact Sherry Yardley.
David DaCosta
Chairman of the board
Executive Committee
A member of the San Diego real estate community, since 2001 and a Senior Real Estate Specialist, David DaCosta prides himself on being involved in the local community. He was the former owner of Jamroc 101, formerly a Caribbean Encinitas Restaurant. David is currently serving his second term on the board for the Encinitas Chamber and heads up the Nominating committee as well as being an Ambassador for 18 years.
Living and working in San Diego for over 35 years has given him a great network of connections throughout the county, which helps him put his clients in contact with just the right people, no matter what their need. His entire career of business development has been built around his three core concepts: service, connections, and trust. David does his utmost to get his clients results, while remaining service-oriented, ethical, and a person they can trust, over and over again.
“I joined the Chamber originally to promote my family restaurant, now let’s have a chat about joining us on the Board!”
DACOSTA PROPERTIES
760-846-0557
Email David
Andrew Utt
Vice chair
Government Relations & Advocacy Committee
Andrew Utt is the Executive Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art, San Diego and is a curator, arts administrator, and educator with a bachelor’s degree from the California College of Arts and Crafts and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from Harvard University. For the past 20 years, he has worked in the arts with museums and galleries based in California, Argentina, and Colombia. He has managed and developed art educational programs, exhibitions, fundraisers, marketing initiatives, and digital advances in different languages and cultures throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa, and New Zealand. Andrew is most excited about uniting arts and culture as a tool for economic impact and development in our region. He brings decades of non-profit experience to the Chamber's board.
The Institute of Contemporary Art
760-615-0988
Email Andrew
Jon Kochik
Secretary
Environmental sustainability Committee
Jon Kochik has been with San Diego Gas & Electric for 9 years working to advance various initiatives including clean energy, local government partnerships, operational efficiencies, safety culture and leadership development. Prior to that, Jon worked for AMN Healthcare in Del Mar leading sales operations and leadership development programs after earning degrees from Penn State and San Diego State in organizational psychology. Jon’s work life began with delivering newspapers on his bike and working in the warehouse of local department store and serving food at a retirement home. And, Jon had lots of interesting jobs in between. Jon has lived in Cardiff for 15 years, and in the broader SD area for a total of 22 years after growing up Pennsylvania as a kid through college. His first visit to friends in the SD area brought him to Encinitas and he moved out here three weeks later.
He had never felt more at home than he does in this town. Jon and his wife feel so fortunate to have raised both of their kids through the Cardiff Schools, frolicking on these amazing beaches, joining the Cardiff Mustangs, the San Dieguito Swim Team, Junior Guards, and now Oak Crest Middle School. It doesn’t take long to figure out that how much everyone here wants to make a positive contribution to the broader community. Jon learned about the great work the Chamber does and wanted to contribute to those endeavors – to support businesses here in Encinitas, create a community network, and partner with the City and others to grow in ways that maintain what is truly special about this town.
SDG&E
858-243-1534 (work)
Email Jon
Jim Benedetti
Board Member & Past Chairman of the Board
Government Relations & Advocacy committee
Jim originally joined the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce to build his company’s client base, but as he has discovered over time, it has become so much more.
Jim has found that being on the Chamber Board of Directors has taught him that his contribution is mainly about giving back to the community that he lives in and helping to develop and increase our local business community’s opportunities to grow and thrive.
JPBLA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
760-479-0644
Email Jim
Gabriel Rebelo
Board Member
Resource development committee
Gabriel and Marcia Rebelo arrived in the U.S. from Johannesburg, South Africa in 2012. Their American Dream came true when they purchased an established Minuteman Press location with growth potential in Encinitas, California. They launched a ‘Print Locally’ campaign in 2016 that has served them well these last several years. Graciously embraced by the business community as well as their customers, Gabriel always gives back. He has been an active Board Member for the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce for seven? years now. He and his wife have three? grown children and four? adorable grandchildren.
As for being his own boss, Gabriel says, “The most rewarding thing about owning your own business is that the buck stops with you. What you achieve is the result of what you put into your business. Although your responsibilities are great, and often you work much harder than any of you employees, you time and your schedule are yours.” Gabriel takes great pride in his work ethic and his product to his local Encinitas customers. He lives in an eternal state of gratitude for all that life has given him, and it shows every time you meet him.
San Diego Premier Outdoor Design & Construction
760-634-5349
Email Gabriel
Rock Swanson
Board Member
Resource development committee
Rock Swanson is a Board Member on the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He has been a resident of Olivenhain since 1977. He founded and built his business, Rockwell Electric, Inc. starting in 1970 and sold it in 1999. REI was an electrical contractor for the Public Works entities throughout San Diego County and greater Southern California.
He specialized in process control and data management technologies for the Water/Wastewater facilities. Rock has been involved with his wife’s business, Business Blossoms, a floral enterprise, since its founding in 2004. Rock has also been a volunteer for the Chamber for many years, including the bartender at our Moonlight Mixers. Rock joined the board last year to bring his business experience and passion to the wonderful City of Encinitas.
Business Blossoms
760-212-6615
Email Rock
rockswanson@cox.net
Roueida Hobeika Matin
Board Member
Business & Economic Development and membership COmmittee
Roueida has majored in Political and Administrative Sciences but her extensive business past of over 25 years managing at the highest levels the world’s top luxury brands has made her a business guru. She uses her experience as General Manager and CEO for brands such as LVMH (Louis Vuitton), Prada, Miu Miu, Armani & Gucci to teach and mentor young professionals. As such she has volunteered her time to teach at the renowned Istanbul Fashion Institute and is an active coach & mentor for Executive MBA students of one of the top universities in Turkey, Sabanci University.
Nowadays, Roueida has found a renewed way to continue her passion of helping people in her current community of Encinitas. She is a podiatric expert and the proud Owner of Foot Solutions Encinitas, a store that has been proudly serving North San Diego County since 2001. Foot Solutions is the world's largest and #1 Ranked Health & Wellness Franchise focusing on foot care, and Roueida enjoys working one on one with her customers of all ages to alleviate many of their body ailments that emanate from their feet and shoes, as well as guiding them to adapt the footwear to their style and comfort all the while wearing orthopedically well suited footwear.
Foot Solutions
760-634-1600
Beatriz Jiron
Board Member
Visitors Center Committee
Beatriz Jiron, born and raised Encinitas Native, is the COO and Co-Founder of La Merca Company, a Marketing Corporation providing the best quality services in their area. She also serves as a Senior Account Executive and Director if Operstions at LMA Marketing and Advertising managing an array of accounts overseeing digital strategy in different industries. In her most recent role, she served as Production Director at the largest Spanish-Speaking Mass Media company in the world. She is an expert in developing and executing marketing campaigns, as well as multi-platform digital and traditional media productions.
La Merca Company
760-579-8893
Sean Flannery
Board Member
Education and Networking & ENVIROnMENTAL STABILITY Committee
Sean Flannery is a San Diego native and Co-founded his video production company, Max Lux Media in 2020. He is passionate about helping business owners and nonprofits tell their stories and create new connections using the power of video. After studying Entrepreneurship at California State University Fresno, Sean launched several successful businesses in the advertisement design and beverage industries. Sean is passionate about creating a positive impact in the local community. In his free time you can find him rock climbing, mountain biking or searching for the next outdoors adventure!
Max Lux Media
760-822-9147
