An interview with Volunteer of the Month (March 2018): Lisa Steinbrecher – Special Events and Office Assistance volunteer. Conducted by Save Mount Diablo’s Stewardship & Outreach Associate, Roxana Lucero.
About Lisa:
a. How long have you lived in the Bay Area?
– My entire life! I was born in Union City, raised in Hayward, Berkeley, and Pleasanton, and lived in Walnut Creek before moving to San Ramon when I got married. I now live in Danville, where our family has been for 21 years.
b. How did you learn about Save Mount Diablo?
– My daughters and I were members of National Charity League, Vista Oak Chapter. One of the first organizations where we volunteered was Save Mount Diablo (SMD) in 2007. We learned about the important work that SMD does and knew we wanted to continue to be a part of it.
c. What did you do before you volunteered for us?
– I worked at Chevron Corporation for 17 years in the Information Systems Group and later in Human Resources. After having my second of two daughters, I decided to become a stay-at-home mom. Before connecting with SMD, I volunteered with numerous nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area, which I continue to do today.
d. How long have you been volunteering with us?
– Just over ten years!
e. Why did you decide to join our team?
– I love and support SMD’s mission of preserving, defending, and restoring Mount Diablo. In addition, the staff is wonderful to work with. I feel grateful to be giving back to the place which has provided so much enjoyment to me and my family.
About Lisa’s Work:
a. Which program(s) are you affiliated with?
– Special events, such as Moonlight on the Mountain, Diablo Trail Challenge, Trail Adventure, and Mount Diablo Challenge. I have also provided office assistance in preparation for a variety of activities or events.
b. What does your volunteer work consist of and what do you like about it?
– Hands-on help wherever and whenever needed. For the special events, I have helped with training volunteers, set-up, event help, and clean up. Often times the work changed to do different needs. I was always willing to be flexible and adjust as needed.
c. What is the hardest project you’ve worked on while volunteering?
– After working at Moonlight for the past 10 years, we have had our share of different scenarios, including howling wind and extreme heat, meandering cows at the event site, and last-minute finishing touches before the guests arrived. But every year, no matter how much chaos there was, this event was as lovely and perfect as it could have ever been. There is something magical about being on the mountain at sunset as a full moon rises.
d. What is one of your favorite memories volunteering with us?
– One of my favorite memories is driving to the summit in the dark, very early in the morning for the Mount Diablo Challenge. The long drive up the mountain was so quiet and serene. As we neared the top, the sun peaked over the neighboring hills and we had to stop to take in the beauty before continuing to the summit, where we’d be ready to prepare for the riders’ arrival.
