A Few Minutes with Avital Aboody

Avital Aboody, Program Officer, LISC San Diego

In chronological order, Avital Aboody’s professional travels have taken her to Jerusalem, New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, and LA again.

Now she’s excited about coming back to San Diego as LISC San Diego’s newly named Program Officer, succeeding Bryndan Stueve, who recently relocated to Washington, DC.

Throughout Avital’s career, she has variously served as a project manager and community organizer with a wide range of social-justice nonprofit agencies in each of those cities.

Most recently, she was in charge of community projects and policy at LA-MÁS, an urban design nonprofit that helps lower-income and underserved communities shape a better future.

While in San Diego, Avital spent nearly five years (2012-16) as program manager with City Heights CDC and BAME CDC in a wide range of community roles. In addition, she’s a certified mediator who’s fluent in English, Spanish and Hebrew. A graduate of UC-Berkeley (Peace and Conflict Studies), she also holds a Master’s degree from Antioch University (Urban Sustainability) in Los Angeles.

What about joining LISC San Diego are you most excited about?

LISC has actually supported most of my work over the last eight years, first in San Diego and then in LA. I’ve always admired LISC’s ability to think creatively and work collaboratively with their partners. I’m very excited, especially at this point of my career, to have the opportunity to be on the other side of the funding equation and pass along some of the lessons I’ve learned to others in the community development field.  

What goals do you have to for the first six months or so?

I’d like to start by learning about the priorities of various neighborhood groups and assess how LISC could best support their current initiatives. I also hope to work closely with diverse small businesses to collectively develop strategies to highlight their unique contributions to their communities.

What has inspired you in your previous roles and what inspires you now?

I’ve worked with business owners and community members from all over the world and been privileged to hear so many of their inspiring life stories. I always approach my work from a social justice perspective. I’m motivated by a desire to help achieve greater equity in our society and level the economic playing field. My ultimate goal is to give under-invested neighborhoods and people the opportunity to create the kind of vibrant, sustainable communities they deserve.

What have you learned about the people you’ve served through the years?

I’ve always known that the people LISC serves are incredibly resilient. But all too often, they haven’t been given the right opportunities to achieve success. Because of that, they’re constantly hustling just to make ends meet.

What in your heart brings you back to San Diego?

I really love the close-knit and culturally diverse neighborhoods that make up the city’s urban core. I also love being near the border and the whole fluidity between San Diego and Tijuana. We can learn so much from our neighbors.