Over the past 22 years, Christina Bibler has led change, creating programs that bring economic prosperity in San Diego, and previously in Colorado and Carlsbad. She currently serves as the City of San Diego’s economic development director, prioritizing investment into communities of concern and overseeing the San Diego Promise Zone. In response to the global pandemic, she deployed tens of millions of local and federal funds to local small businesses to restore and sustain the local workforce. Here, she tells us how her real strength is in community building and ensuring the right voices are connected to get things done.
Why are you passionate about workforce development?
Every person desires a path to success. As someone who loves to innovate and problem solve, it is incredibly important to connect people to jobs and careers where they can be proud, encouraged through life and grow. It is my goal to build capacity, strengthen relationships and enable pathways for workers. I have been in economic development for more than 22 years and can say with certainty, without people’s desire to succeed, there would be no economic prosperity.
Why is workforce development important for San Diego County?
San Diego’s diverse and talented populations are an invaluable thread that keeps the fabric of our region thriving. It should be a priority for all sized businesses, governments, nonprofits and academia to build pathways for generations of workers that originated, transitioned, relocated or migrated to San Diego and call this region home. To ensure persistent delivery of thriving households and a stable economy, workforce development must remain a top priority, second only to housing affordability, which in itself is our workforce’s greatest threat.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
As a native San Diegan, I love spending time with my family exploring our community. My husband and I have young children who are adventurous, keep us laughing and we love making memories together. Every day seems to be on hyperspeed and I am always seeking new and inexpensive ways to enjoy our region together, whether it is fishing, walking, hiking, boogie boarding, spending time with friends and family at a bbq, or simply a picnic in the park with my husband, who is an active duty Naval Officer, our three boys and our two dogs.