Councilwoman Maribel De La Torre is in her second term in office in San Fernando. She is a San Fernando native and alumnae of the University of California at Berkeley.

De La Torre and her sister, Cindy Montanez have both been members of the San Fernando city council. Montanez was already a councilmember in San Fernando when De La Torre joined her in 2001. The sisters became the first sister-act in California to serve together on a city council. Montanez became the mayor of San Fernando in 2001 and again in 2002.

In November 2002, Montanez left the San Fernando city council and was elected to the California State Assembly to represent the 39th District. At that point, De La Torre assumed the role of Mayor Pro-Tem. She served in that capacity until 2004 when the city council elected her to serve as Mayor.

Councilmember De La Torre is a 34 year resident of San Fernando and the second oldest of six college educated children born to strong-valued immigrant parents, Manuel and Margarita Montanez. De La Torre attended First Lutheran Grade/Junior High School, St. Genevieve High School and graduated from San Fernando High School. She is also an alumnae of Los Angeles Mission College and as previously noted the University of California at Berkeley.

The Honorable De La Torre is a founding member of the San Fernando Historic Homes Preservation Group, and board member of numerous organizations including the San Fernando Valley Economic Alliance, VICA, North Valley YMCA, the American Cancer Society, and the Muniz Family Foundation.

Through her work on the City Council, De La Torre secured funding for an Aquatics Center, federal appropriations for the redesign of San Fernando’s major corridors, a CNG Trolley System, and restoration of the Pacoima Wash Watershed. She spearheaded the development of Senior Housing, adoption of the City’s historic preservation ordinance, crafting of the Downtown Corridor Specific Plan allowing mixed-use by right. The Councilwoman was also responsible for negotiating with LAUSD for the development of 4 new Academies and a new elementary school in San Fernando.

Finally, De La Torre has impacted health issue throughout San Fernando by guiding the city towards obtaining a “Healthy City” designation, implementing the Mayor’s 5K Run, a mini-triathlon, and bringing a health campus into San Fernando. Importantly, she has raised thousands of dollars to fight cancer by implementing and partnering with American Cancer Society to host the Relay for Life in San Fernando. Her work has lead the city to take an active role in the re-design of the city to become a pedestrian-oriented town that focuses on getting people out of their cars and onto alternative modes of transportation including walking thereby encouraging a community to develop a healthier lifestyle.

As stated by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal “Councilwoman Maribel De La Torre has been a driving force in the city’s reshaping over the last few years.”

Away from work, Ms. De La Torre will tell that her most important work is simply being an exemplary mother to her children Dominic, age 14 and Dominic-Adam, age 9.