Lisa's Bio

Lisa Swarthout was elected to her first term on the Grass Valley City Council in November of 2004.  She was re-elected in November of 2008, November 2012, and November 2016.  Lisa served two years as Mayor in 2009-2010 and was appointed to her second term as Mayor in December of 2018. 

 

Previous to her elected position she spent nine years on the Grass Valley Planning Commission.  Some of Lisa’s duties on the City Council have included:  General plan steering committee, Economic Resource Council City representative, Member of LAFCO (10 years)

Liaison to the City Park and Rec Commission, liaison with the Grass Valley Downtown Association, and a member of the City’s budget committee.

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Lisa is also the Past Chairman of the Grass Valley Downtown Association and past Chairman of the Nevada County Economic Resource Council.  She has served on the boards of many non-profit organizations in our community including: The Friendship Club, Silver Springs Foundation, Sammie’s Friends and Soroptimist International of Grass Valley.  Lisa currently sits on the Board for the Center for the Arts and the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation.  She also finds time to volunteer at the Sammie’s Friends thrift store and for the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Lisa received her BA in Communications from CSU Chico, with a minor in Political Science.  She recently retired after running a successful retail store in Downtown Grass Valley for 30 years. Lisa resides in Grass Valley with her husband Chris Therrien and their beloved cats and dog.