Her Story
About Seraphina
Seraphina Eberhardt is the Regional Director at the Institute for Public Strategies, a public health nonprofit, where she oversees county-funded contracts that deliver community-level substance use prevention across East County and South Bay San Diego. She also manages a program for the rural Mountain Empire community, offering youth in this underserved area culturally rich activities and day excursions. Her work centers on educating and empowering residents to drive lasting change, and it is informed by a trauma-informed approach supported by her TREC certification in Trauma Resilient Education Communities, as well as by her personal roots in East San Diego, where she grew up.
Eberhardt began her public health career in 2018 after starting her education at Grossmont Community College and earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from San Diego State University, all while raising her daughter as a young single mother. She previously served as Program Coordinator for the Senior Smoke Alarm program at the Burn Institute, following a decade in account management at The Home Depot. At the Institute for Public Strategies, she advanced from Prevention Specialist to Program Manager and then Regional Director. Her proudest achievement is her leadership of the Regional Prevention System in East County, including a Mountain Empire project in which she worked with high school students on a documentary about the need to rebuild their school. The film drew coverage from the San Diego Union-Tribune and became a lasting advocacy tool for the community.
Beyond her professional duties, Eberhardt co-chairs the Live Well East Region Leadership Team and has been recognized as a nominee for the Women in Leadership award from the East County Chamber of Commerce and the Inclusive Leadership in Action award from RISE San Diego. She volunteers as a cheer coach for an inclusive program that welcomes athletes of every experience level, helping participants build confidence, character, and skills. A dedicated mentor, she credits the strong women in her life for inspiring her path and continues to guide former interns and emerging professionals.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Seraphina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the remarkable women who have mentored me throughout my life, including my stepmother, my daughter’s grandmother, and the mother figures who raised me, two of whom were single mothers. Each has built a successful career in her own right, and their example has motivated me at every stage and helped me overcome gender-related disparities in the workforce. My own path, from community college to a Bachelor of Science in Public Health at SDSU while working and raising my daughter, has been shaped by their strength and by my commitment to continuous learning.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Public health is a field that is predominantly female and, by its nature, calls for compassion and empathy. Because the work can be emotionally taxing, I encourage newcomers to build strong self-care habits: prepare ahead of demanding work, make time for wellness activities, and debrief regularly. In my own leadership roles, I have found mentoring to come naturally, and I am proud that former interns still contact me years later for references and guidance. I welcome that kind of ongoing connection with the next generation.
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