Interview with Margo Camilleri,
PSLLHK’s New Executive Director

What is your professional background?
I come to the Lighthouse from Cal Poly Continuing Education. As marketing manager, I was responsible for managing and creating all of their marketing and public relations campaigns. In 2002, I moved to the area from San Diego where I was working as a marketing account manager for UCSD Extension. Prior to my work in education, I was a senior account executive for several high tech public relations firms in San Diego during the technology boom of the late 1990’s.

What is your educational background?
I grew up in Charolottesville, Virginia and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. I also received a master’s degree in Mass Communications from San Diego State University.

What do you bring to the Lighthouse Keepers?
I have extensive experience in marketing, public relations and grant writing. I’m here to create the systems that can support, what I expect to be, a dramatic increase in the number of people who will want to join our efforts and visit the lighthouse. With the anticipated upgrade of the road and improved access by car, I believe that the lighthouse will begin to be recognized, both locally and nationally, as a major day-outing and tourist attraction.
I also bring with me expertise in managing and implementing large scale programs. As I take over running the operations, the Board will be able to focus more on big picture projects like opening access and fulfilling the Keeper’s full mission of both restoring the lighthouse and educating the public about its importance.

What do you hope to accomplish?
Being a newcomer to the Keepers, I am just now starting to comprehend what the Keeper members have accomplished since our creation. However, after visiting the lighthouse, I recognize that there is still a huge amount of work that needs to be done. One of my immediate goals as executive director is to increase membership and recruit more people to be active members. In addition, I plan on increasing public awareness about the lighthouse and ramping up our educational programs.