Two Carlsbad residents who have spent decades giving back to the community and creating opportunities to help young people thrive have been named Carlsbad’s Citizens of the Year.
Rosemary Eshelman and Karen Pearson will be honored for their extraordinary community service focused on bringing people together, helping others and making life in Carlsbad better for all.
The Citizen of the Year program is more than 50 years old and recognizes community members who have given their time and energy to the civic improvement, beautification and betterment of the City of Carlsbad.
This year’s honorees will be recognized during a ceremony on Tuesday, July 28, at 3 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Carlsbad City Hall, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive, followed by a small reception in the courtyard. The public is invited to attend.
Rosemary Eshelman
For more than 40 years, Rosemary Eshelman has helped shape the traditions, programs and community resources that make Carlsbad special.
Eshelman and her husband, David, moved to Carlsbad in the 1980s, and she began working for the city’s Parks & Recreation Department. She helped coordinate the city’s first Easter Egg Hunt, the opening of the Carlsbad Senior Center and Monroe Street Pool, and many of the city’s popular summer camps.
In that role, Eshelman saw how enrichment programs can change lives and create opportunities, especially for young people. That inspired a lifelong commitment to serving others and building programs that help young people thrive.
Eshelman left her city job when her two sons were born, but continued to find ways to serve the community and support local youth.
For 25 years, she served as coordinator of Youth Enrichment Services (YES), a volunteer collaborative that brings together schools, nonprofits, public safety agencies and community organizations to create a network of support that has benefited generations of young people.
She later became the district-wide health and wellness coordinator for the Carlsbad Unified School District, leading programs focused on student wellness, substance abuse prevention and parent education to help ensure every child has what they need to thrive.
Eshelman also helped establish the district’s Superintendent’s Advisory Council and supported the creation of Carlsbad Champions, a peer mentorship program. Both initiatives encourage youth leadership and give students a voice in their schools and community.
People who have worked alongside Eshelman describe her as a passionate advocate for young people and a tireless community builder.
“Rosemary has spent a lifetime lifting the Carlsbad community through unwavering dedication, service and heart,” Abby Snyder said in nominating Eshelman for the Citizen of the Year award. “While many give their time, Rosemary has given her life’s work to building connections, strengthening programs and creating opportunities, especially for youth.”
Now retired, Eshelman continues to volunteer her time through scholarship and grant review efforts, community events and programs that support local youth and families. The Eshelmans’ oldest son, Sam, is the athletic director at Carlsbad High School, and their younger son, Thomas, is a pitching coach at Texas Christian University.
Eshelman said she believes the city’s greatest accomplishments happen when people work together.
“Carlsbad is, and always has been, a special place for me,” she said. “I have met so many people who connect and care about our community. I consider Carlsbad a quilt, and each of us contributes a square to complete it. I am so proud to be able to live here and to work with amazing organizations that are committed to making a difference in young people’s lives.”
Karen Pearson
A natural connector and community builder, Karen Pearson has a gift for bringing people together, strengthening nonprofits, supporting good causes and inspiring others to give back.
Pearson moved to Carlsbad in 2008 with her husband, Ray, and their son, Dane, and quickly fell in love with the city’s coastal setting and welcoming spirit. As a lifelong volunteer and people person, she immediately began looking for ways to get involved, build relationships and help others.
She started volunteering with the Mitchell Thorp Foundation and then served as its director of community relations, a role that deepened her ties to the community.
She later became director of business relations for the San Diego North Economic Development Council, building partnerships among businesses, educational institutions and public agencies to help grow the region’s economy.
Through it all, Pearson volunteered with nonprofit groups like TrueCare (formerly North County Health Services), the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation, Solutions for Change and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation.
Before retiring from the San Diego North EDC in 2018, Pearson began collaborating with administrators and staff at MiraCosta College to expand career pathways for students entering the local workforce.
She is now the incoming president of the MiraCosta College Foundation Board, using her relationships in the business community to help more students gain real-life experience and internships before graduating.
Pearson also serves on the boards of TrueCare and the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation and volunteers with Love on a Leash, where she and her rescue dog, Buddy Joy, provide pet therapy visits to people in need.
Shannon Stubblefield, one of the community members who nominated Pearson for Citizen of the Year, said Pearson’s approach to service is authentic and collaborative and that she has an extraordinary ability to bring people together around a common purpose.
“When Karen sees a need, she takes action herself and then looks around to see who will join the cause,” Stubblefield said. “She is a force multiplier.”
Pearson said helping others has always been deeply fulfilling to her and she’s grateful to be part of a community like Carlsbad where so many people feel the same.
“I have been given so much in this life; I feel a deep calling to give back,” Pearson said. “I’m also a natural connector, so it brings me a lot of joy to help others find what they’re passionate about and get involved too.”
“There are so many ways to give back here in Carlsbad,” Pearson added. “Doing even the smallest thing helps you feel like you’re part of the greater good.”
