Vanessa Scheidel

I was born and raised in San Diego (Rancho Peñasquitos) and have lived up and down the coast in Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, and Del Mar over the last 10 years. My family, friends, work, and hobbies all reside in North County San Diego, and I have no plans of ever leaving!

I have been working as an Environmental Planner at Dudek on Third Street in downtown Encinitas since 2014, preparing environmental documentation for land use planning and infrastructure projects that are subject to compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. As an Environmental Planner, I am passionate about development projects that create a sense of community, promote sustainability, and aesthetically fit the character of the surrounding area. My husband also works for Dudek as a civil engineer, and we feel so thankful every day for our quick commute up the 101, and to work for such a great company located close to the beach and right in the heart of Encinitas.

The majority of my time in and out of work is spent around the 101, grabbing a quick lunch in between meetings, dining with co-workers and friends, shopping, walking my dog, biking, working out, and attending local events like the Encinitas Classic Car Nights. My father was a small business owner, so I love supporting small businesses and I appreciate that Encinitas is home to so many. Some of my favorite places that I frequent include The Roxy, Darshan Bakery & Café, Java Hut, Trattoria I Trulli, Honey’s, Beachside, Piña, GOODONYA, JOJO’s Creamery, Hansen’s, The Nada Shop, Vuori, and Yoga Tropics. Outside of working at Dudek, I taught yoga sculpt classes at Evolve Yoga (previously located in Encinitas’ Pacific Station) from 2016 to 2020, and currently teach sculpt yoga at Asteya Yoga in the Encinitas Wellness Center.

I have a great interest in the current and future businesses of the 101 corridor, and my objective in joining the Encinitas 101 Main Street Board is to provide ideas from a planning perspective that would accommodate the growing tourism, while preserving the small beach town feel and long-standing businesses and landmarks. I love this community I consider home and would be delighted to have the opportunity to help in supporting our local businesses, enhance local event experiences, retain historic culture, and assist with the continued improvements and attractiveness of our 101 corridor.