2026 Candidates for the sdcea board of directors
Introducing Your 2026 SDCEA Board of Directors Candidates
Lisa Blackburn
Lisa and her husband Larry bought a house in SDCE in November of 2023, after an exhaustive search for the right retirement home across multiple communities in multiple states. Southern California has always had a special place in her heart, and she was thrilled to be able to move home after her most recent assignment of 24 years in New York.
Since her retirement as VP, Global HR Business Development from IBM in July 2024, Lisa enjoys spending time with her friends and family, walking her two dogs on the lovely trails, ballroom dancing or riding her horses along with her husband. Her son, Brandon, is currently serving in the Army Reserves.
Lisa is Secretary of the Board after having been selected on an interim basis after the resignation of the prior Board President due to having the highest number of votes of the remaining Board candidates from the prior election. Lisa is running for a seat on the Board because of her love of the SDCE community and her desire to see it continue to be the preferred choice of home for all owners regardless of their interests. She believes in fairness, as well as ensuring that the Board is run on sound financial principles and within a balanced budget. Although relatively new to SDCE, Lisa and Larry view this as their forever home and want to ensure that the community continues to prosper into the future.
Since last year, Lisa has served the community as a member of the Board (since December 2025), a member of the Budget Committee, as well as a member of several subcommittees for the Equestrian Committee. She led the team that worked on the East portion of SDCEA’s Firewise Assessment and volunteered to assist the Casey Tibbs Riders with their 2025 Gymkhana series.
Richard Drewery
I’ve been a resident of San Diego Country Estates for over ten years now, over more than five years I’ve been working to make our community better.
I was first concerned about our Fire Risks, lack of Reserves and our investment in our Golf Course with no Return on Investment. The last one of the three I mentioned upset some people in our community, although I felt it wasn’t fair for a few to benefit from 3451 residents. I didn’t have much success, and I’m now looking at a different approach. We need a balanced approach that works for everyone, more like a stepped set up that ensures we don’t lose players while generating a more substantial profit every month. We need to be able to come together as a community and stop the discord between our largest amenities of Equestrian Centers and the Golf Courses.
Since I’ve been involved in our community, we have never met our stated plans for our Reserves. Every year something comes up that wasn’t planned and limits our contributions. This needs to change, we need to cut spending until we have a substantial reserve account. If natural disasters were to happen which occur all over California, we would be in serious danger of losing some of our cherished amenities.
I took the initiative to contact of SDC Supervisor regarding the head on collisions at the San Vincente “S’s” during rain events. My design and willingness were able to get the County to make changes and save lives.
We need to be operating more like a private business than a Municipality, expect more from employees and reward those who go above and beyond.I bring actual experience working with Government Agencies, an established track record of community successes and a familiarity with SDCEA financials.
Vanessa Jarrell
We are entering a Window of Change, and there is significant work to be done over the next couple of years. Continuity is critical as the Board digs in. Without it, we risk losing valuable time bringing new Board members up to speed. Do we really want to move two steps forward only to take one step back? As a homeowner, my answer is “Heck no”. I have extensive experience collaborating with internal and external stakeholders and leading technical teams. This experience prepares me to work effectively with association employees, management, committees, and homeowners alike.
I plan to work closely with the Finance Committee to review financials on a monthly basis. This will help identify when department budgets are approaching their limits, allowing us to course-correct early rather than reacting after budgets have been exceeded.
Going forward, I will review all projects currently in progress to understand how they are being executed —whether they are on track, on budget, and if not, why. There are many items that have already been approved by the Board but have yet to be executed. We need to understand what is causing these delays.
Equal enforcement of CRD “violations” is an internal issue I began working on with the former General Manager. Unfortunately, the level of support needed to advance this effort was not sustained. I will continue to review and address enforcement complaints, including cases where homeowners are cited for conditions that have existed for many years (for example, parking on gravel). It is my goal to continue this effort.
Many will ask me if I’ll pledge to not increase our monthly assessments. My answer will be no. However, I do pledge to trim where we can in an effort to reduce spending.
Vanessa Jerrell, Vice President
SDCEA Board of Directors
Deanne Markle
Education is my passion.
Whether that is teaching youth through my work in financial literacy, advocacy for the importance of the system or learning a new skill, educating ourselves is what keeps us youthful and engaged.
While serving on the school board for Cajon Valley I was given the opportunity to secure my Masters in Governance through CSBA and take away a wealth of knowledge on the processes of boards.
Through this service and more, the skills I have learned are invaluable and have taught me humility, compassion and the ability to negotiate fairly and equitably.
By volunteering for this board position, I will continue this passion and bring integrity, respect and a balanced perspective to the position.
At a time of uncertainty and volatility is when people are needed the most to step up and help, which is why I chose to submit my candidacy for the open board positions.
I come with no agenda, just wanting to bring our community together and keep it thriving.
Respectfully, I ask for your vote.
Melanie Perry
SDCEA Board of Directors 2026 Candidate Statement
Living in the San Diego Country Estates for more than a decade has given me a strong appreciation for our community and the shared responsibility that comes with maintaining it. I am running for the SDCEA Board of Directors to contribute thoughtful leadership, clear communication, and practical problem-solving during a time of important financial and operational decisions. Preserving what makes our community special while supporting improvements that benefit all homeowners is important to me.
My professional background includes public safety, community relations, and project management, where clear communication, accountability, and coordination are essential. As our community navigates rising operational costs and a recent increase in monthly dues, I believe it is especially important that homeowners understand how decisions are made, how funds are allocated, and what options are being considered beyond simply raising monthly assessments.
If elected, my priorities will be to:
- Improve overall communication between the HOA and its members
- Support responsible financial planning and transparency around budgets and long-term costs
- Preserve community amenities while balancing affordability and sustainability
I am reliable, approachable, and committed to representing residents fairly. As a homeowner raising a family here, I value long-term planning, fiscal responsibility, and open dialogue that helps maintain trust and stability within our neighborhood.
I welcome constructive input and believe the best outcomes come from collaboration and informed decision-making. Thank you for considering my candidacy for the SDCEA Board of Directors.
Roger Rajcic
I have lived in the San Diego Country Estates for over 20 years.
This past year serving as a board member has been one of personal growth and renewed optimism.
Building a team to represent and serve a community of more than 10,000 residents is not easy. Change is both good and inevitable; however, individual perspectives can sometimes obscure what is best for the community as a whole.
Today, our HOA dues are $2,340 per household, generating approximately $8,075,340 in annual revenue. This amount should be more than sufficient to properly staff and maintain our facilities while keeping homeowner access affordable.
The primary reason cited for the 2026 dues increase was to grow reserve funds. Raising dues solely to increase reserves encourages overspending without proper accountability, largely due to how the budget is currently developed. The budgeting process must evolve to better reflect the best interests of the entire community.
Rules matter. They must be enforced fairly, consistently, and equally for everyone.
I remain optimistic that 2026 will be a year of meaningful change—change that benefits all of us.San Diego Country Estates was founded as an affordable, active community: a great place to raise a family or enjoy retirement — not a resort.
Education: BS–Business & Information Systems, California State University
Experience: Owner/Operator of Retail Piano Stores, Real Estate Broker, Contractor, and 21 years of board experience with Ramona Parks and Recreation and San Diego Country Estates.
It’s time to get back to the basics: maintain the facilities we have and keep dues low.
Regards, Roger Rajcic
Candidate Information Overview
The candidates are presented in alphabetical order.
All candidate information was provided by the individual candidates and has only been modified to remove personal details.
