Councilmember
City of Carlsbad

Carlsbad City Councilmember Teresa Acosta was elected to the City Council on November 3, 2020. A Southern California native highly skilled in innovation, collaboration and consensus-building, Teresa has worked for more than 20 years to create positive community change. She served as Field Representative for a California State Senator and Regional Public Affairs Manager at the League of California Cities before founding her own consulting firm in 2011 in Carlsbad.

Teresa consistently champions sustainability, connectivity, and public safety. An active member of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, she has chaired both the Government Affairs Committee and the Technology Advisory Committee. She is currently Chair of the board of directors of the Institute for Local Government, which promotes good government at the local level with practical, impartial resources for California communities. She volunteers with the Surfrider Foundation and the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation and has held leadership roles on the boards of multiple San Diego non-profit organizations, including MAAC Project and the National Charity League, Del Sol Chapter.

As a proponent of lifelong learning and the transformative power of education, Teresa taught Business Communication courses at MiraCosta College for three years, and she regularly mentors students and young professionals. In 2021, she co-founded the Carlsbad Volunteer Leaders, a local community service group.

Teresa earned her BA from the University of Southern California and MBA from Pepperdine University. She is also a graduate of the HOPE Leadership Institute, the Center for Creative Leadership Latina Leaders Program, the Carlsbad Citizens Academy, and the San Diego County Water Authority Academy. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2021 Ring of Honor Award from MANA, a national Latina organization.

Teresa sits on the Carlsbad City Council Legislative Subcommittee and represents the City at several regional organizations: League of California Cities San Diego County Division, League of California Cities Environmental Quality Committee, Clean Energy Alliance, Carlsbad City/School Committee, Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, Encina Wastewater Authority, and North County Transit District (Alternate).

Teresa lives in District 4 with her family and enjoys many hobbies, including cooking and organic vegetable gardening.