Elsa Rivera
Seemingly wherever you go in Monterey County, Elsa Rivera is there. Mostly, she’s behind the scenes, orchestrating creative events that support charitable causes – things like the Big Sur Fashion Show (executive director) or Big Sur Food and Wine Festival (CFO and events director). Sometimes she’s on the stage as an emcee, a role the dancer has leaned into since a knee injury. “I love uplifting people’s talents,” she says. “Art is essential – we need it for our souls.” Other volunteer roles include serving on the boards of the Monterey Bay Jade Festival and GI Josie, where she introduced the Blue Water Project to support surf therapy for women recovering from PTSD. Rivera also helped grow pandemic relief efforts The Big Share and ALL‑IN Monterey. In short, giving back is built into her daily life. “I believe we make time for anything we want to do,” she says. “I think not having time is a lame excuse. We can always make time for things we love.”