Denise Aquila has positively affected the lives of many people in San Mateo County through her volunteer work. Nicknamed the “Coastal Soccer Queen,” she has brought professional level sports and, consequently, greater opportunities for health and well-being to thousands of high school girls by founding an American Youth Soccer Organization for Half Moon Bay and the Coast. A lifelong competitive soccer player, she has put her experience with cancer to work, inspiring other survivors by running marathons to help fund cancer research. She has helped strengthen county charities through her extraordinary fundraising efforts and is a compassionate, committed and hardworking leader. Currently, as a County Commissioner for HEART (Regional Housing Endowment and Trust) she applies her experience in real estate to help the county secure more affordable housing. She has been a member since HEART’s inception. During her tenure as Chair of the San Mateo County Realtor’ Foundation, she led the growth of donations from $25,000 in her first year to $135,000 by 2008. While with the Women’s Council of Realtors, she drove sponsorship for local domestic violence fundraising. She was a California State Director to the National Association of Realtors from 2006-2010, director of the California Association of Realtors and has held numerous leadership positions with the Women’s Council of Realtors. Denise is driven by a genuine passion for improving the lives of those around her. She steps in where she sees a need and has significant impact along the way.
