SWA Community
Chief Roxana Kennedy
I
t really is amazing how a
small act of kindness can
make a profound difference
in someone’s life. Roxana Kennedy is the 24th Police
Chief for Chula Vista and the city’s first female to take the
helm. She believes we share the responsibility to help
those who cannot help themselves. She makes her home
here, but her partnership with Project Compassion took
her to third world countries to help make a difference.
Roxana’s passion for helping
others is evident in her profession.
She embodies the same values
Southwest Airlines encourages and is
committed to making the community a
better place.
Lidia S. Martinez
Manager, Community Affairs &
Grassroots Southwest Airlines
C
hief Roxana Kennedy is the innovative leader
behind the Chula Vista Police Department, the
second largest Police Department in San Diego
County. Under her leadership, the department has
maintained Chula Vista as one of the ten safest
cities its size; won a prestigious international award for its
domestic violence program and garnered national recognition
for its ground-breaking drone program. She accomplished all
this while volunteering to lead numerous international medical
mission trips as far away as Africa in her spare time.
Chief Kennedy began her career with CVPD as a police officer in
1992. Early on, she recognized that community policing would
be the cornerstone of how she approached her career. As she
rose through the ranks; she focused on building relationships
with the community and with key stake holders to better connect
the department with the community’s needs.
As she was promoted, she broke new ground as the
department’s first female Lieutenant; Captain and Police Chief.
It is estimated that less than 15% of American police officers
are women, which makes her accomplishments even more
noteworthy.
While Chief Kennedy recognized her unique status as a woman
leader in the agency, she never let that define the way she
approached her job. “Being a woman in police work has not
always been easy, but I love this profession and believe in our
mission wholeheartedly,” Kennedy said. At each step of her
50 GBSAN.COM | JUNE 2019