About Amy

Amy Steward is a retired educator. During her 28-year career, she taught grades 2-8 and served as summer school principal. Amy was the recipient of multiple local and national teacher awards along with community awards, and an international award from Rotary. Amy began her career as a park ranger, teaching visitors and school groups about ecosystems, flora and fauna, and conservation.

In 2019, she founded Emerald Keepers, a nonprofit organization focusing on environmental stewardship and sustainability in Coronado. Emerald Keepers provides ecologically focused leadership to foster awareness, offer a forum for discussion, and promote achievable community-driven solutions. Serving as CEO, Amy leads the effort to care for Coronado’s environment and champions the coastal community to become a model city for sustainability and conservation. Applying skills as an educator, administrator, and hands-on leader, she has taken Emerald Keepers from concept to a highly effective, well-respected, influential organization. The San Diego Business Journal named her a Nonprofit Board Leader of Influence for 2024.

Amy holds a BS in Outdoor Education & Recreational Leadership and an MS in Educational Leadership and Administration. Her personal education in sustainability continues.

Why now?

For 37 years, Coronado has been my home. I first arrived as a Navy Junior, and over time, this special island not only shaped my childhood but became the place where my husband, a retired Navy SEAL Captain, and I chose to raise our daughter. Coronado isn’t just where I live; it’s where I’ve invested my heart. Now, I’m running for City Council because I want to give back to the community that has given me so much. 

From the moment I set foot in Coronado, I felt the magic of this place—a small town with a vibrant sense of community and natural beauty. I’ve seen how Coronado has evolved over the years, and while I treasure all it offers, I also understand the importance of preparing for the challenges ahead to preserve the unique charm that defines our city.

For 28 years, I served as an educator with the Coronado Unified School District (CUSD), taking on many roles from elementary and middle school teacher to summer school principal. I also founded the Coronado Speed Spinners jump rope team, co-chaired fundraising efforts for the Brian Bent Memorial Aquatics Complex (BBMAC), and launched “Take a Veteran to School Day”—the largest of its kind in the country. Each initiative was driven by my commitment to enriching student opportunities and strengthening the sense of community that makes Coronado so special. 

A proud moment in my career was founding Emerald Keepers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental advocacy. Under my leadership, Emerald Keepers has made significant strides in sustainability—installing marine skimmers to continuously clean our bay and promoting the Island Express Mini-Shuttles, an eco-friendly solution to traffic congestion and parking challenges. These initiatives go beyond solving practical problems; they enhance our community's charm while addressing vital environmental concerns. 

Looking ahead, my campaign focuses on addressing some of Coronado’s most urgent challenges: cross-border sewage pollution, climate change and the need for infrastructure that can withstand rising sea levels and severe storms. These are not distant threats; they’re already impacting our lives. As a City Councilmember, I will prioritize expanding infrastructure to manage flooding and storm surges, work with regional and state officials to tackle cross-border pollution, and push for nature-based solutions to stabilize our shorelines.

My dedication to service extends beyond the classroom and environmental activism. I have been a Rotary Club member, co-chaired the Neighbor-to-Neighbor initiative during COVID-19 to connect neighbors and provide essential services, served on the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission, and sat on the board of the Coronado Schools Foundation. Through all these roles, I’ve remained committed to sustainability and fostering strong community ties. 

While Coronado is undeniably magical, we must focus on solutions that balance preservation with progress. Fiscal responsibility is at the core of my platform. I want to ensure that our budget decisions align with residents' needs and that we make long-term investments in infrastructure, local businesses, community safety and sustainability. Coronado’s appeal lies not just in its present beauty but in the potential to safeguard that beauty, safety, and sense of community for future generations.

One of the key principles of my candidacy is nonpartisanship. National politics should not influence local governance. My track record reflects that I am a leader who listens, collaborates, and acts in the best interest of all citizens. I have not sought, nor will I accept, endorsements from any political party. My only agenda is to serve the people of Coronado. I am committed to hearing your concerns, studying all sides of an issue, reaching across the bridge for best practices, and working with fellow Councilmembers to find solutions that benefit everyone. 

Coronado is more than just where we live—it’s a community that deserves our dedication, energy, and commitment to a better future. I’m fully invested in preserving the special qualities that make our city unique while addressing the challenges ahead. Together, we can ensure that Coronado remains the beautiful, resilient, and welcoming place we all call home. 

There truly is no place like our home, and as your City Councilmember, my goal is to ensure our community stays as special as ever, for both current and future generations. We are neighbors, friends, and a community united by our love for Coronado. Let’s keep it that way.

 

 

More about Amy and Accomplishments

Many know Amy as a dedicated teacher in Coronado. She is a 28-year educator who has taught at both the elementary and middle school levels during her tenure at CUSD. Concurrently, Amy served as a summer school principal, jump rope coach, and co-chair of the fundraising committee that helped build the aquatics complex at the high school (BBMAC). She also founded and organized CUSD’s "Take a Veteran to School Day" and established KCMS, the CMS broadcast studio, all of which continue to flourish today. Additionally, Amy served on the Coronado Schools Foundation Board, helping produce multiple telethons, and was an assistant Girl Scout leader.

Amy's heart for service and proven leadership are demonstrated in her decades of community involvement. She has co-chaired the Neighbor-to-Neighbor (N2N — COVID citizen engagement initiative), been a Rotary member (past chairperson of Low Tide Ride and Stride), served as a Coronado Cultural Arts Commissioner, and is a member of the Border Pollution Coalition and San Diego Building Electrification Coalition. She is also a League of Wives Board Member and a champion for sustainability, including introducing and promoting the Island Express mini-shuttle.

37-year resident

28-year educator

Emerald Keepers President and founder, (Advocated for Island Express mini-shuttles, clean water and air, single-use plastic reduction, installed 3 marine skimmers in the bay and air quality monitors around town, ongoing education and outreach in Coronado)

Neighbor-2-Neighbor Co-chair of (N2N —citizen engagement initiative);

CUSD’s Take a Veteran to School Day Founder and organizer (largest event in the U.S.)

Co-chair of the Fundraising Committee to build the aquatics complex at the high school (BBMAC); integral to city recreation programs during closures

KCMS, Founder (CMS broadcast studio named Steward Studio in Amy’s honor)

League of Wives Memorial Project Board Member

Past Coronado Schools Foundation Board Member

Past Coronado Cultural Arts Commissioner

Rotarian (Committee to Protect the Environment Chairperson and past chairperson of Low Tide Ride & Stride)

Coronado Speed Spinners jump rope team founder & coach (raised $500K for American Heart Association, jumped at national PE Convention in D.C. and invited to jump at Goodwill Games in Russia)

Border Pollution Coalition Member

San Diego Building Electrification Coalition Member

Awards

  • 2024 Nonprofit Board Leaders of Influence (San Diego Business Journal)

  • 2023 Women of Impact, Community Service and Volunteerism (California Legislature Assembly District 77)

  • 2018 Women of the Year (Assembly District 78)

  • 2018 KMCS Broadcast Studio christened Steward Studio (Coronado Middle School)

  • 2018 Teacher of the Year (Coronado, Middle School)

  • 2013 Bob Watson Service Above Self Citizenship Award for Outstanding Service and Achievement (Rotary Club of Coronado)

  • 2015 Rotary International’s Rotarian Spouse Service Award (demonstrating exemplary humanitarian service through Rotary)

  • 2009 Fred and Ann Kirshner Perpetual Trophy (Coronado Yacht Club - support of youth sailing)

  • 2009 National Teacher Award (Time Warner Cable) for original musical production, “We Can Save Our Oceans”

  • 2007 Good Egg Award (Coronado Rotary Club)

  • 2004 Peacemaker Award (Coronado Human Relations Commission)

  • 1992 Military Accolades Award (Excellence in Education)

  • 1991 NASA’s Name the Orbiter National Competition (winner for State of Virginia)

  • 1989 Impact II Award (Fairfax County Public School Innovation and Integration of the Arts)

Published in

Coronado 365

Coronado Eagle & Journal

Coronado Magazine

Coronado Times

Rope Skipping World Magazine (Editor and Publisher)

The Mailbox Magazine

Virginia Journal of Education

In the News