Elizabeth Pereda
Coordinator of Programs, Southern California | San Diego, CA
As a Programs team member, Elizabeth is a United Through Reading (UTR) Program Assistant in the Southern California region, focusing on the U.S. Marine Corps. She works with commands, including local military support groups, to increase UTR’s awareness and the importance of military families staying connected amidst service-related separation.
Elizabeth served as a United States Marine for 13 years. She retired from the military in 2013 after serving with 9th Comm Bn aboard Camp Pendleton, California. Post-retirement, Elizabeth continued to serve her community within the non-profit sector via various organizations such as Feeding San Diego, International Justice Mission (IJM), and Team Rubicon, to name a few. Elizabeth took on these roles while continuing her education at Biola University, where she earned a BA in Intercultural Studies and an MA in Community Development, as well as a Masters in Non-profit Leadership and Management (MNLM) at the University of Southern California (USC).
She initially discovered UTR’s program and created video recordings of her own when she deployed in 2006 to Al Taquaddum, Iraq, while serving with MWSS374. Now, she is excited to fuze her non-profit sector experience with her military one and be able to share her knowledge and experience with others. Contact Elizabeth at elizabethpereda@utr.org.