By Marianne M. Porter, Moonshine Ink

Emilio Vaca, 38, could have easily ended up in Modesto or Los Angeles, or even Winnemucca, where he was raised after being born in Reno. After high school, he attended Modesto Junior College where he graduated in 2002, and in 2005 he earned a degree from Sierra Nevada College in political science and international studies. For Vaca, three life-altering events kept him anchored in Kings Beach: his work with Latino parents and teens, meeting his wife Aline, and their community church.

Emilio Vaca

Vaca traveled an impressive road on the way to Kings Beach. He currently owns his own business called Vaca Consulting. Since January 2017, he has been board president of the North Tahoe Business Association. Formerly, he was executive director of the North Tahoe Family Resource Center for four-and-a-half years. In 2011, he received the North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award, presented by his friend Dave Ferrari, whom Vaca calls “the mayor of Kings Beach.” In turn, Ferrari calls Vaca his vice mayor.

A natural organizer and dedicated resident of the Kings Beach community, Vaca and his family thrive on staying actively involved in their children’s school, community church, area nonprofits, and his own neighborhood. Vaca says, “the greatest legacy we can leave for the next generation is the investment of our time.”

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