Personalities Plus: Lisa Ribaudo

Your name: Lisa Ribaudo

Your job: Elementary School Counselor

Your age (and Birth Date): 37 years old; May 2, 1967

Your hometown: Carson, Calif.

Your family: Mark Ribaudo (husband), John Ribaudo (son), and Mary Ribaudo

(daughter)

Your hobbies and groups you are involved with, volunteer work:

What do you think of Portales?

“I enjoy the friendly people, I don’t have to stand in line for anything, and there’s a sense of safety here.”

Tell us about your parents:

“They continue, to this day, to be very supportive, loving, and involved in my life. They are my cheerleaders.”

Who is someone you admire in life? Why?

“Betty Solis. She is a retired elementary school principal that I used to work for. I admire her because she creates an atmosphere of joy, she genuinely cares about each person she comes in contact with, she leads without demanding or degrading others, people want to follow her lead and she speaks her mind without making anyone feel dumb or out of place. I aspire to having those qualities.”

What is your greatest hope?

“My greatest hope is for my children to become productive members of society and lead a happy fulfilled life and to never let the negativity of others ever keep them down or prevent them from becoming all they can be.”

Tell us about your greatest individual accomplishment.

“Completing my masters degree. I had to work very hard in each class and being able to get through the program was extremely satisfying.”

What was the scariest thing that happened to you as a child or adult?

“The scariest thing was when my dad went into the hospital this past year. The possibility of losing him was very scary.”

What does prosperity mean to you?

“Having a family who loves and accepts everyone in it and having a career you enjoy.”

Who was your best friend when you were growing up? What was wonderful about him or her?

“Susan Miller. We have been best friends since second grade. We continue to be best friends to this day. She is the godmother to one of my kids and I am the godmother to one of her kids. The wonderful thing about Susan is that you can always count on her to be there when you need her.”

When you were a kid, what did you think you would be doing as an adult?

“I was planning on becoming a veterinarian. I enjoyed animals and I wanted to help them.”

Tell us about your kids:

“I have two great kids. They have inspired me to become a better person and think about someone else besides myself.”

What is your favorite TV show? Why do you like it?

“Seinfield. I like it because it’s just silly fun and I like to laugh.”

If you could be a superhero, what would your name and powers be?

“My name would be ‘Time Mama’ and my super power would be the ability to add more time in the day so everyone could finish everything they needed to do in a day and still get 8 hours of sleep.”

What is your favorite smell?

“The smell of good pizza.”

What do you enjoy doing with your free time?

“Sitting out in the sun watching my kids play, playing with my kids, watching fun movies, shopping, and eating ice cream.”

What would you like printed on your gravestone?

“Man, I had fun.”

What’s your favorite song? Why?

“The Middle’. I like it because it’s about never giving up despite what others say or do. It’s going to be alright.”

Tell us about your spouse:

“I can count on him to be there when I need him and he still thinks I’m sexy.”

Tell about a time your were nervous:

“When I had to give a presentation in front of my co-workers. I don’t like speaking in front of adults. I used a lot of self-encouragement and made it through. I actually think I did a pretty good job. I am not planning on doing that again for a while. I am still recuperating.”

— Compiled by Laurie Stone