Lilia Darbinyan lives right here in District 5. She is not running to represent a place she visits, she is running to represent her own neighborhood, where her family's roots in Rancho Cordova go back more than 25 years.
Principal and Community Advocate
Today, Lilia is a small business owner, Principal, and community advocate. She opened Heritage Elementary School in Carmichael because she saw a need for a more personal, supportive, and nurturing school environment where children could feel seen, encouraged, and cared for. Her work with children and families has only strengthened her belief that strong communities begin with strong support systems.
Service to Children, Families, and Veterans
For the past few years, Lilia has served as President of the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief, Sacramento Chapter, where she has helped bring people together to support children and families in need. She has also volunteered at the VA in Rancho Cordova, an experience that deepened her respect and appreciation for the veteran community.
Rooted in Hard Work
Lilia's connection to Rancho Cordova is personal and wide-reaching. Working alongside her family in the food service industry taught her the value of dedication, sacrifice, customer service, and what it truly means to be a small business owner. Along with her work in education and nonprofit service, she has also been part of a family business in the salvage yard industry, with roots in Rancho Cordova going back over 25 years. That experience has given her a real understanding of the working families, small business owners, and industrial businesses that help make Rancho Cordova unique.
Why she's running
Lilia is running for City Council because she believes Rancho Cordova's best days are ahead, and that they will be built by the people who show up. From founding a school that puts children first, to standing beside veterans at the VA, to working long hours in family-owned businesses, she has spent her life listening to neighbors, solving problems, and bringing people together.
She has seen what happens when a community invests in its families, its small businesses, and its public spaces, and she has also seen where city government can do better. Lilia is running to be a voice for working families, a champion for safe neighborhoods and smart growth, and a thoughtful steward of the tax dollars that belong to the people of District 5.
This campaign is not about politics as usual. It is about service, accountability, and the belief that one committed neighbor can help move a city forward.