Meet Sara Payne, who has just begun her job as Operations Manager for the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DTLB Alliance) Clean and Safe Team. She has been spending long hours getting up to speed and keeping her teams focused on the ongoing goal of a clean and safe Downtown.
“I have really enjoyed getting to know the teams,” said Payne. “The ambassadors, porters, and pressure washers that make this program run so smoothly all have the friendliest personalities. I have learned that there is not one specific quality that makes a great ambassador, it is all of their different qualities coming together that makes this program everything that it is today.”
Born and raised just up the road from Long Beach, Payne is a graduate of San Pedro High School. After leaving school, she began a career in the hospitality business and acquired tons of management experience, most recently at Outback Steakhouse, where she worked for eight years — the last five in management. “I pretty much grew up in the industry,” she said.
Payne has arrived at the DTLB Alliance at a time when the Clean and Safe Teams are in increased demand. In addition to their regular duties in Downtown, Clean and Safe ambassadors have now expanded their work to the Zaferia and Washington districts.
“This really helps us build our program and spread our reach as far as we can, enabling us to reach out to the entire community and help the areas of the city that need it most,” Payne explained.
“These days there’s lots of smartphone usage and social media presence, but there’s not as much in-person presence,” she added. “We definitely want to make sure our teams emphasize that when they’re working.”
When she’s not working hard with Clean and Safe, Payne loves spending time with her kids — two boys that keep her on her toes at all times.
“We have family here in Long Beach so we spend the majority of our time with them,” she shared. “We visit the Aquarium of the Pacific, shop at the Pike Outlets, and we love to walk around the East Village and the Downtown core looking for new food to try. My sons love to eat!”
To learn more about the Clean and Safe Team, click here.