Our dedicated team of experienced professionals are always engaged, utilizing their unique skills and passion to move the work of Sister League forward. Meet some of our incredible leaders.
Nuria Haro-Lopez
Executive Director
Nuria joined the SLSD team in May 2020 and is the Executive Director. Nuria started as a Mental Health Aide and acquired a vast knowledge of the organization as she worked her way up to Housing Director then to her current position as Executive Director. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from University of California San Diego in Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology. Nuria is grateful for the opportunity to serve women in the San Diego community and strengthen SLSD as an organization.
Nuria particularly loves the organization’s rich history and has enjoyed community outreach and teaching others about SLSD’s mission and services.
Nuria is a Virginia native who grew up traveling and tries her best to make a trip to another country at least once a year! When she is home in California she enjoys camping, taking her dogs to the beach and BBQ-ing with friends.
Samantha Hartung
Director of Operations
Samantha Hartung joined Sister League of San Diego in April 2023 as the Program Coordinator and transitioned to Director of Operations just over four months later. Her responsibilities include managing both Redwood and Fourth Avenue homes, overseeing the referral/intake process for potential residents, and supervising our staff at SLSD. With her experience in women’s advocacy work, her goal is to continue fostering an environment for vulnerable women to feel safe, valued, and confident.
Sam grew up in Los Angeles County but made the move to San Diego over five years ago. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from San Diego State University, with an emphasis in Neuroscience. Her education led her to pursue a career helping those who are affected by mental health challenges.
Sam loves traveling the world and spending her time exploring. She enjoys being outside in the sun, grabbing coffee on the beach, and catching a sunset with friends. Fun Fact: She is currently learning Finnish!
Zara Alam
Program Coordinator
Zara joined SLSD as an MHA in 2022 before moving to Paris to finish her B.A. in Global Health Policy, emphasizing in Women’s Health. She rejoined in August of 2023 after graduating from the University of California, San Diego, and moved on to become Program Coordinator.
Zara’s work in non-profit organizations began at the young age of 13. She continuously volunteered for various organizations and found that she has a deep passion for helping those in need in whichever way she can. Here, at SLSD, she is our point of contact for outside organizations, coordinates volunteer opportunities within The League, as well as manages programming for residents and other staff.
Zara grew up in Orange County, California. Outside of SLSD, Zara can be found on a plane or on the road, traveling and immersing herself in different cultures. She enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, reading a good book, playing music, exploring new places, and curling up with her cat, Sage.
Nicole Slay
Resident Support Liaison
I am Nicole, and I am honored to be a part of Sister League of San Diego. I have worked with mental health in a personal and professional capacity for over five years, and I have been with SLSD since January 2023. Joining this team of women has been empowering and humbling. The support I have received from my peers and supervisors is overwhelming, and the relationships I have built with my residents truly mean the world to me. I am blessed to be able to be their support during their difficult time.
I am a mother of four – a toddler and teen daughter and a toddler and teen son – and the wife of an active duty sailor.
Fortunately for me, his service brought us to San Diego and gave me the opportunity to seek and achieve my academic dreams.
I received an A.A. in Psychology from Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA, and I am currently in my last year of my B.A. Psychology program at the University of Massachusetts Global Campus, based in Irvine, CA. I hope to pursue an MSW starting in the Fall 2024.
My long-term goal is to become an LCSW to work in mental health with our military members and their families, the under-insured, and the uninsured. My dream is to open my own clinic to service these communities. I have seen firsthand how mental illness can affect not just the individual, but also the families, and I want to do my best to make sure money isn’t a reason someone cannot get help.
