Spotlight on Service: Samantha Noriega Leads With Community Heart

The Bellflower City Council's 2025-27 Strategic Planoutlines five overarching goals to strengthen governance, clarify organizational priorities, establish benchmarks, meaningful performance measures and align the City's long-term direction. In support of Goal #3 - Continue Investing in a High-Performing and Efficient Team at City Hall - the City of Bellflower is proud to spotlight Recreation Coordinator Samantha Noriega, whose leadership and commitment to public service exemplify the City's values.

For the past eight years, Samantha has been a dedicated presence in Bellflower's community spaces, driven by the belief that recreation fosters greater connection and strengthens neighborhoods. In her new role as Recreation Coordinator for the Bellflower Volunteer Center, Samantha brings a wealth of hands-on experience and a lifelong passion for the City's parks and programs.

Samantha's journey with the City began nearly a decade ago when she joined as a Recreation Leader, then Program Coordinator at Thompson Park. Through these roles, she developed a deep understanding of how local programs shape the lives of residents and families. Her academic path began at Cerritos College, leading her to California State University, Long Beach, where she is earning her degree in Political Science.

A lifelong volunteer herself, Samantha now channels that spirit into her daily work. In her current role, she coordinates volunteers and promotes service opportunities that allow residents to support one another and strengthen the community. She also helps drive participation in programs such as Bellflower Looking Better, which encourages neighborhood pride, and the B.R.I.M. program, which brings recreational games and activities directly into the Bellflower's's neighborhoods.

"My favorite part of the job is having the ability to step out of the office to interact with the public and see firsthand the impact that the Parks and Recreation Department has on the community," Samantha said.

Having grown up as a self-described "Parks and Rec kid," Samantha credits the programs and supportive staff she encountered in her youth with shaping who she is today. Her biggest hope is to pay that experience forward, creating lasting childhood memories for the next generation of Bellflower residents.

Outside of City Hall, Samantha stays active and connected with her friends and family, whether by heading to the lake during the summer or hitting the slopes for snowboarding in the winter.

Through her work at the Volunteer Center and her dedication to community enrichment, Samantha continues to foster a vibrant and connected Bellflower.

Employee spotlights are part of the Bellflower 2025-27 Strategic Plan Goal #3: Continue Investing in a High-Performing and Efficient Team at City Hall.