Christian Gurrola

Member at Large

I am: 28

I’m a young professional at: Modern Dwellings | NEST Real Estate, as a REALTOR on a mother-son team with my mom, Molly Gurrola. I also helped start Bossi Vans, a Riverside company building custom van conversions.

I get involved in my community through the following organization(s): The Pick Group of Young Professionals (Board of Directors) and the Inland Valleys Association of REALTORS. I also served on the board of the Old Riverside Foundation before buying and renovating my home.

I am a happy resident in the City of: Riverside, born and raised.

My career goals are to: Showcase Riverside’s architecture and history, build a name in real estate that’s widely recognized, and help young professionals and our local economy grow. I want to make it faster and more affordable for small businesses, not just large corporations, to set up shop in Riverside, so long wait times and startup costs don’t leave them cash-strapped before they open their doors.

My professional motto is: Riverside is home. Shop and support local, and treat every person like your neighbor, with respect and love, because that goes a long way.

My advice to other Young Professionals is: Don’t wait to get involved. Show up, invest in your own backyard, and the relationships you build at home will compound over time.

When I’m not working or volunteering, you can find me: Training at my home gym; hosting Friday Night Lights workouts with friends in the summer; trail running and camping; tackling projects around the house; or hanging out with my fiancée, Alex, and our two dogs, Rue (Australian Shepherd) and Maverick (Belgian Malinois). Most weekends, you’ll also find me at an open house!

I joined PICK because: I wanted to connect with young professionals who care about Riverside as much as I do. I care about the professionalism in our city and where it’s headed over the next 10 to 20 years, and after four years as a member, I’m ready to get more involved, help plan events and show up for my fellow Riversiders.

PICK is awesome because: It’s run by young pros for young pros, and it puts you in the same room as the people shaping Riverside, from university presidents to the city planners writing our next General Plan.

I maximize my PICK membership by: Serving on the board as a Member at Large. My goal is to help recruit new members, keep PICK relevant and introduce the PICK Group to more young professionals in Riverside.

The issues in Riverside that I care about most are: Keeping homeownership within reach for young people who grew up here, preserving our historic neighborhoods and architecture, and making it easier for small, local businesses to open and grow in Riverside.