Shortly after the Mission Trails Task Force was created, they in turn created the Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) as an advisory group to the Task Force to provide community input and a presumed consensus of the interested community groups. Subsequently, members of the Citizens' Advisory Committee identified the need for a fund-raising body to support the park and in 1988 three members of the CAC created the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation.

The Citizens' Advisory Committee is chaired by Dorothy Leonard. Other members include Dick Murphy (Vice Chair), Nancy Acevedo, Michael Pent, Michele Greenburg-McClung representing City of La Mesa, Marilyn Reed representing Navajo Community Planners, Gary Strawn representing City of Santee, David Lipson representing San Diego State University, Kevin Loomis representing Mission Trails Regional Park User Groups, Mickey Zeichick representing San Carlos Area Council, Rich Thesing representing Tierrasanta Community Council, Rick Gulley representing City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Committee, Rob Hutsel representing County of San Diego Parks Advisory Committee, David Boyer representing MCAS Miramar, Lane MacKenzie representing Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation, and Kin Searcy representing the Scripps Ranch Civic Association. Committee alternates include Glenn Farber for San Carlos Area Council and Ryan Hartegan for Mission Trails Regional Park User Groups. The City of El Cajon representative is currently vacant.

The Citizens' Advisory Committee normally meets the first Tuesday of even numbered months (January, March, May, July, September, November) at 6:30 PM at the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center. When a local, state or nation election, or a major holiday, falls on the first Tuesday the meeting date is either moved forward or backward one week. Meeting dates are published on the CAC/Task Force page on this web site. All meetings are open to the public.