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Board of Directors

Mat Gradias, President

Associate Architect, Kruger Bensen Ziemer Architects

Mat Gradias is an Associate Architect with Kruger Bensen Ziemer Architects with a focus on educational facilities. Gradias volunteers with the mentorship program for high school students interested in pursuing careers in architecture, construction and engineering. He is also on the advisory committee for Disability Services and Programs for Students department at Santa Barbara City College.

Victoria Juarez, Vice President

Juarez's experience in the nonprofit sector is extensive. She previously held the role of CEO at the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, where she played a pivotal role in supporting students' pursuit of higher education. With a Master of Public Administration in Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the same institution, Juarez brings a strong educational foundation to her work. She is actively involved as a Santa Barbara Unified parent, a volunteer at Adalente Charter School, and a member of SBEF's Teacher Grants Committee.

Tisha Weber Ford, Treasurer

CEO, Weber Logistics

After living in Santa Barbara for over 30 years, Ford is an active member of the community and has had the opportunity to serve many nonprofits as a volunteer, board member, and donor. As a board member, she has experience in development, finance, and governance from her tenure on the Board of Trustees at Marymount School of Santa Barbara. There she chaired the Development Committee, the Committee on Trustees, the Head Search Committee, and served as Board Chair. Ford currently serves as CEO at Weber Logistics.

Melissa White, Secretary

Project Director in Innovation Studies, WestEd

White is currently the Project Director in Innovation Studies at WestEd, where she leads research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects focused on teachers and teaching. Before joining WestEd in 2006, White worked at California Legislative Analyst's Office, advising on fiscal and policy issues related to childcare, preschool, and K-12 teachers.

Isis Castañeda

Project Coordinator, IV Coalition for Healthy Communities

Castañeda has worked with teens, young adults, and their families in the Santa Barbara area since 1997. A graduate of Santa Barbara High School, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies at Antioch University of Santa Barbara and is certified in Emotional Intelligence, Restorative Justice, Team Building Experiential Education, and as an Instructor for Youth Mental Health First Aid and teen Mental Health First Aid. In 2018, she established her business, Creating Connections, which facilitates teen and parent groups, community outreach, training, public speaking, and organizing events. Castañeda is currently the staff advisor for the Santa Barbara Youth Council and the project coordinator for the Isla Vista Coalition for Healthy Communities.

Eva Maria Catalan

Associate Program Director, Future Leaders of America

As the Associate Program Director at Future Leaders of America, Catalan has been instrumental in delivering comprehensive services to students in grades 8 through 12. Alongside her professional commitments, she leads the Youth Wellness Coalition, a collective of community leaders in Santa Barbara. Through the coalition, she spearheads efforts to educate and prevent underage alcohol and drug usage among the city's youth, emphasizing the importance of a healthy and safe environment.

Diana Ciontea

Vice President of Finance, ProductPlan

Diana Ciontea leads Financial Planning and Analysis at FastSpring, an eCommerce platform headquartered in downtown Santa Barbara. She has experience guiding financial and strategic efforts across a broad range of corporate environments, including Fortune 500 companies and high-tech startups. As a volunteer for Reading to Kids, Ciontea is dedicated to inspiring underserved children with a love of reading by partnering with schools and parents. Ciontea is a Santa Barbara native and a graduate of San Marcos High School. She holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Business from the University of Southern California.

Eder Gaona-Macedo

Executive Director, The Fund for Santa Barbara

Born in Guerrero, Mexico, Gaona-Macedo migrated to the United States at the age of four and settled in Santa Barbara. He went on to study at UCLA, where he studied Political Science and Chicano/a Studies and continued his studies at Columbia University, where he earned a Masters of Public Administration. In 2014, Gaona-Macedo stepped into the role of Executive Director of Future Leaders of America. He is also the co-founder of the 805UndocuFund, a project aimed at providing financial support to undocumented families due to natural disasters and pandemics.

Bukola Ishola

Senior Manager, Benefits, Tailored Brands

Bukola Ishola is also a long-time resident of Santa Barbara, as she remained in the area after receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Political Science and Black Studies from the UC Santa Barbara. Ishola is also a Benefits Consultant at OneDigital Health, where she educates her clients about nuances in the health insurance industry to further encourage knowledgeable forms of consumerism for her patrons. Apart from Ishola’s busy work schedule, you may find her spending her free time with friends or at a local farmers’ market.

Elke Kane

Attorney, Trusted Legal, LLP

Kane is a business and employment attorney at the boutique legal services firm, Trusted Legal, LLP. As a child of Mexican immigrants and a student in the public school system, she became aware of the problems that plague public schools and developed an interest in education policy and funding. While completing a B.A. in Psychology at UCSB, she student-taught at Harding Elementary School. She subsequently earned her J.D. from Santa Barbara College of Law. Active in the community, Kane has served as an executive board member for the Cold Spring School Foundation for many years.

Jeffrey Milem

Dean and Professor, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, UCSB

Milem is the Dean and a Professor at the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at UC Santa Barbara. Prior to this position, Milem was on the faculty of the University of Arizona, University of Michigan, University of Maryland and Vanderbilt University. Professor Milem’s research focuses on ways in which colleges and universities can be organized to enhance equity, access, and success for all students, the racial context within higher education, and the relationship between how colleges and universities organize themselves and student outcomes.

Stephanie Ramírez Zárate

District Director, Office of CA State Senator Monique Limón

Ramírez Zárate currently serves as the District Director for California State Senator Monique Limón. Ramírez Zárate earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy from UCLA, after transferring from Santa Barbara City College. While studying at UCLA, she served on the board for IDEAS, a student advocacy group that supported undocumented students.

Beth Rogers

Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Ranch Company

Rogers holds a Ph.D. in Political Anthropology from UCLA and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Beth did fieldwork in anthropology in several regions in Mexico while attending the National School of Anthropology in Mexico City. She has previously served on boards for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Central Coast Political Action Fund for Planned Parenthood, California State Chamber of Commerce, and California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS).

Donna Ronzone

Retired Educator and School Administrator

Ronzone began as a Library Media Specialist and transitioned to teaching. She then moved into administrative roles until she landed on the West Coast as the Director of Special Education for Briggs Elementary School District in Ventura County. In 2004, she joined Santa Barbara Unified School District, where she spent 14 years as Principal of Roosevelt Elementary School and later as the Director of Visual and Performing Arts and Director of Assessment and Accountability until her retirement in 2018. Ronzone holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master's in Library & Information Science from Drexel University, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and an elementary teaching credential from St. Joseph's University.

District Representatives

Dr. Hilda Maldonado, District Representative

Superintendent, Santa Barbara Unified School District

Maldonado began her career 32 years ago in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) as a bilingual teacher and rose to the role of Associate Superintendent. Under her leadership, LAUSD expanded dual-language programs, increased Seal of Biliteracy student awards, and improved results for English Learners. Maldonado earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s Degree from California State, Los Angeles. A lifelong learner, Maldonado has been awarded the Stanton Fellowship Award by the Durfee Foundation. She is currently completing her doctorate at Loyola Marymount University in Social Justice Leadership.

Wendy Sims-Moten, District Representative

Executive Director, First 5 Santa Barbara County

Wendy Sims-Moten is the current Executive Director of the First 5 Santa Barbara County and serves as the President, Board of Trustees for the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Sims-Moten has worked for the county since 1996 and has been dedicated to the progress, development, and well-being of the community ever since. She is also a Board Member of Gateway Education Services, Board Member of CAUSE Action Fund, Organizer and Chair of the African American Women of Santa Barbara County Luncheon and member of the Santa Barbara Women Political Committee.

Veronica Binkley, District Representative

Principal, Harding University Partnership School

Binkley is the principal of the Harding University Partnership, which serves around 400 students and gains its name by its programmatic partnership with UC Santa Barbara's Gevirtz School of Education. Before her recent position at Harding, Binkley was Assistant Principal at Juan Lagunas Soria Elementary School in Oxnard School District. She holds a B.A. in Child Development and later in her career pursued an M.A. in Educational Administration from Cal State Northridge.

Karen Dutton, District Representative

Teacher, Adams Elementary School

Dutton has taught music in the Santa Barbara School District for 34 years. She was instrumental in developing the current K through 6th grade music program offered at all Santa Barbara Unified elementary schools and is co-founder of the District’s BRAVO! program, which provides comprehensive instrumental music instruction after-school for students in grades 4th through 6th. She currently teaches music at Adams Elementary School, providing general and instrumental music instruction. She also serves as the Wind, Brass, and Percussion Coach for the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony’s Camerata and Philharmonia groups and as the flute instructor for the Nick Rail Summer Band Camp. When she is not teaching, she plays with the Santa Barbara City College Flute Quartet.

SBEF Staff

Pedro Paz

Executive Director

Ext. 701   |   Email

Melissa Davenport

Development Officer

Ext. 703   |  Email

Nina Dunbar

Donor Advisement Officer

Ext. 705   |   Email

Katie Szopa

Programs Manager

Ext. 702   |   Email

Elle Chaves

Development Associate

Ext. 704   |   Email

Mercer Janssen

Development Intern

Caroline Porche

Development Intern

Honorary Council

  • Ed & Sue Birch
  • Daniel & Mandy Hochman
  • Jim Kearns
  • Sara Miller McCune
  • Joni Meisel
  • Nick Rail
  • Maryan Schall

Ambassadors

  • Debbie Arnesen
  • Cindy Becker
  • Kathy Bette
  • Marie Dassler
  • Cornelia Davis
  • Christine Garvey
  • Marilyn Gilbert
  • Susan Gulbranson
  • Victoria Juarez
  • Rodda Leonardi
  • Courtney Lockwood
  • Lois Phillips
  • Jo Saxon
  • Sandy Schoolfield
  • Lisa Wysel

Past Presidents

  • Terri Allison
  • Marty Blum
  • Phil Bugay
  • Ada Conner
  • Michael Cooney
  • Tony Fischer
  • Mary Gosselin
  • Shirley Ann Hurley
  • Mark Ingalls
  • Elinor Langer
  • Joni Meisel
  • Edwin Moore
  • Al Pizano
  • Craig Price
  • Rob Ramirez
  • Jaqueline Reid, Ph.D.
  • John Robinson
  • Lynn Rodriguez
  • Frank Stevens
  • Claire VanBlaricum
  • Lotte Weinstein

Legacy Society

Legacy Society members have either arranged to make a future gift to Santa Barbara Education Foundation in their estate plan, or have made a gift of $25,000+ to our board-designated Endowment Fund.
  • Shirley Ann Hurley
  • Maggie Mason
  • Sara Miller McCune
  • Tina Hansen McEnroe
  • April Thede
  • Margie Yahyavi