For most of my professional life at SBCC I have also been engaged with organizations devoted to improving the lives of our community members across Santa Barbara county. A key reason I feel I will make an effective trustee for Area 4 is that I have been an active supporter of local programs with robust community outreach and engagement such as the Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara, Food Bank deliveries organized by my church (New Life Church), and working with my wife Kristi to support women inmates in the county jail.
My involvement with Alpha Resource Center includes supporting their Lifespan Support Services as a donor and volunteer where needed, especially their work designed to help people with developmental challenges. Alpha’s Adult Day Services provide specialized job training and other useful assistances designed to integrate Santa Barbara’s special needs communities into the local workforce. My commitment is not only due to my own family’s use of these services in the past, but also because I see firsthand the amazing contribution Alpha’s Lifespan Support Services is making across our county, and how many families it uplifts.
One of the many things I appreciate about my church is their dedication to putting our teachings into practice such as through our food bank deliveries to our sisters and brothers in need. I know that SBCC similarly recognizes this need among its students and provides free nutrition services. As a trustee, I would do my part to support such programs because student wellbeing is a priority. My church supports low-income renters in town and provides space for unhoused people living in their vehicles.
I am particularly proud of my wife Kristi’s long standing work as a chaplain supporting women inmates in the Santa Barbara County Jail. I have been committed to supporting her in this rewarding and demanding work for decades. Working alongside Kristi in any way I can, I have gained useful insights into important ways we can help some of those women in our communities who face personal challenges.
Finally, I have also participated in one-day events like neighborhood tree-planting activities, beach cleanups, and support for an organization that digs well systems to provide clean water for rural villages in Guatemala. Volunteering in support of our community has been an important part of life, and I want to bring my years of experience and passion to serve to the work of the SBCC Board of Trustees. I would be honored to have your support as a candidate for SBCC Trustee Area 4 on November 5th.