LSBC Board of Trustees & Advisory Council

Our Board of Trustees are LSBC alumni who contribute their time, energy, and efforts to maintaining the quality of Leadership Santa Barbara County. The Advisory Council was formed in early 2010 to celebrate the 20 Year history of LSBC. The council is comprised of former graduates, sponsors and board members that played an integral role in keeping LSBC at the forefront of Santa Barbara professional development and relationship/networking opportunities for the past 20 years.

Brian Schwabecher, President

Brian has served on numerous boards and community action committees throughout Santa Barbara over the last 8 years having logged over 150 community service hours over the last two years for countless Santa Barbara organizations. Committed to diabetes research, music education and preschool education, Brian's passion is in protecting and assisting those who haven't been afforded the opportunities shared by many in the Santa Barbara area. Brian is Vice President and Commercial Banker at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust where he has been employed since 2003. He is a graduate of the Leadership of Santa Barbara County Class of 2006 and a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara.

Valerie Tyler, Vice President

Valerie Tyler joined the Leadership board in 2006 after graduating from the program in 2005. In the several years that Valerie has been in Santa Barbara, numerous organizations have benefited from her leadership skills and dedication to helping the community. Some of those include Habitat for Humanity, the Junior League of Santa Barbara, United Way, as well as Leadership Santa Barbara. Her work as a major gift f fundraiser also impacted Santa Barbara's health and human services sector. Now Valerie is working for Special Technologies Laboratory in Goleta. After completing her B.A. in Political Science at the University of Arizona, the move to California brought Valerie closer to her family. In her free time Valerie enjoys taking advantage of the natural beauty of Santa Barbara by hiking and playing beach volleyball.

Shirley Hobson, Secretary

Shirley Hobson has been a resident of Santa Barbara for thirty-three years. During that time she has been a student in the Graduate School of Education at UCSB earning a Masters Degree in Confluent Education. She was a teacher, department head, and vice- principal at Bishop Diego High School. She went on to take a middle-management position with Transcontinental Corporation managing commercial properties as well as other assets.

She has been active in two organizations concerned with creating better outcomes for children in foster care. She is the Past President of the CASA Board of Directors and a Founding Board Member of The Children's Project. Additionally, she was active in UCSB Affiliates serving on the board in 2004-05 and in the Graduate School of Education Alumni Board serving as president from 2004 to 2006.

Ms. Hobson is a 2004 graduate of the Leadership Santa Barbara County program and was the 2006 LSBC Distinguished Leader of the Year.

Monica Ballon

Monica is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Santa Barbara County. She graduated from UC Riverside with a double major in Environmental Science and Anthropology and moved to Santa Barbara in 2002. She has worked in environmental education for several non-profits and is currently the Teen Programs Manager at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Her passion is youth development and serving the youth population of Santa Barbara.

When not working, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, hiking, playing volleyball and traveling. Monica is excited to welcome in new LSBC classes and help them make a difference in the community!

Bonnie Elliott

Bonnie Elliott has lived in Santa Barbara since 1985. During that time she has been on numerous committees and boards. Some are: South Coast Transportation Advisory Committee, Pilgrim Terrace Board of Directors, Community Development & Human Services Committee, Access Advisory Committee to City Staff and several others. She worked for the city for 11 years as a director/producer at Channel 18. She is now "retired" enjoys spending time with her cat, and flowerpot garden. She also on a power wheelchair soccer team: the Rollin' Gauchos. While she never has considered herself an activist of any kind, she feels that being in the public eye is better than being in someone's face and a good reminder that all people can contribute to society.

Valerie Ellis

Valerie Ellis has rejoined the LSBC Board as Alumni Relations Chairperson. She is a 1994 graduate of LSBC and past president of the Board. Ms. Ellis is a strategic planning consultant to businesses and nonprofits and teaches entrepreneurship classes at SBCC and Women's Economic Ventures.

Victor Garza

More information about Victor will be coming soon!

Raegan Erdman

Raegan graduated from Leadership Santa Barbara County in 2009 and is excited to work with the Board of Trustees and future students of the program. She has been on numerous boards throughout the Central Coast and is currently the Treasurer of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club, slated to continue in this capacity for her third term in 2010. She is approaching her 10 year anniversary as a Certified Escrow Officer with First American Title and is also a past President and Treasurer for the Santa Barbara Escrow Association. Raegan loves the outdoors and the water. She enjoys weekends and evenings with her husband on their boat, taking island trips, hiking, running and yoga, planning dinner parties and learning how to make wine with friends.

Mike Osborn

As part of the Leadership Santa Barbara County class of 2009, Mike was the project manager of the inaugural Class Community Service project that assisted Isla Vista Youth Projects in their development of an outdoor classroom environment. He was thrilled at the successful efforts of the class and the synergistic chain of events for IVYP that began with the involvement of LSBC. Mike - honored to be voted the class valedictorian - feels that LSBC came along at the perfect time in his life. He believes in the effectiveness of the program and hopes to strengthen it as a board member. Mike graduated from Cal Poly SLO in 2000 before moving to Santa Barbara and is a Registered Civil Engineer for the local firm Penfield & Smith. Outside of the office, you can find Mike hiking in the mountains, surfing at local breaks, playing music on stage, volunteering with various organizations, biking around the county and walking the streets with his dog.

Dru van Hengel, Immediate Past-President

Drusilla van Hengel graduated from Leadership Santa Barbara County in 2000, and served on the Board from 2002-2009. She earned her BA in Biology and Psychology from Dartmouth College, her MA and Ph.D. in Social Ecology from UC Irvine, and her MBA in Sustainable Business from Bainbridge Graduate Institute. LSBC participation provided her with skills that transferred directly to her work as the Transportation Operations Supervisor for the City of Santa Barbara and to her work as an adjunct lecturer of Urban and Regional Planning at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. A 1996 Olympian, Dru enjoys spending time in the local mountains and on the ocean. She is a nationally certified Safe Routes to School and Bicycle Safety Instructor. Dru is also the Past President of City Orators Toastmasters, and a Board Advisor for the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition.

LSBC ADVISORY COUNCIL: