Born on the East Coast, I made my way to Carpinteria in 1977 in preparation for attending UCSB. I first gained residency at Santa Barbara City College and earned an AS in Early Childhood Education and a Children’s Center Permit. I taught pre-school at the SBCC Children’s Center, Head Start, Lou Grant Parent Child Workshop and the Montessori School before and during UCSB where I majored in Developmental Psychology, later finishing my degree in Psych at Antioch University.

I met my husband Martin on Boat Launch beach in Carp, we married in 1981, our daughter Dayna was born in 1983 and son Joel in 1986. I was active in their education from pre-school through high school, serving as chair of the parent group at each site they attended.

I had a catering and events business for over 12 years, enabling me to participate in school activities where I enjoyed teaching cooking, physical education, and art classes. I founded the Orchard to Ocean 5K/10K/1 Mile Fun Run, a district-wide fundraiser for Carpinteria Unified School District which enjoyed a lively 29-year pre-Covid “run”.

I directed and administered grant funded educational programs at Carpinteria Unified Schools for 10 years, including the Academic Volunteer and Mentor Service program, The Afterschool and Safe Haven program, Service Learning for Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta schools, and LEAF, or Linking Education, Activity and Food.

Following that I worked in community relations for Venoco, Inc for almost 15 years, directing the company’s philanthropic giving, employee engagement, and corporate social responsibility programs. I currently serve as Executive Director of the Natalie Orfalea Foundation where our mission is to “ partner with innovative individuals and organizations doing creative and transformative work through storytelling, education and public policy in the areas of conservation, social justice, global health, women and girls, education and the arts to serve the highest good of all life on this planet. “

I am a 45-year resident of Carpinteria where my husband and I raised our two children. We now have the privilege and joy of living near daughter Dayna and her husband Sean, watching our two phenomenal grandchildren, Siena , 7 and Jameson, 4 grow up just several doors away. We look forward to visits from son Joel and partner Kelly, who resides in Berkeley, and regularly spoil our Golden Retriever, Nico. We are blessed to live near a stellar array of beloved extended family members and friends.