Barbara Anderson - Board Member; Awards Event & Nominating Committees
Barbara has been a resident of the Santa Ynez Valley since 1990, contributing significantly to local and Santa Barbara community organizations. She has chaired the Theaterfest Board, Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Auxiliary, and P.E.O. Currently, she is a board member of the Santa Ynez Valley Hospital Foundation. In 2007, Barbara was named Woman of the Year for her community service. Together with her late husband Norm, she ran a food distribution company and several retail businesses . Barbara holds a BA in Education and currently manages several properties in Solvang.
Esther Jacobsen Bates - Executive Director
A nonprofit leader for over 25 years, Esther grew up in Solvang and remains deeply involved in the community. She co-authored "The Spirit of Solvang," a definitive history of the town and a project that spanned more than a decade. She spent 20 years as Executive Director of the Elverhøj Museum of History & Art and came out of retirement to bring her leadership expertise to the SYV Foundation. In her personal life, Esther enjoys shared experiences with family and friends, playing with her grandchildren, and hiking the local mountains with her spouse.
Verva has been deeply involved in the community since moving to the SYV in 1989. A CPA and former partner at C&D, Verva has put her skills to work for our elderly neighbors. She is active in Rotary and treasurer for Atterdag Village of Solvang. Verva and her husband Bruce raised five children and enjoy spending time with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Verva Enoch - Board Treasurer/Secretary; Executive, Finance, Nominating, Scholarship & Oversite Committees
Debbie Jones - Board Past President; Awards Event, Development, Executive & Oversite Committees
Debbie Jones is a long-time Gaviota resident and has been a leader in education and nonprofits in the Valley for many years. Educated as an attorney at Georgetown University, she is past chair of the Dunn School Board of Trustees, has served on the board of the Family School, and is a deacon at Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church. She has also been involved locally in PEO, an organization that provides scholarship and support for young women. She and her husband run the Pork Palace in Gaviota, which produces show pigs and Heritage meats.
Spencer K. Turnbull - Board Member; Awards Event, Communications, Development & Food Security Committees
Spencer, a small business owner and healthcare attorney, was born and raised in the Santa Ynez Valley. He graduated from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, Stanford University, and UCLA School of Law and has spent his career in public service practicing law, holding various positions in government departments. In 2019, he and his husband returned to Santa Ynez and founded Santa Ynez General, a nationally recognized destination shop. Spencer serves on the Board of the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce and the SY Beautiful initiative, and is active mentoring young attorneys. He has a young daughter and enjoys learning new things through travel, conversation, and reading.
Michael Grenier - Board member; Finance, Oversite & Scholarship Committees
A Santa Ynez Valley resident since 2014, Michael grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and UCLA. With 25 years in finance, including senior roles in investment banking and at Cerberus Capital Management, he now runs his own firm, Ballard Canyon Capital. Michael lives in Solvang with his wife Amy, son Alexander, and daughter Gretchen. A member of the Vikings of Solvang and an avid cyclist, Michael feels blessed to raise his family in the Santa Ynez Valley and is eager to give back to the community.
Jon Hooten - Board Vice President; Executive, Communications, Oversight, Scholarship & Food Security Committees
Jon is a nonprofit executive with 25 years of experience in fund development, public affairs, marketing, and brand design. He is the Executive Director of College Advancement at Allan Hancock College where he leads the college foundation, public affairs, and institutional grants office. Before moving to Los Alamos in 2015, he lived in Claremont, CA for nearly 20 years, completed his doctorate, and helped launch an educational startup with $50 million in seed funding. Jon can usually be found at a local restaurant on Friday nights with his spouse and daughter.
Michael Nicola - Board Member, Communications, Food Security & Scholarship Committees
Michael studied at Chouinard Art Institute and CalArts, becoming a "serial entrepreneur" in clothing, costume, and interior design, as well as real estate, fitness, and marketing. For 35 years, he has been a real estate broker and developer passionate about community building in CA and NM. A lifelong activist, he founded and served on boards like APLA and MECLA. Since moving to Los Alamos in 2015 with his husband Gabriel Bustamante, Michael has led several local organizations, including the Los Alamos Cemetery District, Los Alamos Business Association, Los Alamos Senior Center, and NBAR.
Chris Urquidez - President, Board of Directors; Ex officio all committees
Bio Coming Soon!