The Santa Barbara Foundation announced Wednesday that its board of trustees has elected Judy Frost to serve as its chairwoman for 2010-11.
Frost is a longtime champion of the foundation, having served on the board of trustees since 2004 and as vice chairwoman this past year. Since her nomination to the board five years ago, Frost has served on the Student Aid, Governance, and Education and Personal Development Committees, and has chaired the Funding Policy Committee. She was a founding member of the foundation’s Santa Maria affiliate in 1996 and one of the first members of the affiliate Steering Committee.
“Judy’s long history with the foundation, her philanthropic leadership and her considerable knowledge of our northern communities will be invaluable to the success of the foundation’s strategic plan going forward,” foundation president and CEO Ron Gallo said. “The foundation’s objectives of building philanthropy, building impact and building community are passions for Judy, and she will lead our board with great distinction.”
A 20-year resident of Santa Maria, Frost is a member of the PCPA Foundation, the Northern Santa Barbara County Women’s Fund, the Allan Hancock College Foundation and the Santa Maria branch of the American Association of University Women. In addition, she has chaired the committee for the Foodbank’s Empty Bowls event for Santa Maria Valley and co-chaired the Northern Santa Barbara County United Way Mayor’s Ball.
Frost’s professional background includes 16 years of nonprofit management with the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Maria, where she served as managing director. Before her work in the arts/education sector, she worked for 14 years in high-tech manufacturing, where she held the positions of U.S. division controller for both the Computer Systems Co. (a division of McDonnell Douglas Corp.) and Computer Automation. This was preceded by 10 years in the fields of entertainment, retail, restaurant accounting and auditing.
Frost succeeds Robert Emmons on the board.
— Alixe Mattingly is the vice president of communications and marketing for the Santa Barbara Foundation.