Elizabeth Winterhalter has been elected president of the Coastal Housing Partnership board of directors.
Winterhalter is vice president, mortgage loan officer at Bank of Santa Barbara, 12 E. Figueroa St. A former Santa Barbara business owner, she spent 12 years in the San Francisco Bay Area as president of a marketing consulting firm and as a personal loan consultant for a boutique real estate financing and investment firm. She returned to Santa Barbara in 2005 when Bank of Santa Barbara opened.
An avid outdoor enthusiast, Winterhalter is also treasurer of Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons’ board of directors and she earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UCSB.
The nonprofit Coastal Housing Partnership was founded in 1987 by a group of South Coast employers for the purpose of making homeownership more achievable for local employees. The partnership removes common obstacles to purchasing a home through its discount programs and home-buying education services. During the past 21 years, CHP has helped more than 10,000 local employees become homeowners.
“In good markets and in particularly challenging markets like this, Coastal Housing Partnership can play a pivotal role in helping to mitigate the high cost of homeownership in our area. In doing so, the economic stability and vitality of our communities is enhanced,” Winterhalter said. “It’s a lofty ambition, but it’s more important now than ever. And I believe we have the team and resources to make the difference.”
In addition to Winterhalter, the partnership board includes Elaine Abercrombie of Village Properties Realtors; Kim Cowles of Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf CPAs; business consultant Scott Eschbach; Teri Gauthier of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust; Ron Lafrican and Patrice Ryan of Cottage Health System; Robert Silsbee of UCSB; retired banker William Tumelty; and Marilyn Weixel of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara.
Corby Gage is executive director of the Coastal Housing Partnership.