The Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation has announced the election of Lynn Rodriguez to serve as board president for the next two years.
Rodriguez has been an SBEF board member for nearly five years and is a former trustee for the Santa Barbara Unified School District (2002-2006).
Rodriguez co-chaired the SBEF-run campaigns supporting the successful parcel tax measures on the ballot in 2008 (Measures H and I), and the successful construction bond measures on the ballot in 2010 (Measures Q and R). She was the chairwoman of the Measure I Oversight Committee and is the incoming chairwoman of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Committee.
Rodriguez is passionate about public education. She attended all public schools, including graduating from UCSB. She recently received the California Teachers Association Gold Award, together with former SBEF board president Mark Ingalls, for her work supporting public education. CTA’s Gold Award is the highest award given to citizens and public officials.
In a recent statement, she shared her vision for the future of SBEF and support for education in Santa Barbara: “Our public education system in this country, and in our community, has never faced more challenges. We are at a crossroads now and have the opportunity to bolster the programs that have helped our students succeed for generations. It is absolutely critical that organizations like the Santa Barbara Education Foundation and other private foundations step up their efforts to provide the support our schools and students need.
“I am excited to be serving such a successful foundation as SBEF and working with an incredible board of directors, executive director, the Santa Barbara Unified School District board and the new superintendent, and all of our partners. We have one of the best school districts in the state, with a diverse and successful student population, dedicated teachers and staff and great programs; SBEF support is critical to help keep it that way. I look forward to helping lead that effort for the next two years.”
Rodriguez is married and lives in Santa Barbara. She has two daughters, one who recently graduated from UC Santa Cruz and another who will be a junior at San Marcos High School. She is an independent water resources management consultant and is co-owner of Rodriguez Consulting Inc.
Rodriguez, together with the rest of the SBEF board and staff, is committed to the mission of enhancing the success of students by supporting academic enrichment programs, developing partnerships to champion the critical needs of our schools, and engaging the community in building and maintaining educational excellence.
For more information about the Santa Barbara Education Foundation, call 805.284.9125.
— Margie Yahyavi represents the Santa Barbara Education Foundation.