Betty Jeppesen, Farfalla Borah and Stacey Lydon are the newest members of The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law (COL) Board of Trustees, the governance body that oversees the region’s oldest and largest independent law school.
A 1980 graduate of the school’s Santa Barbara campus and a member of the California State Bar, Jeppesen brings 38 years of experience as a practicing attorney with involvement in real estate, contract, aircraft leasing law, and civil litigation.
Currently she owns her own practice in Santa Barbara and is the founding co-chair of COL’s Alumni Council. Other board posts she has held include Santa Barbara County Bar Association, Santa Barbara Women Lawyers, Santa Barbara Women Lawyers Foundation Board, and Santa Barbara County Bar Association Foundation Board.
Borah also is a seasoned veteran of governance, currently serving on the Goleta Water District Board. A 1993 gradate of COL and California State Bar member, Borah completed a 25-year career at UCSB in 2018, most recently serving as the university’s manager for employee and labor relations.
Lydon brings higher education expertise to COL as well. She is the associate director of scholarships and alumni engagement for the University of California Education Abroad Program and has been with the UC system since 2009.
She serves on the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Advisory Council, the Network for Africa board, and is president-elect for the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara.
“We are privileged to welcome such talented, experienced, and exceptional individuals to the COL Trustee family,” said Board Chair Jana Johnston. “I look forward to serving with them.”
Both Borah and Lydon were elected this fall with Jeppesen seated at the board’s annual meeting in May. Jeppesen currently serves as chair of the board’s advancement and alumni committee. Lydon will join her on that committee with Borah assigned to the school’s academic affairs committee.
“What was already a stellar board is becoming even more exceptional,” said Matthew Nehmer, COL president. “Our mission centered on access, opportunity and excellence could not be in more capable hands than with fiduciaries like trustees Jeppesen, Borah and Lydon.”
The newest additions join a diverse board of professionals representing numerous disciplines and experiences. Johnston is a partner with Mullen & Henzell. Other trustee attorneys include Vice Chair Carmen Ramirez who serves on the Oxnard City Council; Judge Michele Castillo from the Ventura County Superior Court; and Catherine Swysen, managing partner with Sanger, Swysen & Dunkle.
Trustees from higher education include Nehmer; Michael Horowitz, president of TCS Education System; Bernie Luskin, president/CEO of LuskinInternational and past chancellor of the Ventura County Community County District; Don Packham, chief of human resources for TCS Education System; and Richard Winn, president, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
For more about Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law, visit www.collegesoflaw.edu.
— Kryztofr Kaine for Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law.