The Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) has added four new members to its Board of Trustees: Pamela Macal, Michael Pfau, Alexander Simas, and Zohar Ziv.
They take their posts in January, joining colleagues including Stephen Hicks, incoming board chair; Susan T. Richards, vice chair; treasurer Matt Rowe; secretary Niki Sandoval; Phil Alvarado, Randall Day, Pamela Gann (chair 2020-21), Angel Iscovich, Danna McGrew, Robert Nakasone, Ernesto Paredes, James Rogers, Ginger Salazar, Tracy Stouffer, and Michael Young.
“The Santa Barbara Foundation is well-positioned to meet our county’s most pressing issues with the addition of Pamela, Mike, Alex and Zohar to our Board of Trustees,” said Jackie Carrera, president/CEO of the Santa Barbara Foundation.
“Their commitment to service and knowledge of the issues facing every corner of our county, combined with their legal and business acumen, will serve SBF well as we work to build a stronger future for our region,” Carrera said.
The foundation also expressed thanks to outgoing trustee Diane Adam for her service to the board. During her tenure, she served on nearly every board committee and task force, while also serving as board chair in 2018 and 2019, a pivotal transition period for the foundation, which included the development and implementation of its strategic plan.
“Diane is an incredible leader with a big heart,” Carrera said. “We are grateful her for her numerous contributions to the Santa Barbara Foundation, and for her passionate commitment and steady guidance.”
SBF trustees also recognized Gann for her service as board chair in 2020 and 2021, noting that “As the ‘Zoom chair,’ her dedication resulted in extraordinary achievements during extraordinarily challenging times.”
Macal grew up in Santa Maria before attending Pomona College in Claremont, California, where she completed her BA in economics and public policy. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison. She then returned to Santa Maria, where she has run her third-generation family business with her husband Dan for the past decade.
Macal’s law career has focused on labor and employment law, as well as support for nonprofits. Most notably, she has supported Girl Scouts USA in their restructuring and development of their employee benefits program. She and her husband support Marian Regional Medical Hospital, and Ronald McDonald House Charities in the Bay Area.
Born and raised in Ohio, Pfau earned his BA, summa cum laude, from the University of Cincinnati. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School and a master of laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center. In 1996, he was one of the founding partners of the Santa Barbara-based law firm Reicker, Pfau, Pyle & McRoy LLP, where he continues to practice law
Pfau’s concern for the Central Coast is expressed by his work in the community; he has served on the board of Santa Barbara Angel Alliance, South Coast Business and Technology Awards Dinner, UCSB Economic Forecast Project, Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce, Goleta Boys & Girls Club, United Boys and Girls Club, Santa Barbara Public Education Fund, and Direct Relief International.
He was a co-founder of Business First National Bank and served on the board of directors for Heritage Oaks Bank and Pacific Premier Bank.
Also a lifelong Santa Marian, Simas received his undergraduate degree and Juris Doctor degree with honors from Santa Clara University. He joined Dan Kirk’s law practice after graduating and formed Kirk & Simas, for which he has worked in various leadership roles since 1970.
Simas’ work for the northern region of Santa Barbara County includes serving as city attorney for the City of Guadalupe, counsel for the Oceano Community Services District, and periodically special counsel to the Santa Maria Cemetery District and the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District.
Simas served on the Board of Directors for Heritage Oaks Bank, Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria Valley, Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce\Visitors and Convention Bureau, Santa Maria Valley Economic Development Association, Visiting Nurse Service, Allan Hancock College Foundation, Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation, St. Joseph’s High School Advisory Board.
He is currently on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid-Central Coast Foundation.
Simas’ wife Kathy recently retired from the Santa Barbara Foundation after 20 years there.
Ziv was born and raised in Israel, where he lived until he was 22. He spent two years living and working in Asia, where he met his wife Danna and followed her to the U.S. Ziv received his Bachelor of Science in accounting from California State University Northridge and MBA in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird).
An active director, advisor and investor in both for-profit and nonprofit sectors, Ziv has some 30 years of executive management experience across a diverse set of business environments. He has worked as the COO of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, CFO for various diversified companies, and treasurer of an international fluid transfer equipment company.
Ziv serves on the Foundation Board of California State University Channel Islands and the Santa Barbara City College finance committee, and is a partner of the Santa Barbara Social Venture Partners.
Formerly, he served on the boards of the Outdoor Industry Association and the Malibu High School Governance Council. He co-founded and assisted several business ventures and endeavors that include Dash Brands, Swiftarc Ventures Fund, and Shoes for Crews.