Hospice of Santa Barbara is pleased to announce that Cynthia Stoddard, Mike McGrew and Terri Lee have been elected to its board of directors.
Stoddard brings with her years of experience in the medical field and a personal understanding of the importance of hospice care.
A longtime supporter of HSB, she volunteered for the organization in the 1980s and even received the Hospice Volunteer of the Year Award in 1989.
Stoddard is well aware of the role hospice support plays for someone experiencing the loss of a loved one, as she came to HSB for services following the death of her first and second husbands.
“Hospice of Santa Barbara’s mission and values are right in line with what community members need when they face their own mortality or that of a loved one,” said Stoddard. “My involvement in furthering the HSB cause in the community, and educating people about what HSB is about, is very important to me.”
Stoddard has worked at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for more than 20 years. She is currently the surgery residency and externship administrator, working to ensure that the hospital is up to date and following the correct administrative procedures in its education program.
Born in Los Angeles, Stoddard came to Santa Barbara in 1972 to attend UC Santa Barbara, and, excluding a brief time in New Orleans, has lived in the area ever since.
Stoddard is the mother to an 18-year-old daughter.
McGrew brings his personal experience with Hospice of Santa Barbara, passion for the Santa Barbara community and experience as a first responder to the board of directors.
“I believe there are strong relationships that can be formed with first responders and Hospice of Santa Barbara. I always appreciated everything they did,” said McGrew. “I’m honored to be part of the board of director’s for Hospice of Santa Barbara. It’s an organization that has been close to my heart for many years.”
McGrew has several years experience within the Santa Barbara Police Department, where he began as an officer and is now Patrol Sergeant. He came to understand the importance of hospice firsthand, as he came to HSB following the loss of his son.
He is president of the Santa Barbara Police Officers Association and Tri-Counties Peace Officers Research Association of California.He is also a board member of the Santa Barbara Police Foundation.
Having lived locally for 50 years, McGrew graduated from Dos Pueblos High School and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Lee brings with her valuable experience in facilitation, strategic communication and personal development coaching to the board of directors, which will enable her to deliver high impact results for Hospice of Santa Barbara.
Lee has over 18 years of experience coaching executives to maximize personal and professional development within her own Santa Barbara based consulting firm, Terri Lee & Associates.
She is excited to help HSB grow and reach out to those in need.
“I am so moved by what the organization does — the people and their stories. It’s all done with a good heart,” said Lee. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2013 and didn’t know what great things Hospice of Santa Barbara had to offer with counseling and other programs. After learning, I had to get the word out.”
Prior to her new role as a board member, Lee served as treasurer for South Coast Women’s Business Network and as a board member for United Boys and Girls Club of Goleta.
Lee has lived within the Santa Barbara community for 28 years. She attended UCSB Extension as well as Santa Barbara City College.
Hospice of Santa Barbara volunteers its free professional counseling and care management services to those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one.
Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on area school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call 805.563.8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.
— Angel Pacheco is a publicist representing Hospice of Santa Barbara.