Melinda Cabrera, who has spearheaded a series of programmatic and operational enhancements during her 30-month tenure as president/CEO of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, will leave the college access nonprofit to become CEO of United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County.
Her last day at the Scholarship Foundation will be March 11.
“It has been a tremendous honor to lead the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara and contribute to its rich legacy of serving local families and creating opportunity in our community for more than 60 years,” said Cabrera.
“I am grateful to the foundation’s Board of Directors and staff for their dedication, hard work, and collegiality,” she said. “I could not ask for more supportive or capable colleagues.
“This is a bittersweet moment, but I am excited to start my new role at United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County.”
Born in Apple Valley, California, Cabrera earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at Loyola Marymount University before being named assistant director of guest services at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
She joined United Way of Santa Barbara County in 2013, serving first as a community impact officer and later as director of strategic partnerships from 2016 to 2020. As its vice president, Cabrera led United Way’s programming in the areas of financial empowerment, education, and crisis response and recovery.
These efforts included a nationally recognized program that addressed summer learning loss by providing academic and other support to students in grades 3-12.
She established a successful, literacy-focused tutoring center to improve students’ reading confidence.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cabrera led emergency response programs that provided more than $54 million in housing assistance and academic support to families in critical need.
Upon becoming president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara in August 2023, Cabrera worked to raise the organization’s profile by augmenting staff and pursuing new community partnerships.
Under her leadership, the Scholarship Foundation was one of only six organizations nationwide selected by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct initial testing of the latest Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in 2024.
Other initiatives included a partnership with a local law firm to provide area law school students and graduates with career development opportunities; the adoption of a new strategic plan, and expansion of a partnership with researchers at UCSB to gain insight into the experiences of students.
In April 2025, the Scholarship Foundation marked the opening of a new Santa Maria office with improved facilities and expanded space for community engagement. The foundation received more than $14 million in public support last year, the largest annual funding total in the organization’s history.
“We very much appreciate Melinda’s diligence and energetic focus as president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara,” said Pamela Gann, board chair. “She has positioned the organization for still greater impact throughout Santa Barbara County. We wish her much success in her new position.”
Blair Search Partners will conduct a nationwide search for Cabrera’s successor.
For more about the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, visit www.sbscholarship.org.