Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) has appointed Diana Zapata as the new director of human resources.

With a career in strategic human resources management, and as a former student and faculty member at SBCC, Zapata brings expertise and experience back to the campuses.

“It’s great to be back at SBCC,” Zapata said. “I look forward to working with the SBCC team, to partner with them and build a better culture of belonging across all campuses.”

Zapata’s professional career of some 20 years includes leadership roles in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors.

She has demonstrated exceptional skills in recruitment, talent acquisition and retention, labor relations, staff development, conflict resolution and organizational development, SBCC said.

In her most recent role as the director of human resources for the Carpinteria Unified School District, Zapata led all HR functions, including managing employee relations; ensuring compliance with state and federal laws; and overseeing staff development.

She was instrumental in negotiating collective bargaining agreements and implementing programs that aligned with the district’s goals and mission, SBCC said.

Zapata’s previous experience includes a tenure as the organizational development senior consultant at AIROOM, Inc., where she successfully reduced turnover rates, as well as work with Chicago Public Radio/Media, Inc.

Zapata holds a master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Arizona State University. She is certified in 360 Assessment by the Center for Creative Leadership and is bilingual in English and Spanish. 

“SBCC is thrilled to welcome Diana Zapata to our team,” said Dan Le Guen Schmidt, vice president, Human Resources, at SBCC. “Her extensive experience and strategic vision will be pivotal in advancing our HR initiatives and supporting the professional growth of our staff and faculty.”