Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) recently elected Eva Maria Catalan to its Board of Directors.
As the associate program director at Future Leaders of America, Catalan has been instrumental in delivering comprehensive services to students in grades 8 through 12.
Along with her professional commitments, Catalan leads the Youth Wellness Coalition, a collective of community leaders in Santa Barbara. Through the coalition, she spearheads efforts to educate and prevent underage alcohol and drug use among the city’s youth, emphasizing the importance of a healthy and safe environment.
With a background in youth leadership and a commitment to empowering Santa Barbara’s students, Catalan will further strengthen the foundation’s impact on the community, the SBEF said.
Catalan holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, Chico, and an associate of science in criminology from Santa Barbara City College.
“Public education is crucial because it offers students of all backgrounds access to free and high-quality public education,” Catalan said. “Every student deserves the opportunity to receive a great education, so they are able to pursue their dreams in the future.”
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving more than 12,500 students in 19 schools. For more, visit santabarbaraeducation.org.