Sarah Knecht and Bruce Stouffer have been appointed to the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County.

Knecht joins the Habitat Santa Barbara Board following a long career with the city of Santa Barbara. Before retiring in December, she served for nearly 22 years as the city attorney, assistant city attorney, and interim city administrator.

Prior to joining the city of Santa Barbara, she worked as an attorney in private practice representing public entities.

Throughout her career, Knecht has focused on the financing, development and regulation of affordable housing, both ownership and rental.

Stouffer, a long-time Habitat Santa Barbara volunteer who has worked on a number of volunteer projects including the family selection committee, joins the Board of Directors in the role of treasurer.

He holds a degree in economics from Cornell University and an MBA in finance from the University of Michigan.

Stouffer worked for some 40 years in finance, marketing, and business management with a range of companies before retiring at the end of 2025.

He was most recently with a small investment banking firm in Silicon Valley that acted as an intermediary between startup companies and funding sources.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sarah and Bruce to the Habitat board,” said Jessica de L’Arbre, CEO of Habitat Santa Barbara. “Their combined experience in housing policy, finance, and hands-on service will be invaluable as we continue to expand innovative solutions to the housing crisis facing our region.”

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County is a nonprofit established in 2000, committed to building strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Habitat Santa Barbara serves communities from Carpinteria to Gaviota.

For more, visit www.sbhabitat.org, or contact Susan Renehan, 805-456-9548, or susan@sbhabitat.org.