Nancy Martz, Apples to Zucchini Cooking School executive director, has been named the 2026 Sustainer of the Year by the Junior League of Santa Barbara (JLSB).
The Sustainer of the Year award is one of the organization’s highest honors recognizing exceptional community leadership, volunteer service, and lasting impact.
Martz was recognized for her decades-long commitment to strengthening the Santa Barbara community through education, youth development, nonprofit leadership, and volunteer service.
As executive director of Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, Martz has helped inspire healthy lifestyles and life skills among thousands of children and families while fostering partnerships that advance community well-being, JLSB said.
“Nancy embodies the very best of the Junior League’s mission,” said Jessica Hawley, president of Junior League of Santa Barbara. “Her unwavering dedication to serving others, her collaborative leadership style, and her ability to create meaningful opportunities for children and families have left an enduring mark on our community.
“Nancy leads with generosity, vision, and heart, and we are honored to recognize her as our Sustainer of the Year.”
A 25-year member and sustainer of the Junior League of Santa Barbara, Martz credits the organization with helping shape her approach to leadership and community engagement.
“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from an organization that has had such a profound influence on my life,” she said. “The Junior League provided me with invaluable opportunities to develop leadership skills, build confidence, and learn how to mobilize people around a common purpose.
“The experiences and friendships I gained through the League continue to guide my work every day, and I am grateful to be part of a legacy of women committed to creating positive change in our community.”
The Sustainer of the Year Award celebrates Junior League members who have demonstrated exceptional volunteerism and leadership throughout their lives while continuing to exemplify the League’s commitment to community impact, organizers said.
Apples to Zucchini Cooking School is a nonprofit that brings people together over shared meals by teaching children, teens and adults how to prepare delicious, nutritious, affordable meals made from seasonal and local ingredients.
The Junior League of Santa Barbara is comprised of women committed to advancing women’s leadership for community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training.