Kara Hornbuckle, a former school counselor who went on to lead philanthropic outreach on behalf of Sansum Diabetes Research Institute (SDRI), has been appointed chief development officer at the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, effective Nov. 4.
A former Scholarship Foundation recipient, Hornbuckle completed her undergraduate studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, before earning a master’s degree in guidance and counseling at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.
Serving first as a student program advisor at Santa Barbara City College and later as a guidance counselor at Bishop Garcia Diego High School, she helped local students and families navigate the process of applying to college and securing financial aid.
Hornbuckle’s career in philanthropy began in May 2015, when she accepted the position of development manager at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, since rebranded Breakthrough T1D.
Two years later, she joined the staff at SDRI, serving first as director of development.
In her current role as vice president of development and public affairs at SDRI, Hornbuckle oversees special events, communications, and external relations, in addition to donor engagement, major and principal giving, planned giving, and philanthropic grants.
Starting in 2023, she spearheaded SDRI’s $10 million capital campaign and renovation project to create a state-of-the-art precision metabolism and diabetes research center at the institute’s Santa Barbara facility.
Hornbuckle has participated in several leadership development programs, including through Harvard University, and Leading from Within’s 10-month Emerging Leaders program, which develops nonprofit and social sector leaders throughout Santa Barbara County.
“Building meaningful relationships has been central to Kara’s work throughout her career,” said Calen Ouellette, foundation president/CEO.
“At SDRI, she cultivated new supporters, expanded volunteer and board engagement, and reimagined the organization’s fundraising event model, creating new opportunities for donor engagement and philanthropic support,” Ouellette said.
“In addition, her experience as a school counselor sparked a lifelong commitment to educational access and opportunity that continues to inform her approach to leadership and philanthropy to this day,” Ouellette said.
The nonprofit Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is the nation’s largest community-based provider of college scholarships, having cumulatively awarded in excess of $175 million to more than 66,000 county students since its founding in 1962.
For more, visit www.sbscholarship.org.