The Santa Barbara Education Foundation recently elected Mat Gradias to its Board of Directors. Gradias is an associate architect with Kruger Bensen Ziemer Architects with a focus on educational facilities.
With the exception of some time spent in San Francisco and Portland, Ore., Gradias has lived and worked in the Santa Barbara area for the majority of his career.
Gradias volunteers with the local chapter of the national ACE mentorship program for high school students interested in pursuing careers in architecture, construction and engineering.
He is also on the advisory committee for Disability Services and Programs for Students department at Santa Barbara City College. He is a frequent volunteer in his wife’s STEAM class at Cold Spring Elementary School, where he is involved with student-led projects.
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving some 15,000 students in 22 schools. For more information, visit www.santabarbaraeducation.org.
— Melissa Davenport for Santa Barbara Education Foundation.