When Melinda Cabrera applied for a job as assistant director of guest services at the Santa Barbara Zoo, she had never heard of Santa Barbara.

Cabrera had recently graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in communications and was living at home with her parents in Apple Valley. Like many new college grads in 2008, she was having trouble finding a job.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do,” Cabrera said. “I did know that … whatever I ended up doing, I wanted it to be meaningful, and I wanted it to help people.”

The job at the zoo set Cabrera on a path to discovering her interest in nonprofit work and education, leading to her new role as the CEO of the United Boys and Girls Club Santa Barbara County.

The club’s Board of Directors announced that Cabrera was selected as the new CEO on Feb. 17 and said she will officially start on March 16.

Nicholas Behrman, the board chairman, said that Cabrera’s deep ties to the Santa Barbara community and experience working with local nonprofits made her an excellent fit for the role.

Cabrera’s last position was as CEO and president of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. She also worked at the United Way of Santa Barbara County.

Behrman said he believes Cabrera will bring the best out of people in the organization.

“The board and I are really excited to have Melinda coming on,” Behrman said. “We think our future is really bright with her as our leader.”

Cabrera said she first fell into nonprofit work when she left the zoo and took a role as director of strategic partnerships at United Way. She was later promoted to vice-president of the organization.

Her interest in working at United Way was driven by frustration that her daughter did not have access to quality educational programs.

Cabrera said she knew she wanted to work at United Way after meeting the former CEO, Paul Didier, who explained how the organization benefits children in the community.

United Way provides educational programs that prepare children for school and promote financial skills for families. The organization also provides grants to programs throughout the county.

“I just became enamored of that work, and so I really wanted to work in an organization like that,” Cabrera said. “That kind of started to feed my passion for program development and working with the community and really working on behalf of kids and their academic opportunities.”

Cabrera joined the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara in 2023. During her tenure, the foundation was one of only six organizations chosen nationwide to test the U.S. Department of Education’s new Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The Scholarship Foundation also raised $14 million in 2025, the highest annual funding amount for the foundation ever. The foundation also opened a new office in Santa Maria.

Heading into her new role, Cabrera said her goal is to help the Boys and Girls Club grow and expand the programming it offers, while honoring the club’s traditions.

“I want to be a stable leader who’s going to bring opportunity, creativity, sustainability and strength to the organization,” Cabrera said.

She also wants the club to help young people grow into confident adults who can look back fondly on their time at the club.  

Cabrera also acknowledged that nonprofits currently face challenges due to cuts in funding. Nonprofits have seen a loss in revenue due to budget cuts on the federal, state, and local levels.

However, Cabrera said that funding in the nonprofit sector has always been challenging and is never secure. She said her goal is to work alongside the board to find new ways to fund the organization’s goals.

“You have to be able to pivot and be strategic and creative, because…money is never guaranteed,” she said. “So, you have to be ready to seize new opportunities but always be thinking about what’s next.”

One way she suggested was to appeal to private foundations or to work strategically with private donors.  

Cabrera also said Santa Barbara has always been supportive of nonprofit organizations and is one of the most generous communities.

She said this was shown in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and even in periods without natural disasters.

“This community wants a vibrant, strong and thriving community, and I believe that,” Cabrera said. “We, time and time (again), come together to make that happen.”