The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) has appointed Brett Larsen to its Board of Directors as a teacher representative.

A music educator in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, Larsen brings both experience and passion to his new role as a voice for teachers and students across the district, SBEF said.

Larsen holds a BA in music from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s in education from California Lutheran University. As a longtime music teacher, he has seen firsthand the impact of SBEF’s support for arts education.

“As a music teacher, SBEF has been a vital partner in my ability to serve our students’ needs,” said Larsen. “Having served SB Unified for 15 years now, I’m well acquainted with the arts teachers in our district, and I hope to be their conduit to help SBEF address the unmet needs of our students.”

Larsen is also a member of the local band Paper Moon and frequently performs as a guest musician with Spencer the Gardener.

“Public education builds community,” Larsen said. “Students from a variety of backgrounds get the opportunity to work together, learn different ways of processing, and most crucially, learn how to find common ground.”

Founded in 1985, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving nearly 12,000 students in 21 schools.

For more, visit santabarbaraeducation.org.