TV Santa Barbara (TVSB), the region’s community media access center since 1974, welcomes six new members to its Board of Directors. They are Laura Treat, Regina Ruiz, Courtney Frazer, Don Katich, Gary Dobbins and Rebecca Brand.
TVSB also announced the appointment of Meighann Helene as board chair. The new board members along with Helene join Tracy Beard, vice chair; Michael Mongold, secretary; Dean Nobel and Teri Jori.
“We are thrilled to have such an esteemed group of board members come together at this exciting time when community media is more important than ever,” said Erik Davis, executive director of TVSB. “The new and returning board members bring a wealth of media and television experience and we are excited for the future TV Santa Barbara.”
Treat is the curator of Moving Image Collections at the University of California Santa Barbara Library. Treat has devoted her career to preserving and providing access to regional media including local television.
Ruiz is the vice president of development and marketing at St. Vincent’s nonprofit social service agency in Santa Barbara. She is also a broadcast journalist. Before joining St. Vincent’s, Ruiz anchored and reported at television stations across the country for more than a decade.
Frazer previously served as the director of advancement for TVSB and brings a background in creating local partnerships and developing youth-based programs. She currently works as a field marketing manager and helps produce Apples to Zucchini Cooking Classes aimed at teaching children to cook healthy meals.
With a degree in communications, Katich has a background in advertising and marketing following many years working in local media producing, managing thousands of commercial campaigns promoting local businesses and nonprofits. He is currently a real estate agent at Village Properties.
Dobbins co-founded the Coastal View News, an online and print publication in the Carpinteria Valley; and Carpinteria Magazine, a regional lifestyle publication. Dobbins has served as an advisory board member at TVSB for more than two decades.
Brand hosts and produces TV shows and digital videos for TVSB and for many active social media platforms. She has been recognized as one of the top hired YouTube influencers in the world. Brand also owns and operates Rebecca Brand Productions MEDIA, a local production company.
Helene has served on the board since 2015, previously as treasurer. An internationally recognized video producer and current artist in residence at the Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology, she works for the IBM Data Science and AI Elite team; and has a record supporting STEAM in the community, also currently serving as Fishbon’s board treasurer.
“We are very excited to welcome this awe-inspiring group of talented individuals with long-track records of success in media, technology, and the arts,” said Helene. “As we expand our impact in the community through new initiatives and programs, we hope we can truly empower Santa Barbara to make media that matters.”
TV Santa Barbara (TVSB) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that operates two community access television channels, 17 and 71. Visit www.tvsb.tv.