[Noozhawk’s note: One in a series on the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation’s 2026 Champions of the Valley who will be honored for their volunteerism and community service Oct. 11 at Rancho Carmina in Los Olivos. Click here for more information, or click here to purchase tickets online.]
For Veronica Sandoval, community service is inseparable from community itself.
A lifelong Santa Ynez Valley resident and a descendant of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Sandoval has spent more than 30 years serving the tribe and the wider valley through education, philanthropy, cultural preservation, youth programs and volunteer leadership.
Her connection to the tribe began early.
Sandoval started as a valet at the Chumash Casino Resort while raising a young family, and continued her education while working her way through the organization.
She eventually became one of its senior leaders and today serves as chief tribal operations and communications officer, overseeing tribal government functions, communications, philanthropy, culture, education, environmental programs, and the new Santa Ynez Chumash Museum & Cultural Center.
But her community footprint extends well beyond her professional responsibilities, all of which has resulted in her being nominated for a Santa Ynez Valley Foundation 2026 Champion of the Valley award.
Sandoval helped develop Team Chumash, which gives employees and community members opportunities to volunteer on service projects.
She has helped expand educational technology programs for local students and schools, and worked to broaden public access to Chumash history and culture through the museum and cultural center at 3500 Numancia St. in Santa Ynez.
She also has served as a 4-H leader, College School District trustee, Santa Ynez Football Boosters supporter, and a board member of organizations that include People Helping People and CASA of Santa Barbara County.
Her service has included foster-youth advocacy through the California Tribal Advisory Committee, where she provides guidance to the state Department of Social Services on issues affecting Native American children, families and tribes.
People Helping People CEO Erica Jane Flores, who has known Sandoval since they were young, said her influence comes from consistency across many parts of valley life.
“Few people have had the opportunity to witness the consistency of Veronica’s leadership across so many seasons of her life, and I can say with complete confidence that she embodies the very spirit of a Champion of the Valley,” she said.
Flores pointed to Sandoval’s role in helping reshape the Chumash Foundation into a major philanthropic organization serving tribal members as well as nonprofit organizations, schools, health-care providers and communities throughout Santa Barbara County and beyond.
She also credited Sandoval with helping preserve and celebrate Chumash culture while building relationships across cultures, generations and organizations.
Nick Gianis, philanthropy manager for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation, noted another defining characteristic: Sandoval does much of her volunteer work quietly.
“Veronica is clearly passionate about volunteer work, but what I find interesting is I don’t think her peers know how much of her personal time she has dedicated to volunteering because she is so humble about it,” he said.
For Sandoval, the different roles share a common thread.
Whether helping a child in foster care, supporting a student athlete at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, preserving Chumash history or strengthening a nonprofit, her work is about creating connections and opportunities.
As Flores put it, Sandoval’s legacy can be seen “not only in the organizations she has strengthened, but also in the countless individuals whose lives have been touched by her compassion, leadership and dedication.”
Champions of the Valley
Since 1995, the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation has been honoring exceptional local volunteers whose tireless community commitment enriches the Santa Ynez Valley and Los Alamos, their residents and a wide range of local organizations.
This year’s honorees for the 31st Annual Champions of the Valley are Kros Andrade, Dennis Beebe, Susan and Rod Caughell, and Veronica Sandoval.
Youth Community Champions are Lupita Alvarado and Bella Sim.
The awards will be presented at 4 p.m. Oct. 11 at Rancho Carmina in Los Olivos. Click here for more information, or click here to purchase tickets online.
The Champions of the Valley celebration is sponsored by the Ann Jackson Family Foundation, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Flying Z Ranch-Betty and Ron Ziegler, Kiani Preserve, Presqu’ile-The Murphy Foundation, Linda Stafford Burrows, Manchester Capital Management, the Nagler Family Fund, U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management, Allan Hancock College, Arcadia Studio, Brady Group, Edward Jones-Kelly Hunziker, Hometown Insurance Services, Montecito Bank & Trust, Noozhawk, Old Danish Fudge Kitchen, Rancho Carmina-Hayley Firestone, Shoemaker Family Fund, Women Winemakers & Culinarians Foundation, Charlotte’s of Santa Ynez, the Grenier Family, Santa Barbara Foundation, Santa Ynez General-Turnbull Family, Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club, Town and Ranch Properties-Michael Nicola and Gabriel Bustamante, Laura and Chris Urquidez, and Visit the Santa Ynez Valley.
The honorees were chosen by a panel of foundation board members and former honorees, based on nominations made by the community.
The honorees each receive a $1,000 grant to support a nonprofit organization of their choice. The Youth Community Champions each receive a $1,000 scholarship to further their education.
Santa Ynez Valley Foundation
The Santa Ynez Valley Foundation is dedicated to a mission centered around grant-making, extending financial support and resources to a diverse array of local organizations and initiatives in the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos valleys.
The grants are strategically channeled into key sectors, including food security, health and human services, support for seniors, arts and culture, youth development, and education.
The foundation also administers a robust College Scholarship Program designed to empower ambitious college-bound local students.
Currently, 64 students are beneficiaries of this program, receiving scholarships to facilitate their pursuit of higher education and, in turn, contributing to the overall advancement of the community.
