Our Board & Staff

Alan is a board member whose deep love of the arts naturally attracted him to the Arts Center.  He is a key member and participant on the "Building a Home for the Arts Capital Campaign" and its $3.1 million goal.  He and his wife, Carol, serve in many local capacities having immersed themselves in local organizations and non-profits, as they believe in and support Carpinteria as a community of volunteers. 

He is retired from a long and successful profession in the business industry working in technology, finance, and operations; his career culminated as a Senior Vice President at Bank of America.  Alan earned his Bachelors degree from Stony Brook University (where he lettered 3 years playing DIII basketball) and his Masters degree in Business Administration from Adelphi University.  

In his initial retirement, he served thirteen years as a basketball coach for the girls team at Saint Mary’s College High School in Berkeley, CA.  A native of New York and then a resident of the bay area, he and his wife moved to Carpinteria several years ago to be closer to family; they love contributing to the incredible town they now call their "forever" home.

A native of Los Angeles ("I love LA!") who moved to Carpinteria in 1980 with her husband Brad Stein, former City Councilman and two time Mayor of Carpinteria. She is a founding member of the Carpinteria Arts Center serving as its first Treasurer and later as Chair of the Endowment Fund Committee. She also served as Treasurer of the Lou Grant Parent Child Workshop for eight years.

Carla earned her Bachelors Degree in Business Economics from the University of California Santa Barbara, and she is currently employed as the General Manager of a 78 unit condominium complex near the beach in Carpinteria. Prior to working in Property Management, she has held careers in Banking and Finance, first with Bank of America specializing in consumer and small business loans, then with Chase Bank as a Real Estate Lending Specialist.

She is the mother of three grown sons, Eric, Jeremy and Kevin, who attended Carpinteria schools before going away to college, and she is a huge fan of college football and college baseball because of them. Avid reader, keen traveler, theater goer and art collector. "I don't create anything myself, but I admire what others have created and living with beautiful objects gives me great pleasure and peace."

"I am thrilled to be a new board member of the Carpinteria Art Center. Art has been a big part of my life since my childhood. My parents were artists and musicians, so, to me, the smell of oil paint, wet clay and the strumming of a guitar are part and parcel of a good life. I also bring a business attitude to the board having been a co-owner of the retail shop, porch, for 11 years. I love Carpinteria and have raised my two wonderful children here, educating them in Carpinteria’s public schools. I believe that Carpinteria is the last of small, Southern California beach towns and I am passionate about maintaining that through art and community service."

Tim Cohen brings a 30-year management background in the engineering design and environmental services industry. In addition, he served on the board of Girls Inc. of Carpinteria for 12 years and volunteered to help lead the design and construction of their current facility on Foothill Road. Tim is also currently serving as a local youth mentor for the Santa Barbara County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA) school-based mentor program.

He has been involved in education-related activities throughout his career, including being a part-time middle school teacher, professional tutor, in-house corporate trainer, and college-level lecturing and career counseling. He also has a long-standing relationship with UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, where he serves on the Dean’s Council and as Chair of the Corporate and Foundation Partners Program.

Tim and his wife Janey have been part of our community for over 35 years. They love living here, and they love giving back.

Kathy Dubock joined the board with a background of over 33 years of teaching and as an avid volunteer for the community. She studied communication studies at UCSB and went on to UC Irvine for her teaching degree which culminated with teaching in the SBUSD for 30 years.

In addition to being a gallery host and helping with events at the Carpinteria Arts Center, Kathy also assists with the events for the Carpinteria Friends of the Library. When she is not volunteering or walking with friends she loves to read and enjoys participating in a monthly book club with colleagues and friends.

Kathy and her husband have enjoyed living in Carpinteria for over 38 years!

Lynda is in her fourth year serving on the board at the Arts Center and is instrumental as a member of the Leadership Team for the "Building a Home for the Arts Capital Campaign" and its $3.1 million goal.  Her passion is for creative arts programming and activities to welcome and engage every member of the community now and for many years to come.

She currently volunteers creating meals at "Food from the Heart" and as a co-facilitator of a caregivers support group for Parkinson’s caregivers.  Lynda also serves on the boards of MOXI, the Friendship Center, and the Parkinson’s Association.  Previously, Lynda served on the boards of the Council for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA), Pathpoint, Catholic Charities, and the Center for Successful Aging.

She is retired from a distinguised career in public education: teacher of second grade in Los Angeles and second and first grade at Taiwan American School; Assistant Dean of Women at the the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Whittier Community College; Assistant Dean of Student Activities, Admissions, and Student Affairs, then Vice President of Adult Education, at Santa Barbara City College.  Lynda earned a Bachelors degree from the University of Southern California with a major in Education and a minor in Psychology, as well as a Masters degree in Counseling and Guidance from Montana State University Bozeman.

Jesus is a native Carpinterian whose family has lived in the valley for over one hundred years.  He has had a long career in education. Jesus has worked at SBCC, the Ventura County Community College District, University of Redlands, California Lutheran University, and CSUN. He has worked as a Dean, a Vice-President, an Assistant to the Chancellor, and as a tenured professor.

Jesus was selected as a Fulbright Scholar and has received three national endowments for the arts fellowships, including one to study medieval and Italian art in Italy.

Jesus has also been active in community organizations that support culture and the arts. He served as president of the Carpinteria Valley History Society, vice-president of the Ventura County Historical and Art Museum, Chairman of the Oxnard Arts Commission, president of the Oxnard Foreign Film Society, and volunteers with the Carpinteria Arts Commission.

Jesus is married to Dr. Theresa FergusonGonzales, also a retired college professor and a volunteer for the CAC. Together they have 5 children, 14 grandchildren, and on great grandchild. Jesus and Terry travel yearly to Europe and spent 70 das in Paris for Terry’s 70th birthday. Together they are delighted to be part of the CAC.

Debbie Murphy has been the owner and broker of Murphy King Real Estate since 1982. She brings a wealth of volunteer experience ranging from the Carpinteria Sanitary District to serving on the board of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning board, the Carpinteria Chamber of Commerce and the California Avocado Festival board, for all of which she also served in the position of President.

Debbie also volunteers internationally, helping with many Rotarian service trips and serving as a Spanish translator and assistant for Aeromedicos during three years on trips into Baja California to provide medical and dental services in the pueblo of Cadaje, Baja del Sur.

Debbie also enjoys her eclectic art collection, gardening at the community garden, traveling the world and even making art herself from time to time.

Lenny grew up in a small rural community, Cooperstown, New York, and enlisted in the US Army as a trumpet player upon high school graduation where he met his future wife, Lisa Pekkanen, a trombone player from Carpinteria.

Their first few years of marriage were spent in college and developing their professional careers outside of Carpinteria. In 1991 they moved back home to Carpinteria where, along with Lisa’s dearly departed mother, Maija Pekkanen, they raised their two children, Laura and Erik.

As a musical artist, Lenny has performed on a multitude of stages from Santa Maria to Solana Beach to Oahu with local bands South on Linden, The Upbeat, SoLuna, The Brewery Boyz, The Flashbacks, and the SBCC Good Times Jazz Band.

Lenny’s professional career highlights are Technical Escalations, Sales and Training, Banker, Golf Pro, Purchasing Manager, and Facilities Engineer. He holds an AA degree in Liberal Studies from SBCC.

Maija Pekkanen was an early supporter and advocate of the Carpinteria Valley Arts Council. She would have loved the continuing evolution of the present day Carpinteria Arts Center. Lenny is proud to join the CAC board and help carry on her love of the arts in Carpinteria.

Roland joined the Board in late 2018, as the latest chapter in a long history of active service to and involvement in our local community.  As past President of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria, he stewarded a fine group of Rotarians in service-over-self projects to enhance the quality of life for others; he continues to contribute his positive energy there as Club Administrator.  As past Board Chair of the Carpinteria Chamber of Commerce, he guided fellow business-owners through targeted improvements in local economics and community relationships; he continues as a member of that board so as to be active in community affairs. 

With his Ph.D. in clinical psychology, Dr. Rotz has specialized in providing a full range of diagnostic and clinical services to children and adults for over 30 years.  He has provided local psychotherapy services for the past 20 years and is the owner/director of the Lifespan Development Center in Carpinteria.  Dr. Rotz is a nationally recognized expert on ADHD, and consults and presents both locally and nationally.  His focus is on appreciating and embracing the complexities of the unique characteristics associated with gifted, twice exceptional, ADHD, and learning challenged students. 

He and his wife have been married for 40 years and have twin daughters grown up and living elsewhere who greatly enjoy visiting with them in Carpinteria.  Dr. Rotz’ involvement with the Arts Center comes right from the heart, as he deeply understands the power of the creative arts to equally reach all students, transfigure a mind, and progress favorable development in every aspect of a cherished life.

Nini Seaman brings diverse art experience to the board as an artist herself. She started her studies in Montevideo, Uruguay in South America and ended with a Masters degree from Tufts University and the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts. Her volunteer experience ranges from helping local schools and homeowners’ associations to serving on the boards of Laguna Blanca School, Calm, and Girls Inc.

Nini enjoys spending time with her family, who are also artistic, and her two dogs.

Robert Stokes, who recently moved to Carpinteria in 2018 after living in New Jersey for 35 years, jumped right into volunteering in our community.

In addition to being an active member of the Carpinteria Lions Club and Carpinteria Beautiful, he volunteers with the Carpinteria Hosts and serves as a gallery host in the Lo Bue Gallery at the arts center. Bob adds his vast experience as an IT project management consultant and systems development manager along with being on the board of the Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey to the board of directors.

Robert earned both his BS degree in finance and Master’s degrees in urban education from the University of Pennsylvania. He went on to earn his Reading Psychology Master’s degree from the Temple University. He has been able to share those talents with the community by volunteering as a reading and math tutor in his original hometown’s GED/Adult Literacy program.

Leo is a Native Carpinterian that feels very fortunate to have grown up with art programs in the local school district. Leo currently is the Vice President and Branch Manager of the Carpinteria Branch of Montecito Bank & Trust. He has over 33 years in the Retail Banking Industry including 16 of those years in Carpinteria.

He has been passionate about the Carpinteria Community and has volunteered for several local non-profits over the years including the Carpinteria Valley Lions Club, The Rhythmic Arts Project, Carpinteria Education Foundation, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, Carpinteria Boys and Girls Club, and has been on the board of the Carpinteria Valley Chamber, and the California Avocado Festival with two years as the Board President.

Leo still enjoys painting when he gets an opportunity and thoroughly enjoys all things Carpinteria, including the downtown district, surf fishing and beach walks with his wife Marian, adult children, Justin and Katie, and his granddog Panda.

linda@carpinteriaartscenter.org
805.684.7789 ext. 1

Linda built a successful licensed general contractor and real estate developer business in Stockton and began volunteering, working with nonprofits and the school district as a fundraiser. Linda relocated to Santa Barbara a decade ago and continued to volunteer and lead, serving on nonprofit boards and joining numerous nonprofit organizations: University Club, California Missions Foundation, Santa Barbara Trust for Historical Preservation, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra and the UCSB Customer Experience Certification Board. In addition, Linda served as the Executive Director for Courthouse Legacy Foundation and the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. Most recently, Linda was the Director of Development & Communications for the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County.

Linda attended San Jose State University and the Fielding Graduate University for Nonprofit Leadership. Linda and her husband have three adult children. " I am honored to be selected to represent this highly esteemed organization and know, as a team, we will make great strides, fulfilling the mission and goals" Linda stated.

lann@carpinteriaartscenter.org
805.684.7789 ext. 3

Lann manages the website, database, and art intake for the art center. A digital painter and a writer, Lann brings an artistic and critical eye to promotional fliers and webpage layout, as well as organizing backend codes for smooth administrative operations in the staff’s software.

As a native Carpinterian, Lann has grown with the city all of their life and is proud to be part of its community. Even with a technological background and skillset, Lann’s favorite places in the city are the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve and the Seal Sanctuary overlook.

Lann graduated from CSU Monterey Bay with a Bachelor’s of Science and an emphasis in 3D modeling and animation, receiving a Best Integrated Capstone award for an interactive project that combined 3D assets and programming in C#. Proficiencies in graphic design, image-editing software, and computer building were also part of the department's program.

Lann’s most recent personal artistic endeavors involve the creation of environmental and character assets for interactive stories, as well as looking into the future of 3D printing for its artistic and practical uses.

lena@carpinteriaartscenter.org
805.684.7789 ext. 2

Lena supports the volunteer management, programs, and daily operations at the Carpinteria Arts Center. She brings a diverse background in nonprofit administration to the team, which includes managing volunteers at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and facilitating the COVID-19 emergency response efforts at the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.

Lena was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan and now resides in Ventura, California. She graduated from UCSB with a Bachelor’s degree in Global Studies and a Minor in Professional Writing. Some of Lena’s favorite things include backpacking, Rusty’s Pizza, and growing houseplants.

salvador@carpinteriaartscenter.org
805.684.7789 ext. 4

Salvador (Sal) Mesa was born and raised in Santa Barbara and attended Dos Pueblos High School. From there he went to the USMC United States Marine Corp. (1979-1984). He now lives in Ventura. He has more than 20 years in accounting, having graduated from Ventura College in 2017 with an AA in Mechanical Drafting and Architecture.

In his spare time, he likes to go hiking, golf, or just have BBQs with family and friends. Most of all, he loves to just hang with his adult sons, Joseph and Eric, and of course, his granddaughter who is just starting school in 2022. The next big thing in his life will be the arrival of his grandson in March of 2022.

joyce@carpinteriaartscenter.org
805.684.7789 ext. 5

As Outreach Director, Joyce is responsible for managing the Arts Center's corporate relationships, memberships programs, event sponsorship, and all marketing outreach activities. In addition, Joyce will oversee the major events at the Arts Center and collaborations with non-profit community organizations.

Bringing 20 years of non-profit management experience as a Chamber of Commerce professional, Joyce was the President & CEO of the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce for 5+ years. Her diverse skills in corporate, community and government relations, project management, program development, profit generation, event execution, strategic planning, and budget administration will benefit the Arts Center’s growth, goals, and objectives.

Joyce is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber Institute of Organization Management, Western Association of Chamber Executives, and a graduate of Leadership programs in both Michigan and California. She earned an Associates Degree in Political Science from Macomb Community College.

Prior to accepting the position in Carpinteria, Joyce was the President & CEO of the Indio Chamber of Commerce, earning U.S. Chamber Accreditation which rated the Chamber in the top 3% of Chambers nationwide. In addition, she produced the Chamber’s international renowned Southwest Arts Festival, in which her team earned an ADDY Award for five consecutive years.  

Joyce is passionate about serving the Carpinteria community. Prior to her employment at the Arts Center, she was an honorary board member and event volunteer. She is an active member of California Women in Agriculture-Carpinteria, Carpinteria Women’s Club, Compassionate Care of Carpinteria, and the Rotary Club of Carpinteria.

Joyce loves spending time with her two sons in Los Angeles and, when she is not working, she enjoys traveling, gardening, reading, and star gazing.