SBEF reluctantly said goodbye to our board vice president, John Ogilvie, in December due to term limits. After seven years of service that included guiding our organization through a mission rewrite, the Covid pandemic, an executive leadership search, and the launch of a new strategic planning process, we invited John to share some thoughts on his board journey.
What brought you to the SBEF board in 2016?
Having previously been involved in a number of organizations promoting the arts for young people, particularly children in our public schools, a role with the Santa Barbara Education Foundation seemed a natural step. The SBEF’s Executive Director at the time, Margie Yahyavi, and I had long served together on the County Alliance for Arts Education when she invited me to join the board.
What do you regard to be your most important accomplishments as a board member during your tenure?
Working on updating the SBEF’s Mission Statement was part of an overall examination and enhancement of the foundation’s entire outreach program. Staff and board members worked closely to enrich and grow the ways in which we could tell our story and expand our audience. Modernizing our approach using every media at our disposal was a real learning experience.
You are a monthly donor to the SBEF. What inspires you to give to this organization now? Are there any particular programs that are especially important to you?
Nothing is more important than our children’s education when it comes to the future prosperity and general well-being of our community. Yet, public education remains incredibly undernourished. This breaks my heart. To see the fruits of SBEF’s arts programs, early learning literacy initiatives, and other programs the public budget cannot touch is a start toward healing.
What advice would you give to a new SBEF board member?
Dive in! Join a committee or two dealing with matters of interest to you. It might be marketing, governance, programs, strategic planning, development, or any of the other committees. While the Board is serious in its work, it is also fun. And it is a whole lot more rewarding when one’s involvement goes beyond a brief board meeting once a month.
