Joshua brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector to Alpha, having served in both staff and board roles at several nonprofits and churches. He has an MBA from Antioch University and is also a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach.
He and his wife Jamie were first introduced to Alpha in 2007 when their third daughter was born with Down syndrome. A few years later, with a confidence gained in part through the support Alpha provided, they adopted their son, who also has Down syndrome, from Hong Kong.
Over the years, Joshua and his family have become advocates for the mission of Alpha; empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by supporting families, creating opportunities, and fostering belonging. He served on the Alpha board of directors from 2011-2018, the final three years as board president, on both the development and finance committees, and on staff as Associate Executive Director before becoming Executive Director in September of 2019.
Cory received her degree in Business Management from University of Phoenix in 2004. She joined the team at Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara after a 13-year career as Vice President of a Southern California based Oil, Gas and Real Estate Corporation.
During her 20+ years at Alpha, she has been instrumental in raising over $2 million through fundraising and grant awards, funded and implemented an organization wide IT infrastructure, funded the opening of three highly successful thrift stores, and developed an extensive outdoor venue to generate additional income for programs.
Her community service includes leading a local chapter of Kiwanis, serving as Secretary, Treasurer, and President; sponsored Leader for the Circle K International Club at the University of California, Santa Barbara; and she has received Kiwanian of the Year, Distinguished Service, and the Casey Award for her outstanding leadership in the club.
Jeff began his career in nonprofit development in 1995 and has worked for several organizations including Special Olympics Illinois and Special Olympics Northern California and Nevada. Henson has been a leader throughout his career, leading the Illinois Torch Run program to be in the top 5 fundraising programs in the world for 15 years in a row. He was also selected seven times as a support team member for the International Law Enforcement World Games Torch Run for Special Olympics. He was honored with his induction into the Richard LaMunyon International Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Hall of Fame in 2004.
Prior to joining Alpha Resource Center, Henson led the Arthritis Foundation Orange County/Inland Empire to the Top Walk to Cure Arthritis in country from 2018 – 2020. He directed the Top Jingle Bell Run in the country in 2018 and 2019, and the highest year over year growth in 2018.
Henson’s passion for helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities began at an early age when he volunteered for Special Olympics with his mom and brother. Helping children and adults with disabilities is a family passion; his daughter is a Special Education teacher in Illinois. When not at work, he enjoys bass fishing, golf, BBQing, cards, and traveling.
Chris is an audit partner with Damitz, Brooks, Nightingale, Turner & Morrisset with over 20 years of experience providing audit and advisory services. Chris moved to Santa Barbara in 2012 after spending the first 13 years of his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Los Angeles. He has experience with a broad range of industries with a focus on non-profit organizations and employee benefit plans.
Chris’ passion is non-profit organizations, serving as President for C.A.R.E.4Paws, Treasurer for the Santa Barbara Symphony, Vice President of the Santa Barbara Athletic Association and on the Claremont McKenna Athletic Advisory Board. In addition, he’s an active volunteer with Santa Barbara County Animal Services and the United Way of Santa Barbara County. He served as table captain for Alpha's annual Circle of Life Luncheon for several years before joining the board in 2018.
Felisa is a full-time single-parent caregiver and advocate for her 19-year-old daughter Lily. Felisa and Lily moved to Santa Barbara in November 2012 to be closer to family after they lost Lily’s father to a valiant 6-year battle with Melanoma August 23, 2010.
Felisa first connected with Alpha on a trip to Sacramento where she and Lily attended to present parent public testimony with the Tri-Counties Regional Center. After that trip Felisa met other parents and became interested in all that Alpha had to offer in terms of parent training and advocacy. Felisa has participated in many parent/advocate trainings including Family Voices of California Project Leadership Graduate Program, Alpha Certified Parent Mentor and Standards of Quality for Strengthening & Support Certification Training. Felisa and Lily travel to Sacramento annually for the Family Voices Health Summit where they take on new advocate training and share their story with legislators at the State Capitol. Lily also attends Katie’s Fund events whenever possible; she loves being able to see all of her friends there!
In July 2019 Felisa began serving on the newly formed Alpha Governance Committee and most recently as an Alpha Representative for the Board of The Arc of California.
Doug is a meteorologist and the former Director of the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District. Doug and his wife, Margaret, have lived in Goleta for 32 years and are the parents of two grown children.
Ryan has developmental disabilities and lives in his own 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Barbara with full-time support and attends Alpha. His older sister, Katie, lives in Santa Barbara with her husband, Aaron and their two children, Harry and Billy. Margaret taught first grade at Catholic schools for over 30 years and still keeps her hand in teaching while volunteering in the community.
Patty and her husband, Doug, have lived in Santa Barbara for 31 years. They are the parents of four grown children and two grandchildren. They met at Cal Poly, SLO where Patty received her BS in Accounting and Doug a BS in Ornamental Horticulture. She worked for a few years in the accounting field and then became a stay at home mom. She became active in her children’s schools through various positions held in the PTSA, MAGIC Campaign and the Royal Pride Foundation. She has volunteered alongside her daughters in National Charities League, and has served NCL through many board positions. Patty now works part-time in her husband’s wholesale nursery business, West Covina Nurseries.
Patty was introduced to Alpha Resource Center through an invitation to the Circle of Life luncheon by Carol Kallman. Alpha immediately became near and dear to her heart and that of her family’s. She has served as a table captain at the Circle of Life luncheon and is a member of the Development Committee. Her daughter, Dana, worked this past year at SlingShot.
Carol carries on a long family tradition of volunteer leadership and support of Alpha. Her parents Ruth and Bob Kallman (and even her grandfather) were active in the 1950s and 1960s and were instrumental in the acquisition of the site and building of Alpha Center on Cathedral Oaks Road. Inspired by her brother, Cliffy, Carol spent much of her childhood involved in Alpha activities.
Carol has served on many non-profit Boards and is currently the President of the S.B. Yacht Club Women and serves on the Community Relations Committee for the SB Zoo. She has served as the President of the Channel City Club, the Junior League of Santa Barbara and the SB Zoo Auxiliary.
Carol was Junior League Sustainer of the Year and was the Honorary Chair of the Zoofari Ball. In 2016 the Association of Professional Fundraisers presented her with the Award of “Volunteer of the Year for the County of Santa Barbara”.
Carol earned her BA from Cal Poly and manages the family rental and investment properties. She is married to Don Barthelmess, Professor Emeritus, Santa Barbara City College, and they have two grown children (Robby and DeeDee), a daughter-in-law (Nikki), and granddaughter (Hadley).
Carol “I have loved serving as President of Alpha Resource Center and am so proud of everything this amazing organization has done for to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect”.
Paul is a semi-retired engineer and entrepreneur. He enjoys helping non-profit organizations.
In 1983 he graduated with honors with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Paul then moved to Goleta to start work at Delco Systems Operations. In 1990 he completed his Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UCSB. In 1996, Paul left his position at Delco as a design engineer in advanced research and development to start his first company, Multiplex Engineering Inc. Other business efforts have come and gone, but Multiplex Engineering has always been successful and is still ongoing.
Paul is the father of Kevin who is diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. Through his involvement in raising and caring for Kevin, Paul has had the opportunity to know the amazing staff and great programs at Alpha.
Paul is an Airport Commissioner, and a member of the camp committee for Rancho Alegre Outdoor School. He also helps with Adaptive Athletics baseball, and the Hidden Wings School hiking group. He is a former leader of Boy Scout Troop 4 in Goleta where he has earned the unusual honor of receiving 11 Eagle Scout mentor pins. His hobbies include flying his airplane, gardening, cooking, beer making, and trapeze.
Paul is married to Terri Bowen who is the mother of Kevin, and Paul’s Cal Poly sweetheart. They reside in Goleta.
Craig retired in July 2010 as Business Manager of Marymount School, where he had been responsible for a ten-acre school facility, eight buildings, and $3.5 million annual budget.
Prior to Marymount, Craig served as Division Manager of Santa Barbara Transportation for three years, overseeing the Clean Air CNG commuter busing project, and contracting with local agencies to provide busing for developmentally disabled clients.
From 1973 to 1987, he was employed at Work Inc. where he worked with many Alpha clients, and became the Executive Director in 1982. In addition, he taught Macintosh computer classes throughout the late 1980’s until 1996, evenings and weekends, at Santa Barbara City College, Adult Education.
In addition to his professional positions, Craig has been involved with several non-profit organizations. He served many years on the board of the Hinchee Homes Foundation, a non-profit organization providing residential and custodial care services for twelve developmentally disabled residents. He was Board President for eight years, and retired recently. He also is a longtime member and treasurer of the Santa Barbara Employers Advisory Council, a non-profit group attached to the local EDD office. The EAC provides educational HR-related seminars for local businesses. He is also the treasurer for the Central Coast Vintage Machinery Association, a non-profit group that restores and displays antique machinery, engines, and tractors, from the early 1900’s.
Craig resides in Goleta with his wife Jacqueline Langley Ph.D. He moved to the area from Portland Oregon in 1972, after serving in the US Navy, Viet Nam era, and completing his BA from Portland State University. He obtained his MBA in 1988.
Nancy was born and raised in Oxnard, California. She enjoyed growing up close to the ocean with her family and friends. She graduated from Ventura Jr. College and began working immediately. She met her husband, Javier, and married in 1983. They began working together developing many family run businesses and now work in real estate development. They have five grown children, three daughters and two sons. After years of searching for the right place to raise their family, in 1998 they built their home in Santa Barbara. All but one still live in Santa Barbara.
They were introduced to Alpha many years ago as their daughter, Raquel, has special needs and they felt Alpha would be a tremendous blessing to their family for many years. That has definitely been the case. Through the years, she has worked with various philanthropies and organizations and is proud to be associated with Assistance League of SB; Young Life; Calvary Chapel SB and Alpha Resource Center for over 20 years.
She enjoys long beach walks; hiking mountain trails; swimming; gardening and spending time with her family. She is honored to have the ability to serve for it is a huge responsibility and will do so as God allows.
A native of Ventura, Derek attended Ventura High School where he played football and baseball. His love of baseball got him drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates in the 3rd round out of high school. After playing 5 years of Professional Baseball, Derek was taken out at 2nd base turning a double play. He decided to go back to school after his career ending injury, and was accepted into UC Berkeley on a football scholarship where he played for 3 years. While playing football, Derek was able to apply and get into the Haas School of Business where he earned a Degree in Business Management. It was during his last semester at Haas when he took on his first banking job, 18 years ago! Derek has held a number of positions and roles in the Banking Industry, but specializes in Consumer Lending, Business Lending, Commercial Lending & working with Non-Profit organizations. Derek is currently a VP and Branch Manager at Montecito Bank & Trust.
Derek currently serves on the Events Committee for the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara and is a former board member for the Boys & Girls Club of Port Hueneme. He is also a former United Way Ambassador for Ventura County.
Derek’s passion for Alpha Resource Center is centered around his niece, Eleanor, who was born with Bohring Opitz Syndrome (BOS), which is a very rare syndrome. Eleanor was one of the first kids ever diagnosed with BOS and her parents were told she wouldn’t live past 4 years old. She is currently 16 years old because of her strong and loving parents, plus places like Alpha Resource Center.
Lynn and her family have been active with Alpha since her daughter Blair was born with Down syndrome in 1994. Lynn has served on the Alpha Board for approximately 15 years (2001-2003 and 2007-2019) and is currently the chair of the Program Services Committee. Lynn is co-author of a booklet published by Alpha about Down syndrome titled “Looking Ahead” developed for new families. Lynn is participating in a newly formed housing task force established to work with community leaders to advocate for more housing opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. This task force includes members of the Program Services Committee and other interested parents in Santa Barbara.
An independent consultant with Rodriguez Consulting Inc., she specializes in water resource management. She is also a trained facilitator and has provided training and facilitation services to local agencies and organizations including Alpha. She has served the community in a variety of capacities, including a four-year term as an elected member of the Santa Barbara School District Board of Trustees, and as a member of the board of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation. She has been a Santa Barbara resident since graduating from UCSB in 1979. She lives with her husband, Steve, and their daughter, Blair. Their oldest daughter lives and works in the Bay Area.
Marc is a highly motivated artist who has lived in Santa Barbara for over 20 years. Marc is an inspiring advocate for SlingShot Art Studio and Gallery. He has served on the Board of ARC Santa Barbara for four years.
Marc’s work is frequently featured in the SlingShot Gallery. He has completed a number of commissions, including a recent series of historical figures for a local publishing house. He works predominantly in a graphic, illustrative style with bold line and color. His favorite subjects are bugs and mechanical devices; but he also enjoys creating fantasy and real-life landscapes. Marc is influenced by scenes and characters from sci-fi films, video games and Japanese anime.
Marc’s participation at Slingshot enables his dream of a career as a professional artist, providing him with a sense of community and a valued vocation. He is a shining example of Alpha’s mission statement in action.
Bob has been an active volunteer and supporter of Alpha since 2014 and previously volunteered two years with Special Olympics in Santa Maria. He is a Realtor® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, here in Santa Barbara. He is a member of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors Board of Directors and served as their Board President in 2022.
Bob played a significant role in the success of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors’ Golf Tournament fundraiser for Katie’s FUNd. As well, he invited Alpha participants to Keller Williams “Red” (Renew, Energize, Donate) day.
Dezi has lived in Santa Barbara since 2013 after relocating from New Mexico with her husband. Prior to moving to Santa Barbara, Dezi served as a child life volunteer at the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital where she enjoyed working with children with a variety of needs.
Dezi received her Education Specialist Credential and M.Ed. from UCSB in 2015. Dezi has worked as an elementary school special education teacher since August 2015, following in the footsteps of her mother who worked as a special education teacher in New Mexico for 30 years! Dezi is excited about the opportunity to support the Alpha community!
Evelynn was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming and convinced she would live there her whole life until she learned that her daughter, Michelle Oliner, was receiving an education that was not “proper or appropriate.” After searching all over the country, she learned about two facilities in Santa Barbara. Michelle spent two years at one before moving to the other for many years. It was gut wrenching to have to say good-bye to Michelle but Evelynn knew Michelle would finally have friends, and she was excited. After four years, Evelynn, along with her other daughter, Stephanie, and their dog, Muffin, moved to Santa Barbara. Stephanie, her husband, and her three children now live in Colorado.
Once in Santa Barbara, Evelynn had the opportunity to visit the day program at Alpha Resource Center. She observed how the participants were treated by everyone involved there and the happiness of the participants. This gave her a strong desire to have Michelle be a part of Alpha. When she learned that Michelle could become a participant of Alpha, she was full of joy. Looking back, Evelynn says, “It is hard to imagine the Michelle who started at Alpha is the same Michelle of the present. SlingShot [Alpha’s art studio] has become a very important part of her life where she has been recognized for her artistic ability. This has given her something to look forward to, and to be occupied. Her confidence, through SlingShot and Alpha, have enabled Michelle to mature in ways that I never thought possible.”
Evelynn has served on the Women’s Advisory Board of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Lobero Theater Associates, the board of CALM, and the Advisory Board of Devereux, California. She received her BA in Education from the University of Denver, and a master’s degree from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Counseling Therapy. She led a support group for participants at Alpha who had unresolved grief issues, due to the death or abandonment of loved ones and was part of a panel sponsored by the District Attorney’s office that trained county officials on how to work with children and individuals suspected of being sexually abused, focusing on victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). She started Angels Bearing Gifts, a non-profit, to remember those with I/DD that have no one to remember them on their special occasions.
Evelynn is currently a member of the Assistance League of Santa Barbara and volunteers at Hillside, a residential home for individuals with I/DD. She is an ongoing advocate for individuals with I/DD.
Camille Rutherford, MS, grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley where she enjoyed all the beauty the valley had to offer and the vast array of opportunities a young equestrian enthusiast could enjoy. After a few years away in Colorado to obtain her bachelor’s degree, Camille returned to the Santa Barbara area and has lived in Santa Barbara off and on for the past twelve years. She later obtained her Master of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership from the same university, CU Boulder.
Camille is currently an Operations Manager and business consultant for Nygren Consulting, LLC. The organization consultants with boards of directors on their governance, strategy, and leadership in all sectors—many in the nonprofit arena. Camille also has a background in luxury hospitality and real estate management, marketing, and operations. After twelve years in those industries, she segued her knowledge and experience of operations and management into the field of social impact investing and consulting. Working in that field piqued her interest and passion for helping others and she still volunteers her time to assist emerging businesses and organizations across the globe. She is currently on the Global Planning Committee for a volunteer-based COVID-19 relief and health crisis program.
Having a sister with a developmental disability, she has always volunteered her time whenever she can to organizations and programs that help the IDD community. Once she learned more about Alpha Resource Center, she knew it was the perfect organization for her to become actively involved with. As a new Board member and Chair of the Development Committee, Camille is honored and excited to help spread awareness and engagement with all Alpha Resource Center has to offer to the Santa Barbara community and beyond
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