Photo by Jeffrey Sipress
Kerry Methner, President
President 2023-2024
Kerry Methner, Current President and Past President 2009 & 2010, serves as Editor & Publisher, VOICE Magazine / CASA Magazine
A community editor and publisher for the last 16 years, Kerry is committed to inclusivity, individual sovereignty, and diversity.
She is a lifelong student and holds a BA in Philosophy/Religion, a Masters of Divinity, and a PhD in Depth Psychology.
She loves the arts and creating sculpture from stone.
Lucrezia R. DeLeon, Treasurer
Lucrezia R. DeLeon is proud to serve on the board of directors for Santa Barbara Beautiful. She has demonstrated her passion for the community with wide ranging engagement from Advocacy for our unhoused population on SB Act’s Housing and Shelter Group; to the Women’s Political Committee; Democratic Women of Santa Barbara; SB Leadership under former Mayor Hal Conklin, and now Santa Barbara Beautiful.
Lucrezia is a Housing Advocate, an Entrepreneur, and Architectural Designer with a focus on finding solutions to the housing crisis in a sustainable manner that integrates dignity and wellness of the built environment.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Sustainable Built Environment from the University of Arizona. (Bear down!)
Lucrezia is also the mother of three beautiful and gifted boys who works to keep Santa Barbara Beautiful for generations to come.
Lucrezia lives by the motto, “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.”
Jacqueline Dyson, Secretary
Past President 2018
Jacqueline Dyson was born and raised in Santa Barbara, with a Bachelor of Arts in English from UC Santa Barbara.
Jacqueline has a background in social work; photography; business management; marketing and public relations.
She is a second-generation board member for Santa Barbara Beautiful, and enjoys volunteering with SBB to give back to her local community.
She is interested in archaeology; art; film; history; music; photography; science and travel.
Roman Baratiak
Roman Baratiak is Associate Director Emeritus from the UCSB Arts & Lectures Program where for forty years he curated and managed A&L’s extensive and eclectic public lectures program and cinema series. He currently serves on the Executive Team and Steering Committee of Human Rights Watch Santa Barbara, is Programs Chair with the Santa Barbara Audubon Society and is a Santa Barbara County Arts Commissioner. He enjoys cycling, reading and appreciating & protecting the beauty of Santa Barbara.
David Gress
Past President 1994, 1995 and 1996
David is a consulting arborist, certified arborist, and horticulturist.
He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture from Colorado State University.
He served as City Arborist of the City of Santa Barbara for 8 years.
He was a co-founder of San Marcos growers, a wholesale nursery, which he managed for 12 years.
David currently works as a consulting arborist for residential, commercial, and institutional clients.
He has served on the Santa Barbara Beautiful board of directors since 1975.
He writes and photographs the article series called Tree of the Month.Penny Haberman
Santa Barbara Beautiful Past President for 2019 and 2020, Penny is an experienced executive in marketing and sales management with strong ties to the art community.
She has earned a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Her work experience encompasses teaching, counseling, retail management at Saks Fifth Avenue and Sr Management level positions in the executive search industry.
On the Board of Governors for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Penny is on the Auction and Steering Committees for their annual fundraiser for the Diabetes & Wellness & Research Center. She serves on the LACMA Modern and Contemporary Art Council and their Costume Council and also serves on the SBMA Museum Collectors Council.
Currently, Penny divides her time between Santa Monica and Santa Barbara.
Francine Kirsch
Kate Kurlas
Prior to launching The Kurlas Group, Kate Kurlas spent over 12 years in executive management, leading the marketing, sales and operation teams for several non profits, including The Granada Theatre and Santa Barbara Symphony.
An award-winning director, Kate specializes in all aspects of marketing, sales, and business development. Recognized by Pacific Coast Business Times “40 Under 40 Top Business Professionals”, Kate enjoys working with clients to establish solid brand positioning and long-reaching revenue-generating marketing plans.
Recently Kate expanded her portfolio to include talent management in the entertainment industry and technology sectors.
Past President of Santa Barbara Beautiful, Kate continues to dedicate her free time to giving back to the Santa Barbara community through volunteer work and raising her 7-year-old daughter.
Patrick McGinnis
JoAnn Mermis
JoAnn moved from the Midwest to Santa Barbara 45 years ago. She has been practicing real estate in Santa Barbara for over 37 years and is currently with Berkshire Hathaway. She has a passion for keeping and making Santa Barbara Beautiful, as she considers all of Santa Barbara her workplace and playground.
JoAnn has served her community in a variety of ways some of which include President of the PTA of Montecito Union School, a docent at Lotusland, Rotary member, and various boards in the community. She is Past President of Santa Barbara Beautiful (2017).
She is a graduate of Kansas University with Bachelor of Science of Education a graduate of Santa Monica University with a Master of Psychology and is a certified Yoga instructor. JoAnn has been volunteering in high security prisons for 18 years teaching emotional intelligence to prisoners.
Her work experience includes, teacher, airline sales at Delta Airlines, manager & vice president of Fred Sands Realty, The Santa Barbara Association of Realtors awarded her the Good Neighbor award for her community service.
JoAnn has 2 daughters and 6 grandchildren. Her hobbies are travel, swimming, and Yoga.
Melinda Mettler
Caroline Rutledge
Caroline has been a resident of Santa Barbara since 1985. Retired now from her interior and garden design business, she also pursued a career in development, PR and marketing for artsrelated nonprofits in Dallas and Santa Barbara. She was a dancer for most of her life and taught ballroom dancing for 25 years.
Her education (which she hopes to continue forever) includes Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia, Southern Methodist University, Santa Barbara City College and Art and Dance courses at several other Dallas colleges.
She served on executive committees of several arts organizations in both Dallas and Santa Barbara and has served as Music Academy of the West Vice Chair of the Women’s Auxiliary since 2019, She is a former docent at Lotusland, and continues to volunteer in the gardens and serve on special events.
Caroline’s main interests, other than the amazing treasure trove of cultural activities in Santa Barbara, are the preservation of historic homes, gardens, and cultural landscapes. She also enjoys nature photography, travel, tennis and music.
Growing up in the South in and around historic homes, gardens, and landscapes hundreds of years old, she now works in her 1914 home & garden in the Mission district and enjoys being actively involved in organizations and activities that benefit and enhance our beautiful and unique community such as Santa Barbara Beautiful.
Jeffrey Sipress
Jeffrey has served on the board of directors since 2016, and previously served as a SBB volunteer. Jeffrey is also part of our Information Technology team for our internet systems, email, public relations and website.
He is also the official In-House SBB photographer chronicling the organization’s many activities and public events.
Living in a 135-year old home in a historic district, Jeffrey has a keen sense of the value of preservation of historic architecture, landscapes and cultural icons.
You might see Jeffrey around town installing all of the Commemorative Tree Plaques.
Leslee Sipress
Leslee is a Calligrapher, Graphic Designer, and also a working musician (Flute, Guitar and Vocals) and songwriter.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she grew up in the San Fernando Valley and has lived in Santa Barbara since 1971.
She is the Program Administrator for the Santa Barbara Beautiful Commemorative Tree Program; volunteer bookkeeper for the Santa Barbara Blues Society; member (and former Chair) of Santa Barbara Bungalow Haven Neighborhood Association; member of ASCAP, Society for Calligraphy (L.A. Chapter,) and Santa Barbara Event Professionals.
Her many honors include: her work on the Bicentennial Gazette by the Mayor of Santa Barbara; twice honored by the United States Postal Service; Washington Calligrapher’s Guild “Graceful Envelope” Contest award; and voted “Best Calligrapher 2016” by her peers at “Borrowed and Blue.”
She has been married 35 years and enjoys long runs, flower arranging and time with her friends.
Nathan Slack
Nathan was born and raised in a small rural town in Ohio, where he spent his youth helping his grandfather on a small cattle farm. He attended The Ohio State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Urban Forestry.
Nathan is now the City Arborist for the City of Santa Barbara. Before his appointment with the City of Santa Barbara, he worked for the City of Ventura for several years as their Arborist.
Nathan is a Board Certified Master Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture, as well as a Qualified Tree Risk Assessor.
His deep passion for trees and the benefits they provide to the community falls directly in line with the mission of Santa Barbara Beautiful. He is thrilled for the opportunity to have a seat as a board member and to play a part in the rich history of tree planting that Santa Barbara Beautiful has provided to the community.
Mark Whitehurst
Past President 2001, 2002 and 2003
Publisher & Editor, VOICE Magazine / CASA Magazine
A community publisher for the past 31 years and a lifelong social justice advocate, Mark is committed to the value of education and academia.
He holds a B.A. in Education, MA and PhD in Mythology, and a certification in mediation. He is also a lover of music, art, and the world as family.