(SANTA BARBARA, CA) — The Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) welcomes two new trustees to its board effective January 1, 2025.
Santa Barbara Foundation’s incoming board members are Accufy Analytics co-founder Jim Selbert and former Santa Maria City Manager, Jason Stilwell.
The new trustees join incoming board chair Matt Rowe, vice chair Angel Iscovich, MD, treasurer Danna McGrew and secretary Michael Pfau, serving alongside trustees Dr. Richard Beswick, Rafael Gonzalez, Pamela Macal, Robert Nakasone, Kiah Jordan, Lois Mitchell, Alexandra Allen, George Adam, Ernesto Paredes, Lynn Scarlett, Alexander Simas, Tracy Stouffer and Zohar Ziv.
“We are excited to welcome Jim Selbert and Jason Stilwell to our board,” explained SBF president and CEO Jackie Carrera.
“Jason has deep knowledge of Santa Maria having served as a longtime city manager, and we are eager to leverage his visionary approach to improving life in the Santa Maria Valley. Jim’s business acumen, combined with his passion for regenerative agriculture, will bring valuable insight to our sustainability initiatives. In addition, his nearly two decades of experience with Direct Relief will strengthen our efforts in disaster response and community health. Together, their expertise, leadership, and commitment to their community will further develop the Foundation’s impact and make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve.”
Santa Barbara Foundation thanks outgoing trustees Steve Hicks, Phil Alvarado, Pam Gann and Susan Richards for their years of service to the community as members of the Foundation’s board.
About Jim Selbert
Jim Selbert holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Science in Finance from the MIT Sloan School of Management. After receiving his Master’s, Jim moved to California and worked as a financial analyst at Ford Motor Company and Litton Industries until 1971 when he co-founded Accufy Analytics LLC, based in Santa Barbara, California. Since its founding in 1971, Accufy’s software has facilitated financing over $1 trillion in assets, providing innovative tools and expertise to develop optimal financial solutions. In addition to his work at Accufy, Jim owns and manages along with his wife, Patricia, and son, Stefan, Las Cumbres Ranch, a thousand-acre cattle ranch in Los Alamos, California. The ranch employs holistic practices to enhance soil fertility, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. An active community member, Jim previously served on the board of Direct Relief for 19 years, contributing to its mission to improve health and provide essential medical resources to underserved populations around the world. Along with joining the Santa Barbara Foundation’s board, Jim is also taking on a new role as a board member of The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County in January 2025. Jim has lived in Santa Barbara County since 1979 and in his free time, he enjoys hiking the county’s trails with his Great Danes Leo and Lilly.
About Jason Stilwell
Jason Stilwell is an accomplished public servant and visionary leader with over 30 years of experience in city and county management. Renowned for his innovative thinking and results-driven approach, he has consistently elevated organizational performance while aligning operations with community objectives. Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, a Master of Public Administration from San Jose State University, and a Doctorate in Public Affairs from the University of Colorado. Over the course of his career, he has served in various leadership roles, including City Manager of Santa Maria, City Administrator for Carmel-by-the-Sea and Assistant County Executive Officer for Santa Barbara County. With expertise in strategic planning, fiscal management, and organizational transformation, Jason has successfully managed multimillion-dollar budgets, supervised diverse teams, and navigated complex policy challenges to deliver impactful solutions. Whether leading economic development projects, enhancing public safety, or improving city infrastructure, he brings a forward-thinking perspective to governance. His career reflects a dedication to fostering collaboration, streamlining operations and implementing initiatives that address critical community needs. Jason resides in Santa Maria. In his free time, he enjoys volunteering, teaching, and spending time with his family.
About Santa Barbara Foundation
The Santa Barbara Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life throughout Santa Barbara County for all who live, work, play and visit here. Working in partnership with individuals, community organizations, nonprofits, business, education and government, the Foundation strives to address our local communities’ most challenging needs. Recognizing that its work depends on the strength of the social sector, the Foundation is committed to the health and vitality of local nonprofits. Nearly every Santa Barbara County nonprofit organization and essential community project has been supported by the Foundation during its 95-year history. The Foundation connects philanthropists, subject matter experts, and our community members facing challenges – all who dream of stronger communities in Santa Barbara County. To learn more, please visit SBFoundation.org.
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