Ron Lafrican Elected President
Ron Lafrican joined Cottage Health System (CHS) in 2001 and is the Director of Benefits and Compensation. He has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, starting his career at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla. In his current capacity, Ron has strategic and operational oversight for all facets of CHS’s total rewards programs which include employee compensation, benefits and recognition programs. The focus is to ensure that programs are market competitive in order to attract and retain top talent for CHS. Ron also oversees the administration of the Bella Riviera workforce housing development. Ten years in the making, the Bella Riviera workforce housing development stands as an example of CHS’s commitment to providing workforce housing options for employees. Bella Riviera which was built on the site of the former St. Francis Hospital property provides affordable housing to 81 employees of CHS – a truly unique opportunity in the Santa Barbara community.
Other Coastal Housing Partnership Board members include Karen Chackel, First American Title; Clarice Clarke, Lee & Associates; Teri Gauthier, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust; Renee Grubb, Village Properties; Chuck Haines, UCSB; Austin Lampson, Medallion Mortgage; Gavin Moores, Capital Pacific Development: Joshua Rabinowitz, Fell, Marking, Abkin, Montgomery, Granet & Raney; Dan Singer, City of Goleta; Beth Sparkes, The Towbes Group; and Elizabeth Winterhalter, Bank of the West.
Coastal Housing Partnership Board President Ron Lafrican looks forward to working with this dynamic group of Board members. “I am proud to be a part of the Coastal Housing Partnership legacy that has helped our members attract and retain valued employees for the past quarter century. Countless member employees have benefited from this valuable service and now realize the dream of home ownership. Housing continues to be a challenge for our workforce. Along with our talented Board and network service partners, I am determined to continue to develop creative ways to support our mission of providing benefits that help mitigate the high cost of housing on the Central Coast”.
Corby Gage, Coastal Housing Partnership Executive Director, said “We are fortunate to have Ron leading the Coastal Housing Partnership Board. He brings a unique and valuable perspective to this position. His human resources & benefits background will be a major asset to nonprofit Coastal Housing Partnership in working with the changing needs of our member employers”.
Coastal Housing Partnership is a nonprofit organization formed by a group of South Coast employers looking for real solutions to making homeownership achievable for their employees. Through education and program benefits, Coastal Housing Partnership has addressed common obstacles to home buying and, in doing so, has helped more than 10,000 local employees becomes homeowners since 1987. Membership in the Partnership is open to any employer in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Learn more at coastalhousing.org.