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(SANTA BARBARA, CA) – The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) hosted the 62nd Annual Meeting on January 25, 2025, in the Chapel at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park. SBTHP members voted to elect new members Cassandra Ensberg, Akil Hill, Jen Lemberger, John Majewski, Nicole Wasserman, and Brent Wilson to the board for a three-year term.
Following the election, SBTHP presented annual community awards and certificates of appreciation. Robert Hoover received the Pearl Chase Historic Preservation and Conservation Award for his over 25 years of service to the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, serving 17 years on the Board as well as an assortment of volunteer committees of the Trust; DJ Javier received the George and Vivian Obern Preservation Stewardship Award for the Year of the Dragon Mural and work to preserve public art throughout Santa Barbara; James Krautmann received the President’s Award for his extraordinary contributions to SBTHP in the prior year; Leslie Zomalt received the Life Honorary Director Award for her significant contributions to the organization’s mission through countless hours of volunteer service and offering her expertise as a historian, community leader and educator; William Mahan and Fred Sweeney were chosen as Life Honorary Members for their sustained efforts supporting SBTHP’s numerous public programs and historic preservation and conservation.
Certificates of appreciation were awarded to Shannon Toribio for his contributions to the creation and opening of SBTHP’s newest exhibit Manongs on the Central Coast: Forming Communities Across Generations; and Jace Turner for his partnership and collaboration with SBTHP’s Director of the Presidio Research Center, Dez Alaniz, to create “Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon: Local History Edition,” centered around local history in and around El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park and the Presidio Neighborhood. SBTHP concluded the meeting by presenting the Dedication of the Terease Chin Education Fund, in honor of Terease Chin and her dedicated service to SBTHP and her numerous contributions to the organization’s education programs.
2025 AWARDEES
ROBERT HOOVER
Pearl Chase Historic Preservation and Conservation Award
DJ JAVIER
George and Vivian Obern Preservation Stewardship Award
JAMES KRATUMANN
President’s Award
LESLIE ZOMALT
Life Honorary Director
WILLIAM MAHAN
Life Honorary Member
FRED SWEENEY
Life Honorary Member
SHANNON TORIBIO
Certificate of Appreciation
JACE TURNER
Certificate of Appreciation
For a full list of award winners, please visit sbthp.org/award-winners >>
BOARD MEMBERS ELECTED
CASSANDRA ENSBERG
Cassandra Ensberg “Cass” has been a member of the Santa Barbara Community for over 35 years. She is trained as a visual artist and has always had a special focus and appreciation of the power that history and art play in architecture. She became a licensed architect in 1996 and formed Ensberg Jacobs Design with her partner, architect Tom Jacobs. She is an active community volunteer working to promote respect and appreciation of our natural history and environment and how equity, diversity, inclusion, and education are necessary to realize positive change. She is a strong advocate for the arts in general and especially in architecture. She promotes design excellence, the art of the building trades, historic preservation, sustainability through adaptive reuse, conservation, restoration, and design of small functional spaces, vitality through local arts and local businesses, and housing for all. She serves on the board of the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara and created (and continues to serve) the Kids Draw Architecture Program. She has served on the City Arts Advisory, and currently serves as a commissioner on the Historic Landmarks Commission. She is a Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation member serving on the Historic Resources Committee and has been a professional member of the American Institute of Architects.
AKIL HILL
Akil’s roots in Santa Barbara run deep. A member of the Gilbert family (one of the early Black families to migrate to Santa Barbara from the South), his experiences as the son of an Air Force veteran and former Black Panther shaped his understanding of race and place from an early age. Following in his mother’s footsteps, Akil became involved in antiracism work as a high schooler in the 1990’s. He served as the president of the Black Student Union at Santa Barbara High School and worked closely with his mentor and community activist, Babatunde Folayemi to support youth of color in Santa Barbara. Akil has worked at Santa Barbara City College for the last 20 years and has continued to do community work with an emphasis on supporting youth and families. He served on the SBUSD Combatting Anti-Blackness Task Force, was the co-founder of the Black Faculty and Staff Association at Santa Barbara City College, and was the driving force behind the inaugural Santa Barbara County Black Graduation Celebration in 2023. Akil is a mentor to many and a friend to all who cross his path. He is also the proud father of three multiracial children and spends much of his free time conspiring with his wife as a consultant, speaker, and advocate.
JEN LEMBERGER
Jen Lemberger, MLIS, MPH is a long time Santa Barbara resident who believes history is not just past, but is a living, breathing entity that should be part of our culture, education, and understanding. Jen’s studies in public health and library science focused on community interactions and adult engagement. While at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Jen studied social epidemiology and how our built environment, social structures, and community interactions influence individual health. At University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee’s School of Information Studies, Jen studied the history of public libraries and community engagement practices. Throughout her life Jen has worked for nonprofits, educational institutions, and government entities, including the Santa Barbara Public Library, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Direct Relief, and the California State Library. Currently, Jen is co-owner of Chaucer’s Books.
JOHN MAJEWSKI
John Majewski is professor emeritus in the history department at UC Santa Barbara, where he teaches courses on slavery, abolitionism, and the U.S. Civil War. Majewski has a BA from the University of Texas, Austin, a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and a PhD from University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of A House Dividing: Economic Development in Pennsylvania and Virginia Before the Civil War (Cambridge University Press, 2000) and Modernizing a Slave Economy: The Economic Imagination of the Confederate Nation (UNC Press, 2009) as well as numerous articles, essays, and reviews. A winner of a distinguished teaching award, he also served as Dean of the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts at UC Santa Barbara from 2014-2020.
NICOLE WASSERMAN
I’m honored to serve the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation board. As someone born and raised in Santa Ynez, where I grew up in my family’s restaurant, my passion for local food and wine has always been at the forefront of my life. Since age 21, I’ve dedicated myself to the wine industry. Now, alongside my husband, Zac, we own and operate Frequency Wines in the iconic Presidio neighborhood. I also serve as the Direct-to-Consumer Director for Au Bon Climat Winery, a role I’ve proudly held since 2016. As a mother to my spirited 17-month-old daughter Roswell, I am deeply committed to fostering connections within this vibrant community, and I look forward to contributing to its preservation and growth!
BRENT WILSON
Born and raised on the Central Coast of California, Brent Wilson has local roots that run deep. Growing up in Lompoc and working for his family’s local carpet shop allowed him to see the power and impact that small businesses can have in the community. Now, as General Manager of Longoria Wines (another small, family-owned business), he looks to display leadership, both in the wine industry and the surrounding community. He embraces the challenge of an ever-changing business landscape and realizes the importance of working with the community surrounding his workplace. He is delighted to serve on the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation board and looks forward to building relationships with others who want to make an impact on the wonderful city of Santa Barbara.
BOARD MEMBERS RE-ELECTED TO A NEW THREE-YEAR TERM
John Doordan
Nina Johnson
James Krautmann
THE BOARD ELECTED THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM
Michael Neal Arnold, President
Cody A. Makela, First Vice President
Kyle Slattery, Second Vice President
James Krautmann, Secretary
Shelley Bookspan, Treasurer
To view the entire Board of Directors, please visit sbthp.org/staff >>
ABOUT THE PEARL CHASE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION AWARD
Each year the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation seeks to present the Pearl Chase Historic Preservation and Conservation Award to a deserving community member or organization dedicated to the values that Dr. Chase stood for in the fields of historic preservation and conservation. This annual lifetime achievement award serves as a tribute to the life and work of Pearl Chase, the famous leader of community activism and preservation in Santa Barbara, and to the work that continues today as a result of the inspiration she provided.
ABOUT THE GEORGE AND VIVIAN OBERN PRESERVATION STEWARDSHIP AWARD
The George and Vivian Obern Preservation Stewardship Award recognizes individuals or organizations that demonstrate outstanding preservation work in connection with a specific project in and around Santa Barbara County. This prestigious award was named in honor of George and Vivian Obern in 2006 for their lifelong preservation work, including their successful efforts to save the Thomas Hope House (built 1875, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978), condemned by the county of Santa Barbara but saved by the Oberns.
ABOUT THE SUE HIGMAN VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award is given to an individual or individuals who have made outstanding contributions of their time to SBTHP over the course of a year. Established in 2010, the award is named in honor of longtime SBTHP supporter and friend, Sue Higman.
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Created in 2019, this award recognizes the value of partnership as adopted by SBTHP in 2018. The Partnership Award celebrates individuals or organizations who have participated in collaborative efforts that support SBTHP’s mission and made a significant impact toward that end.
ABOUT LIFE HONORARY MEMBERS
Life Honorary Members are selected by the Board of Directors in honor of their distinguished service to SBTHP.
ABOUT CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION
Certificates of Appreciation are awarded in recognition for a variety of acts of service towards the mission of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation.
ABOUT THE SANTA BARBARA TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Founded in 1963 by Dr. Pearl Chase, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) stewards the past and present of the Presidio Neighborhood and inspires preservation advocacy throughout the County in order to create a more vibrant community. SBTHP operates El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, Santa Barbara’s 18th century birthplace, under an agreement with California State Parks. In addition to portions of the Spanish fort, El Presidio SHP includes the Alhecama Theatre (1925) and the campus of the Santa Barbara School of the Arts, and Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens (1947) the last visible connection to Santa Barbara’s Chinatown. The organization also operates Casa de la Guerra, the 1820’s adobe home of Presidio Comandante José de la Guerra, and the Santa Inés Mission Mills near Solvang, CA. SBTHP produces dozens of community and school programs throughout the year to provide access to these special historic places. SBTHP is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; learn more at sbthp.org.
