Who We Are » Leadership
Secretary
Treasurer
Paloma Arnold is the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Affairs at Santa Barbara City College, bringing nearly 25 years of experience in higher education. With a deep commitment to students and community, Paloma champions the mission of California Community Colleges, focusing on equity and access. A third-generation Santa Barbaran and alumna of Santa Barbara High School, Paloma has served on several local boards, including Riviera Ridge School and the Channel Islands YMCA Youth and Family Services. Currently, she is involved with the CalSOAP Governing Board and the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College.
A longtime Santa Barbara resident with deep roots in the community, Pat Caird brings a passion for local history, philanthropy, and community engagement. After a career in her family's wholesale nursery business, Pat has dedicated herself to preserving her family's local legacy and supporting numerous nonprofit organizations throughout Santa Barbara.
Anne Howard is a retired Episcopal priest who served at Trinity Episcopal and All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Churches in Santa Barbara, as well as Executive Director of The Beatitudes Society. A passionate Library advocate, Anne was our 2024 Library Champion and previously served as Foundation Board President 2017-2023 during the Library Plaza Campaign. Her lifelong love of libraries began in the Children’s Room of a Carnegie Library in Red Wing, Minnesota. After a two-year break, we are honored to have her leadership and vision back on the board.
Belma Michael Johnson has served as a creative executive in a variety of fields in the entertainment industry. He has worked in positions in front of the camera and behind, in music marketing and talent development, including as a music-magazine writer and editor; television host and producer; show creator and production-staff member; content provider; and website creator. As his journey took him from print journalism to TV journalism; news to entertainment; and from the music business to the education field, one thing has remained constant — Johnson is a storyteller.
Brooke McDermott is an attorney at the local firm of Mullen & Henzell, L.L.P. where she specializes in complex estate and trust planning, estate and trust administration matters and estate and gift tax controversy matters. She currently serves on the board of The Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation as treasurer, serves on the board of the Santa Barbara Estate Planning Council and is a member of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association. Being a mom, she recognizes the importance of reading in her child's life and the ability of the library to foster a love of reading in her child.
David McFadden was born and raised in Santa Barbara. After graduating from UCSB, he moved to Washington, DC to attend medical school at George Washington University. David returned to Santa Barbara to continue work with the same DC-based radiology practice he joined in 2003, now focused on critical care via telemedicine. He first supported the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation by becoming a member of the Major Gifts Committee and helped with fundraising for the Library Plaza Campaign..
Peter Ginsberg is President of Curtis Brown, following sales and subsidiary rights positions at Doubleday and St. Martin’s Press. He developed the agents’ publishing course at the New York University Center for Book Publishing and has taught at the Stanford Publishing Course and the Stanford Communications Workshops. Peter has served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Authors’ Representatives and the board of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.
Raissa Smorol brings over 25 years of fundraising and donor relations experience to her role as Senior Director, Leadership Giving at the Center for Reproductive Rights. She oversees the teams that secure major and planned gifts, and that produce fundraising events. Prior to joining the Center, she served as Chief Development Officer at the Santa Barbara City College Foundation. She has also led development teams at Direct Relief, and the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.
Anna Alldredge is the Head of Upper School at Laguna Blanca School. Born and raised in Florida, Anna grew up cherishing her weekly visits to the local library. She earned her B.A. and M.A. at Stanford while captaining the NCAA volleyball team, and completed her doctorate at Vanderbilt. Anna’s career in educational leadership has included public, private, international, and boarding schools, and her throughline has always been a passion for literacy. Anna also serves on the Stanford Alumni Board, the Vanderbilt Advisory Council, the WeTeach Women’s Fund Committee, and as a CASA Advocacy Services Sponsor. Anna treasures combing our Library’s stacks with her children, and believes that libraries are the heartbeats of a community.
Ally Meier, CFP®, CDFA®, CPFA, is a Financial Advisor with Arlington Financial Advisors who specializes in financial planning, retirement strategies, tax planning, and wealth management. A committed community volunteer and former Junior League of Santa Barbara board member, Ally is passionate about helping individuals and families thrive while making a positive impact in the community.
