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Carolyn Jabs

Position
Board Vice Chair
Year Joined
2013
Biography

Carolyn has been a member of the Women’s Fund since 2013 and joined the Research Committee in 2016. She has worked as an editor and writer, with an emphasis on family issues. Her articles and essays have appeared in publications ranging from Self and Working Mother to Newsweek and the New York Times. She writes the award-winning column Growing Up Online and recently published a book entitled Cooperative Wisdom: Bringing People Together When Things Fall Apart. Carolyn received her BA from Wittenberg University and her M.A. from the Applied Ethics Program at Bowling Green State University. She and her husband raised their three children in Ohio where she served as president of the local school foundation and started a support group for families with children who are deaf. In Santa Barbara, she is the Chair of the local chapter of the Association for Women in Communications and practices Tai Chi whenever she can.

Cece Harris

Position
Co-Chair Educational Events
Year Joined
2021
Biography

Cece Harris is a retired Corporate Executive from Abbott in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to that, she taught at the U Kentucky Med School, was a Clinical Lab Director, and chaired a Microbiology Dept. in an Iranian Med School. She has a PhD in Microbiology (U Oklahoma) and did post-doc studies at the Harvard School of Public Health. Cece is a past Board Chair for the American Society for Quality and the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society. In 2018, she published a memoir of her experiences in Iran entitled “Khanoum Doctor”. She and her husband bought a home in Santa Barbara in 2009. Recently widowed in 2019, she decided to make Santa Barbara her home and enjoys all it offers. She is Recording Secretary of the local DAR Chapter and serves on the Library Board of Santa Barbara. She joined the Women’s Fund in 2021 because it is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with other women and serve our community.

Jamie Dufek

Position
Board Chair
2023-25
Year Joined
2017
Biography

Jamie has been a member of the Women's Fund since 2017. A native Minnesotan, she earned a BA in Studio Art from Gustavus Adolphus and holds a MBA with a specific focus in nonprofit management and corporate social responsibility. Jamie previously worked at The Hudson Institute of Coaching, where she partnered with companies to establish learning and development initiatives tied to executive coaching. She currently is the Director of Field Operations at TIGER 21, the premier peer membership organization for high-net-worth wealth creators and preservers that helps them to navigate the challenges and opportunities that success creates. She continues to cultivate her passion for service and community, serving as President of the board of directors at The Arts Fund, board member of A Different Point of View, and owns her own business that supports nonprofits in development and strategic planning. Jamie is also a mixed media and print artist in Santa Barbara and volunteers teaching art classes on the WestSide with students K-12. She's honored to be part of such a strong group of women and chair the Communications Committee for the Women's Fund.

Kathy Dunlap

Position
Finance Chair
2021-22
Year Joined
2015
Biography

Kathy has been a member of the Women’s Fund since 2015, joining the Finance Committee in 2019. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University and a master’s degree from Stanford. Kathy began her career as a CPA with Ernst & Young, specializing in corporate tax and financial accounting for income taxes. She became a partner in the San Jose office in 1989. She has also managed her own corporate financial and tax consulting practice. Kathy has been active in volunteer work for over 20 years; she has served on the boards of the Catholic Foundation of Santa Clara County, Summit League, San Jose Repertory Theatre and Archbishop Mitty High School. She and her husband split their time between Santa Barbara and Saratoga.

Kathy Hollis

Position
Volunteer Engagement Committee Chair
2022-23
Year Joined
2018
Biography

Kathy has been a member of the Women's Fund since 2018. She is Chair of the Volunteer Engagement Committee and a member of the Events Committee and the Operations Management Team. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education, M.S. in Elementary Education, and an M.A. in Educational Leadership. She has taught elementary through high school, and has served as a District Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, California State Board of Education Academic Trustee, and Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for the Santa Barbara County Education Office. She retired in 2019 after a rewarding 35-year career in public education. She and her husband, Whitt, have lived in Santa Barbara since 2009 and have two amazing children, Meghan (Washington DC) and Trey (NYC). She is thoroughly enjoying travel, hobbies, fitness, play and volunteering with the Women’s Fund in retirement.

Kathy Williams

Year Joined
2022
Biography

Kathy became a member of the Women's Fund in 2022 and recently joined the Finance Committee. She holds a bachelor's degree from UC Santa Barbara and a master's degree from UC Berkley. She grew up in North Carolina and has lived in Santa Barbara since 1963. She worked briefly for the IRS before starting her career as a CPA in 1976 with Deloitte Touche. She started her own tax practice in 1988 and recently is semi -retired and is looking forward to spending more time with family and volunteering in the many non-profits in Santa Barbara.

Laurie Tumbler

Position
Information Technology Chair
2022-23
Year Joined
2008
Biography

Laurie has been a member of the Women's Fund since 2008. She has previously served as Research Committee Co-Chair, Grantee Liaison, and Steering Committee chair. From 2018 to 2020, she was Board Chair of the newly incorporated Women’s Fund. Currently, she chairs the Information Technology committee and continues to serve on the Board of Directors. After earning a B.A. from University of Illinois, Laurie pursued a career in financial services and in 1982 she founded her own financial research company. She was a member of several nonprofit boards across the country focused on the welfare of families and children. Since moving to Santa Barbara in 2000, she has chaired the Newcomers Club community service committee, led the United Way's "Lunch Bunch" program, and served as a board member and interim Executive Director of the Nonprofit Support Center. She has also served on the Ensemble Theatre, Social Venture Partners and Transition House boards.

Lynn Karlson

Year Joined
2018
Biography

Lynn rejoined the Women’s Fund in 2018, participating with both the Membership Committee and a Special Projects workgroup. She grew up in Colorado and has a Master’s Degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics from Colorado State University. Before moving to Santa Barbara in 1989, she worked in both the Research and Public Affairs Departments of the Kansas City Federal Reserve. She has served in various nonprofit leadership roles in Santa Barbara, including as Board Chair for the Channel Islands YMCA, the Nonprofit Support Center, and The Arts Fund. She was the Vice President for Family Education Services at Independent Means Inc. before taking on the role of Executive Director for the Youth and Family Services YMCA from 2008-2016.

Mary Luthy

Position
Communications Co-Chair
2023-24
Year Joined
2019
Biography

Mary joined the Women's Fund in early 2019. She grew up in an Air Force family, moving frequently until settling in central Illinois. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Champagne Urbana, Mary has a BFA in Painting. During her 40-year career in communications, Mary worked in a variety of industries, including small ad agencies, not-for-profit homes for the aging, not-for-profit publishing, engineering services, as well as Southern California Edison and Beckman Coulter, a subsidiary of Danaher. She was also active in the International Association of Business Communicators, serving on local, regional and global boards. Mary and husband Curt moved to Santa Barbara in 2018 when they retired. Since then, she has also served as VP Communications for the local chapter of Newcomers.

Renee Courington

Position
Membership Co-Chair
2023-24
Year Joined
2022
Biography

Renee joined the Women’s Fund as an Individual member in 2022 after relocating from the Bay Area. Renee’s professional background includes positions with several technology start-ups and founding an IT services company. She has been an active angel investor focusing on health-tech, technology and small business opportunities. Renee’s philanthropy efforts involved youth, homeless families and education including leadership positions with the Woodside High School Foundation, Girl Scouts of Northern California Giving Circle, LifeMoves, National Charity League and FIRST/Vex Robotics. Renee has a BS in Economics from The University of Alabama.

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