CEF Board

CEF Santa Barbara is prayerfully steered by a local board of men and women who display strong spiritual and professional traits and have a heart for children. The CEF board strives to support our local children in their knowledge and love for the Lord Jesus Christ through supporting Good News Clubs and Summer 5-Day Clubs. Board members work to offer financial and emotional support to insure that these activities continue so that His Word can be taught through fun, engaging activities. Some of the CEF board activities include fund-raising, building awareness for CEF programs, and cultivating collaborative relationships with others in the local faith community.

We currently have openings on our CEF Board. If you feel the Lord leading you to learn more about this opportunity, please contact any of our board members for details. Thank you, board members, for your service!

Meet the Board

Mary Hanson, Board Chair

Mary is excited to be serving on the Santa Barbara CEF Board of Directors.

Mary’s career has focused on interior design both in the commercial and residential sector. She has been blessed to have worked here in Santa Barbara as well as in Hawaii and Seattle. Her work as a designer awarded her with opportunities to work on multi-million dollar homes as well as more modest projects. Her favorite element of design is creating environments that function optimally, as well as reflect the style of her clients and their residence or project.

Mary’s current interests include hiking, water sports and pickle ball along with spending time with her 3 children and 4 grandchildren. She also is actively involved in her church, Calvary Chapel of Santa Barbara.

mary.hanson123@gmail.com

Justin Etherton, Board Vice Chair

Justin Etherton is the owner and founder of Etherton Real Estate Group. He loves helping his community both through his company and personally. Examples include sponsoring kids to go to summer camp, annual canned food drives, as well as volunteering at church and with the youth. Justin graduated from Westmont College in 2009 with a degree in Business Economics, played soccer and was captain of the soccer team. He helped lead his team to the first national tournament in a decade. Justin met his wife Erin while attending Westmont College, and has been married since 2010.

Justin began his career in Real Estate in 2011 and God has blessed his business by growing into a team. He wouldn’t be where he is today without the Lord, his wife and his family. Justin has 3 boys that are the joy of his life and he loves coaching their sports teams and spending time with his family. Recently, Justin has enjoyed both century road biking and mountain biking.

“My vision for CEF here in SB is to see it flourish and grow from where it is today. I believe the staff and past board members have done an amazing job getting CEF to be recognized in the community and it will be my goal to continue and expand on that legacy. I would like to see a revival in Santa Barbara County and that can start by bringing God back into schools through our children.”

justinetherton@ethertonrealestate.com

Louise Lindberg, Board Treasurer

Louise was born on a farm in Missouri and has lived in California for 40 years, 34 of those years in Santa Barbara. She accepted Jesus Christ when she was 13 years old. Louise retired from Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County after 19 years as Fiscal Director, but she continues to do books for a couple of organization and has been a member of Oaks Bible Church for 15 years. Louise is involved in small groups, works with the children, and does miscellaneous ministries through Oaks Bible Church. She loves music, sings in the choir, and rings handbells. In her spare time Louise loves to read, walk, Danish dance, ski and garden.

dllindberg67@gmail.com

Rob Schultz, Board Secretary

Rob is a Senior Wealth Advisor with Omega Financial Group, a local Financial Consulting and Wealth Management firm and a partner with Argos Global Advisors, a hedge fund based in Santa Barbara. Rob enjoys his work with pre and post retiree clients, foundations, and other non-profit entities. With Argos Global Advisors, he oversees investor relations and trading. Rob earned his Bachelor of Science degree from San Jose State University in 1994.

Rob has completed the education and examination process to earn the designations of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®). Additionally, he has earned the designation of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC®).

Rob and his wife, Dena, have resided in Santa Barbara since 1998. They stay active with their three boys and can be found enjoying time at the beach, running, playing tennis, hiking, and camping/backpacking.

rob.schultz@omegafingroup.com

Christopher Haskell

Christopher Haskell is a local attorney who has been practicing for 33 years in the area of complex business litigation. He is married to Pamela Dillman Haskell, and together they have five children. Mr. Haskell has served on the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, Santa Barbara Christian School (now Providence School), the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute, and Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara. Mr. Haskell is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Ethics & Enterprise, and was the founder of the Santa Barbara Christian Lawyers Association (SBCLA). SBCLA meets on a monthly basis for lunch, a Bible study and prayer. SBCLA members include active and retired attorneys, retired judges, and law school students. Mr. Haskell has attended Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara since 1991.

chaskell@ppplaw.com

Rod Walters

Rod Walters is a native of Santa Barbara and has been a volunteer with CEF for many years. He is blessed to be working with a dedicated team of volunteers and staff in bringing the good news of the Gospel and discipling children in the truth of God’s word.

atkusa@gmail.com

Greg Smiyun

Gregoriy Smiyun was born in Ukraine but was raised in Santa Barbara and considers it his home. Greg is tremendously thankful to his Sunday school teachers and parents for being tools in God’s hands to teach him and lead him to Christ.

In his mid-teens, Greg came to know Christ as his savior and in his early twenties, re-devoted his life to Him. It is a great joy to share God’s Word with children and teens. For over fifteen years, Greg has been teaching Sunday school classes to children at First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church of Santa Barbara.

The Lord has blessed Greg and his wife with two wonderful children who love attending Good News Clubs. It is Greg’s desire that not only his kids, but many others, would start their lives with a strong foundation of scripture and get to meet Jesus as their savior through the CEF ministry.

grisha98@hotmail.com

Peggy Wilson

Peggy was born and raised in Southern California. She is a mother of 3 now grown children (2 sons & 1 daughter) and has three grandchildren.

Peggy enjoys spending time with her husband, visiting their kids and grandkids, gardening, reading about the American Founding & history, reading the Bible, and walking her faithful dog. Keeping life simple and close to God is a priority.

Peggy is passionate about CEF and its mission. She was a “classroom teacher of CEF” for a time and saw the impact and importance of sharing Jesus with little ones. Peggy is delighted to be a board member and share the vision of CEF.

peggy.j.wilson@gmail.com

Ana Perez

Ana was born and raised in Honduras, and came to the U.S. when she was 18 years old. She has four adult kids (two of them are twins!) and one young granddaughter. Ana and her daughters run a Christian daycare called “Little Blessings,” which gives them a great opportunity to share the love of Christ every day.

Ana likes to swim, but her favorite activity is creating lesson plans for the children in her daycare, for her church Bible study children’s program, and in Good News Club.

A Lompoc resident, Ana runs two Good News Clubs – one at La Honda School and one at her home. “There are no words that can express the feeling I have while serving not only in the church, but also in the school system. There is a great need for God in the children’s little hearts. I’m looking forward to seeing what else I can contribute to CEF.”

7277perez@gmail.com