SBCEO
By the Santa Barbara County Board of Education
The Santa Barbara County Board of Education has appointed Nadra Ehrman to fill the vacant seat left by the mid-term resignation of Dr. Peter MacDougall. Ehrman will represent Trustee Area 2, which covers most of Goleta and a portion of western Santa Barbara. She will hold office until the election in November 2024, which is the remainder of MacDougall’s term.
Ehrman brings a wide breadth of experience to the board, both as a leader and community volunteer. She serves as the Director of Sustainability at The Towbes Group in Santa Barbara, and has been with the company for 13 years. Before moving to Santa Barbara, she worked for San Diego Youth Services and St. Vincent de Paul, providing housing and support services to at-risk youth.
She currently serves as the Governance Chair on the Community Environmental Council and on the State Street Advisory Committee. She is a Katherine Harvey Fellows alumni, a former member of the Institute of Real Estate Management Central Coast Chapter 102, and a former Green Business Steering Committee member. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz and a Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship at USC. Her family has attended local public schools from elementary to high school.
Following her appointment at the Board’s regular meeting on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, Ehrman said she was thrilled to be selected, and ready for the work ahead. “The appointment to the County Board of Education is truly humbling. The importance of education was ingrained in me as a child. As an adult, I realize that true education involves awareness, compassion, and effective communication. I’m thrilled to be in a role where I can highlight the importance of those values and hopefully have a lasting, positive impact on our community’s youth.”
Board President Judy Frost said she was elated to welcome Ehrman to the board: “We welcome her and appreciate her willingness to devote her time and energy to the mission of the Santa Barbara County Education Office. We very much look forward to the experience, knowledge and perspectives she will bring to our conversations.”
County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido said Ehrman’s background in youth advocacy and sustainability best practices, and commitment to education and community volunteerism, make her well-suited for the role. “We congratulate and welcome Nadra Ehrman to the County Board of Education. We also extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Peter MacDougall for the leadership and experience he brought to our board for 16 years in service to students, educators, and families.”
Ehrman was selected by the board from a pool of eligible candidates after a multi-step application and interview process.
