Three New Trustees to Join the Santa Barbara Foundation Board

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CA – The Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) is pleased to welcome Dr. Richard Beswick, Raphael Gonzalez, and Lynn Scarlett to its Board of Trustees starting in January 2023. These new additions join the ranks of esteemed colleagues including Board Chair Stephen Hicks, Vice Chair Matt Rowe, Treasurer Danna McGrew, Secretary Ginger Salazar, Phil Alvarado, Randall Day, Pamela Gann, Angel Iscovich, Pamela Macal, Robert Nakasone, Ernesto Paredes, Michael Pfau, Susan Richards, James Rogers, Alexander Simas, Tracy Stouffer, and Zohar Ziv.

“Richard, Lynn, and Rafael are welcome additions to our Board of Trustees,” said Jackie Carrera, President & CEO of the Santa Barbara Foundation. “Their experience in healthcare, federal policy, and legal counseling, respectively, will only add to the rich pool of knowledge that supports the Foundation as we work to make a positive impact in the community.”

As we welcome these new additions, the Foundation would also like to thank outgoing Trustees Michael Young, Ph.D., and Niki Sandoval, Ph.D., for their nine years of dedication and service to the SBF Board.

About Dr. Richard Beswick

Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and growing up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Richard Beswick (Rich) earned a bachelor’s in Biology from Morehouse College, Atlanta, Ga., a Master’s degree in Cardiovascular Physiology from Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, MI., a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on Management from Crummer Business School in Orlando, Florida, a Ph. D in Molecular Renal Physiology from The University of Michigan School of Medicine and Post-doctoral training at Case Western Research University and the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Beswick currently serves as the Vice President for Research and Chief Research Officer for Cottage Health Research Institute and is an accomplished scientist with expertise in the areas of hypertension and kidney disease in minority populations.  Dr. Beswick moved to the central coast with his wife, Grace, in 2016. His career has spanned both academic and industry spheres.  Notably, he has been involved with the development of multiple research institutes within the U.S. and in Canada and previously served as the Senior Vice President and Associate Dean for Research at Baylor Scott & White Healthcare Texas A&M College of Medicine Health Sciences Center in Central Texas (TAMU).  

At TAMU, he was instrumental in the restructuring and development of all institutional basic and clinical science infrastructure research cores and charged with the development of Clinical and Translation Awards program and translational Participant and Clinical Interactions Resources initiatives across the seven academic campuses.  Internationally, Dr. Beswick has served as a consultant for the development of The Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada, where he was charged with the buildout of four new research core facilities encompassing translational core laboratories, a phase 1 clinic, BSL2 laboratories, animal facilities, and faculty offices.  Early in his career, Dr. Beswick also served as Medical Scientist Liaison and Global Medical Director for Johnson and Johnson OrthoBiotech and Roche Pharmaceutical and is responsible for multiple new nephrology and oncology drug approvals and indications globally.

Dr. Beswick has sat on and continues to be involved with multiple national and regional county boards. These include the White House initiative to increase minority involvement in clinical trials, the National Alliance to Improve Aging, Central Coast Alzheimer’s Association, REACH Central Coast Resiliency Roadmap Steering Committee, Sustainable Change Alliance of Santa Barbara, Freedom for Youth and the Central Coast Black Leaders Roundtable, where he currently serves as President. 

In his spare time, Dr. Beswick loves to fish around the Channel Islands, work in his yard and work on wood projects around the house.

About Raphael Gonzalez

Rafael Gonzalez is a Partner at Mullen & Henzell LLP. His practice is focused exclusively on representation of employers in employment and complex litigation matters. He advises and represents clients in wage and hour actions, administrative investigations, sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and collective bargaining.

Mr. Gonzalez serves as legal counsel for the Grower Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties representing growers, farm labor contractors, and shippers throughout California. Other major clients served include those in hospitality, education, financial services, food and beverage, and healthcare.

Rafael joined Mullen & Henzell after serving as an attorney and hearing officer with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board, Region 21, in Los Angeles. He takes pride in providing a preemptive approach to litigation by educating clients and offering practical, cost-effective solutions to legal problems.

Mr. Gonzalez serves as a Board Member of the Sanctuary Centers of Santa Barbara, Channel Islands/Ventura YMCA, and the Santa Barbara Human Resources Association. He is a frequent lecturer on employment law issues for a number of legal and human resources organizations. He is bilingual (English/Spanish).

About Lynn Scarlet

Lynn Scarlett retired in December 2021 from The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the largest conservation organization in the world, where she served as Global Chief External Affairs Officer. In this role, she influenced climate and conservation policy in the United States and the more than 70 countries and territories in which TNC operates, and advanced private-sector partnerships to support sustainability and enhance ambitious actions to address climate change. Prior to her role at the Conservancy, Lynn served at the U.S. Department of the Interior, which manages 500 million acres of U.S. public lands, from 2001-2009. She served as Deputy Secretary/Chief Operating Officer of Interior from 2005 – 2009 and in 2006, she served as Acting Secretary of the Interior.

Lynn received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science and political economy from UC Santa Barbara, where she also completed her Ph.D. coursework and exams. She serves on the advisory board of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Dean’s Advisory Council of the UC Santa Barbara Bren School of Environmental Science and Management. She currently serves on the boards of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, National Wildlife Refuge Association, Sand County Foundation, and Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative.

Lynn lives in Santa Barbara and is an avid birdwatcher.

About Santa Barbara Foundation

The Santa Barbara Foundation, the largest community foundation in the region and the non-profit sector’s go-to resource for investment and capacity-building, strives to ensure that all residents can thrive. Nearly every Santa Barbara County nonprofit organization and essential community project has been supported by the Foundation during its 94-year history.

The Foundation is working to improve areas that affect quality of life in Santa Barbara County, including support for basic needs, and addressing the concerns of the working family, including child care, workforce development, and workforce housing. The Foundation connects those who give with those in need – and all who dream of stronger communities. To learn more, please visit SBFoundation.org.