2022 Goleta’s Finest award recipients announced
GOLETA, Calif.– Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce has announced the recipients of this year's Goleta's Finest awards honoring Goleta community members contributions.
Awards ranged from naming Goleta leader in tech Sachi Thompson as Woman of the Year to recognizing the founders of Goleta's Youth Makers Market Aaliyah and Bella Rubio as Students of the Year.
The award ceremony will be held on Dec.17 at Ritz-Carlton Bacara for friends and families to celebrate community contributions that have made a difference in the Goleta community.
Full list of honored community members can be found below.
Woman of the Year – Sachi Thompson
Sachi leads the global server, storage, and network hardware business as General Manager of Global Hardware at Curvature.
Man of the Year – Brian Borgatello
Brian is President of MarBorg Industries, a multi-generational family business on the South Coast since 1937, with nearly 500 employees.
Lifetime Achievement Recognition – Jean Blois
Jean Blois has spent a lifetime giving back to her community. Endless hours, expertise, advocacy, investment, volunteerism, philanthropy, and her big heart, have made Goleta a better place.
Educator of the Year – Dare Holdren
Dare Holdren, a San Marcos High School graduate and member of its Athletics Hall of Fame, has spent more than 20 years in different capacities within the Santa Barbara Unified School district.
Students of the Year – Aaliyah and Bella Rubio
Aaliyah and Bella’s contribution to the community through the Youth Makers Market provides Santa Barbara and Goleta communities with access to products made or repurposed by youth.
Volunteer of the Year – Jack Turney
Jack Turney is a member of the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital (GVCH) Foundation Board and has been involved with Cottage Health for 18 years serving over 5,111 hours of service as a volunteer.
Innovator of the Year - Santa Barbara County Co-Response Team
The Sheriff’s department partnered with the County Behavioral Sciences Unit to create what is called “co-response” so that when an emergency call is made for assistance from someone in the community, and there is evidence of a mental health crisis involved, a specially trained deputy and a mental health case worker respond together on the scene to address the situation.
Non-Profit Organization of the Year - Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network
For more than 30 years, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network has been saving and helping wild animals from all over Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Special Recognition Award – Goleta Lemon Festival Volunteer Committee
After a two-year hiatus, the Goleta Lemon Festival returned this September for its 29th year. The successful return of the festival would not have been possible without the return of the Lemon Festival Volunteer Committee.
