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TEAM
Meet our close-knit team, the ONTRAPEEPS who run the show.
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andrew
Andrew
Tech Support-Super Hero
A true coming of age tale, the story of Andrew's journey to ONTRAPORT would make for a gripping, best-selling novel. Andrew was born and raised in the great state of Mississippi, joined the military right out of high school, and served on active duty with Operation Iraqi Freedom for 15 months. If you were to ask him about these "good ol' days", Andrew would tell you without hesitation that it was the greatest experience of his life, where "I learned so much about myself as well as others." Upon returning home, Andrew led a quiet life in the city of Jackson, working several different jobs until being called to duty a second time, serving in Iraq once again from 2007 to 2008. After working as a bartender for 3 years following his most recent tour, Andrew made a decision to start building a solid foundation for his future. As it turns out, Andrew was a long-time friend of our very own Mike Bernsen (a superstar in his own right.) After a year of convincing phone conversations and the resulting envy of Mike's sweet job, Andrew grabbed a hold of the brass ring and landed here at ONTRAPORT. How will you know you're speaking with Andrew? He's a super-friendly guy and one of the only two guys to use the word "y'all" on a frequent basis. That - and hopefully he'll tell you his name when he answers the phone.
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aylin
Aylin
Content Lead
This Ventura native came to Santa Barbara, and ONTRAPORT, by way of her beloved Bay Area, where she spent most (well... all) of her adult life. Aylin received a B.A. in English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from St. Mary's College of California. She also wrote about food and culture for the San Francisco Bay Guardian, spent a year as a blog manager at a startup (perfect training for ONTRAPORT's startup feel), and wrote for various and sundry websites. Although she left her heart in San Francisco, Aylin loves the far superior weather in Santa Barbara, running, spending as much time as possible with friends and family, a good burrito and copious amounts of Diet Coke. Oh, and working at a place where she can take her laptop outside on a sunny day!
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brad
Brad
Assistant Postmaster
Brad, one of several Santa Barbara natives working at ONTRAPORT, didn't have what one would call a conventional upbringing. Home schooled from preschool through the 9th grade, this chipper ball of grins eventually chose to join the rabble and attend public school - a decision he laments to this day. There he was heavily involved with the Santa Barbara High School Madrigal Singers (the school's elite choir group) as a tenor. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, months into years (well about 2) and after hitting the 11th grade and graduating his singing voice to a bass, Brad shipped off and joined a traveling boarding school with which he ventured to Mexico, Turkey, the Philippines and Argentina within a period of 5 months. We're all in this together when we say 'Brad you lucky son-of-a gun!' Still ahead of the curve, Brad spent his senior year of high school at Santa Barbara City College whilst launching his tech industry career, which landed him safe and sound here at ONTRAPORT.
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brendan
Brendan
Lead Postmaster
Brendan is a very important asset to the ONTRAPORT team, as he's presently holding down two positions: Email Delivery Lead and Director of Online Advertising. As Email Delivery Lead, Brendan helps to ensure that the more than 2 million emails ONTRAPORT sends out every day make it to the recipients' inboxes. As Director of Online Advertising, Brendan brings in traffic for the different facets of ONTRAPORT: recruiting, events, and of course OfficeAutopilot. Born in Santa Barbara, Brendan graduated from Santa Barbara High School and studied graphic design while also founding his own computer repair business, 805 Geeks. Eventually, Brendan met CEO Landon Ray in 2009 and is proud to say that he was ONTRAPORT's fifth employee. When Brendan isn't in the office, he enjoys playing basketball and has a love of snowboarding. He also enjoys reading books; some of his favorites are Lord of the Rings, Of Mice and Men, and The Internet Is a Playground.
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brian
Brian
Director - Training
As ONTRAPORT's Director of Training, Brian ensures that our team members and our clients get the education they need in order to operate our software and do it well. Brian received a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Global Studies, Phi Beta Kappa. When he's not doing his part to change the business world, Brian enjoys singing, bicycling, being a husband and a dad. Travel was a big part of Brian's life B.C. (that's Before Children,) during which he traveled to 6 out of 7 continents including Antarctica, and cycled 1,000 miles from Eugene, OR back to his hometown of Santa Barbara. Brian's motivation and smiling face is a great addition to our "ONTRAPORT family."
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colton
Colton
QA Engineer
Having always had a strong interest working in the software industry, Colton is excited to be a part of ONTRAPORT's growing team. Colton's previous work experience as a graphic designer, accountant, and a heavy machine operator for a construction company helped structure his role as ONTRAPORT's QA specialist. All three jobs helped Colton develop his eye for detail, which he thoroughly displays in his work every day at ONTRAPORT. Upon meeting him, you'll notice his awesome personality, striking hair, willingness to learn, and his ability to push himself to grow. Colton loves singing and performing as a vocalist, playing the guitar (especially with his metal band!), reading comics and novels, researching things of interest on the internet, going on hikes, playing video games, programming, and hanging out with his girlfriend and his cat Sosuke.
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dan
Dan
Lead Business Solutions
A philanthropist through and through, Daniel started his life journey in Sin City before moving to Santa Barbara at the age of 15. Two years after graduating from Dos Pueblos High School in 2004, Dan founded a non-profit organization called Notes for Notes whose objective is to help underprivileged children by giving them free access to musical instruments, instruction and music-making environments. If that doesn't say heart of gold, then we don't know what does. Not long after this venture, Daniel co-founded a t-shirt company with his friend Anthony called Ants & Angels, from which the proceeds go to aid causes such as relieving global hunger and helping cancer victims and survivors. There was no question for Dan that he was being presented with a fantastic opportunity for creative expression as well as contributing to the world around him. Dan's most recent exploits include web design and pointing out the many sights and thrills of his town as a Santa Barbara tour guide. And guess what?...he still volunteers with Notes for Notes today. We think he'll feel right at home as a member of our ever-growing ONTRAPORT community.
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elijah
Elijah
System Administrator
Back in the day, Elijah had dreamed of becoming an archaeologist. However, he instead barged into the future of technology as ONTRAPORT's Systems Engineer. His aspirations of becoming Systems Engineer sparked back in 2001 when he realized how fun building and creating things would be, all while making a career out of it. Since the beginning of his term, Elijah has been busy setting up and maintaining the hardware and middle-ware that hosts the applications our developers produce. When Elijah's not building things, this Washington native is busy climbing things - mountains that is.
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erin
Erin
Director - Services
Erin has a well-rounded education, studying Art Studio in Santa Monica and receiving a BA in Psychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. After spending a few years working in interior design, she decided to pull up her roots and move to Florence, Italy. Toward the end of her Italian adventure she interviewed with ONTRAPORT and migrated back to the States to start a new life in software. As a Project Manager, Erin extends her knowledge of the software to our clients, presenting and helping them build basic systems in their account to educate and familiarize them with ONTRAPORT's seemingly endless possibilities. She also manages Concierge Services projects from start to finish. Her job entails a great deal of client communication, organization, and hard work. More importantly, Erin makes sure that our clients are properly educated so they are capable of learning and recreating their system builds in the future. When Erin isn't helping our clients, she likes to work on her art, go wine tasting, plan trips to travel the world, and play kickball on the ONTRAPORT team.
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foued
Foued
QA Engineer
Foued is one of our Superheros - he loves what he does and appreciates the cool vibe and community that ONTRAPORT has to offer. Foued has utilized his talents and skills to be the best Superhero ONTRAPORT could ask for, leveraging his prior experience with a CPA firm and as a sales and customer support rep. Foued supports, helps, and deals with client interactions on a daily basis. In his free time, Foued enjoys listening to bands such as Staind and Massive Attack, watching movies, spending time with his fiancé biking or hiking in the beautiful city of Santa Barbara, and playing video games. He hails from La Marsa, Tunisia and speaks French, Arabic and Tunisian.
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jan
Jan
Jr. Graphic Designer
Designer Jan DeLao's life has been a series of unexpected, but fortunate, moves. Born in South Korea, Jan emigrated to the United States at the age of twelve to live with her brother, sister and family friends. From there, she attended UCLA, where she majored in political science, and sports fandom. That last part may be an exaggeration, but there is no exaggerating Jan's diehard love for the Lakers. Post-college, Jan followed her sister once again, this time to Santa Barbara, where she took graphic design classes at the community college. Although she never thought she'd be in SB for more than two years, she loved ONTRAPORT from the first day of her internship here, and foresees a long future with the design team. Yes, our wandering Jan thinks she actually will be sticking around for a while.
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jesse
Jesse
UI Engineer
Born and raised in Eastern Iowa, Jesse happily resides in Waterloo, IA with his wife, Teresa. Jesse is currently a front end engineer at ONTRAPORT, where he is working on developing flexible CSS frameworks, creating kick-ass javascript apps, and bridging the gap between design and code. In his free time, Jesse enjoys barefoot running on the trails around his house, blogging about software and new ideas, and spending time with friends and family. He also has a passion for open source software and is currently maintaining several projects.
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jon
Jon
UI Designer
Jonathan's unwavering passion for art has directed him to a job as Senior Designer, managing ONTRAPORT's UI. One of Jonathan's favorite aspects about working at ONTRAPORT is the opportunity to work with our CEO, Landon Ray. Jonathan has grown to appreciate the leadership and vision that Landon has for the company. When Jonathan is not busy designing, he likes to listen to bands like Ambient while reading How-to books. Oh, and all the while, he eats his favorite food - donuts!
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landon
Landon
Founder / CEO
Landon Ray is a serial entrepreneur whose mission is to educate, motivate and enable others to realize their life goals and passions by starting and growing their own businesses. At the age of 25, Ray transformed himself from a street-corner flower vendor into one of the nation's top securities day traders in only twelve months; his success was recounted in books, magazines, and dozens of newspaper articles across the country.
Today, Ray is the founder and CEO of ONTRAPORT, a six year-old company that has thrived during one of the worst economic downturns in US history. After beating the odds on Wall Street and again during the great recession, Ray has taken his exhaustive research and personal experience and created a family of products and related services that reflect his passion for educating and supporting entrepreneurs. ONTRAPORT is a world-class software solution that simplifies technology for small business owners and provides a powerful platform upon which entrepreneurs build successful businesses.100
lena
Lena
Chief Operating Officer
After having had coffee with Landon nearly every week for a year straight, Lena ultimately joined the ONTRAPORT team as Chief Operating Officer in 2010. The Monterey native had already worked as a financial planner before she moved into the start-up realm, where she built up numerous start-ups into multi-million dollar businesses. Now at ONTRAPORT, she couldn't be more proud of the culture she herself has orchestrated which encourages innovation and progress. The company culture and the talented people she has the pleasure of working with are the reasons why Lena feels so inspired and happy to work at ONTRAPORT. When she has a moment of spare time, she turns on music from her favorite band; which, as of late, is Florence and the Machine.
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loren
Loren
Graphic Designer
Born and raised in the Heartland, Loren always dreamt of moving somewhere on the coast. This Kansas City, Missouri native acquired her BFA in Graphic Design at the Kansas City Art Institute, and got her first taste of a new place when she studied abroad in Brighton, England and traveled around Eastern Europe. Following graduation, Loren took an intern position at an advertising firm, but decided it was time to switch it up and put her graphic design super powers to the test in sunny Santa Barbara, California. While not at her computer, Loren enjoys the beach, making new friends, the occasional gym visit, and a place where her sarcasm is more than appreciated.
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lorenzo
Lorenzo
UI Engineer
Lorenzo is a very quick and to-the-point type of guy, which probably has something to do with the fact that he's 'wired in' a good deal of the time. In case you weren't aware, being 'wired in' means you stay focused and block everyone and everything out while programming. It's what you have to do when you're a front-end coder like him. Lorenzo's home state is Montana, a land coated in a myriad of unique landscapes and terrain. He's also spent a great deal of time in Italy. How much time exactly? We're not sure; he didn't say. Allegedly, Lorenzo is also a former professional banjo player - we may have to put that one to the test. When his face isn't glued to a computer monitor, Lorenzo's into jiu jitsu. So there you have it - a smart, musical badass who could probably ruin most of us in a fight - another winning combination for the ONTRAPORT team.
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martin
Martin
Content Writer
Originally from Frankfurt, Germany, Martin has a love for traveling, and has a goal to visit every continent before he kicks the bucket. Martin plays several roles on the ONTRAPORT team; managing our support forum and managing our own proprietary automation systems are his two primary duties. Martin has a sense of humor that many would consider colorfully crass and brings his fun personality with him to work every day. Many say he's one of the coolest cats around.
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mike
Michael
VIP Services Manager
As a Project Manager at ONTRAPORT, Michael works closely with our clients on the intricacies of our software, educating them on its many features, offering services for system builds, and making sure that all newcomers can get their hands in there and get started. Coming from a sales background in the telecommunications industry, Michael considers his position as a Project Manager challenging, fun and ever-changing. When Michael isn't providing excellent services, this Mississippi native enjoys reading The Enders Series and jamming out to his favorite music, The Roots and 311.
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mohan
Mohan
Sr. Software Engineer
The title developer doesn't quite do justice to what Mohan does with software; he's stretched the limits and definition of coding. In just one instance of his outside-the-box thinking, Mohan invented a human-like chatbot, Chip Vivant, who will respond to your woes with loving, comforting words, help you get through a challenging day and even manage your to-do list. Chip isn't such a bad friend to Mohan, winning the talented developer an International 2012 Loebner Prize. In addition to Mohan's programming smarts, he has a talent for language -- both human and computer. He's lived, studied and worked in Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. Mohan is happy to come to sunny, mild-weathered Santa Barbara from the not quite so temperate Milwaukee.
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pin
Pin
Chief Technology Officer
Hard-working, passionate, and respectful are three words that describe Pin Chen, ONTRAPORT's Chief Technology Officer. In a nutshell, Pin makes sure that any tech problems are sorted out, that clients are happy, and that the software is easier and better to use. For the future, Pin wants to get better at what he does, with the goal of making ONTRAPORT a hugely successful company. Pin enjoys the community, innovation, and perks that are offered by working at ONTRAPORT. Pin is the only ONTRAPORT employee that was born in Taiwan, and he enjoys reading books such as the Song of Ice and Fire Trilogy, Dune, and SpyCatcher.
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rochelle
Rochelle
VP - Client Experience
Rochelle has loved every moment as the Vice-President of Customer Experience since joining the ONTRAPORT team. She spends her days at ONTRAPORT building relationships with clients and co-workers while managing teams and projects. In her time outside the office, Rochelle likes playing volleyball, tennis, and basketball. If you're lucky, she might also share her captivating singing voice with you.
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roy
Roy
Lead Business Solutions
Although you'll never catch Roy Clark without a smile in the ONTRAPORT office, nature is where the newest member of our Business Solutions team feels most at home. Which isn't surprising: he was born in Ojai, California, a small town known for its natural beauty, and raised in the equally small and charming Carmel. The certified permaculture designer is passionate about sustainability and spending time outdoors in the backcountry of Big Sur and Santa Barbara (which he now calls home). Always looking to expand his comfort zone, he loves new experiences and is ready for adventure. Roy also brings out his creative side through painting, photography, and horticultural design. He's excited to join ONTRAPORT to help entrepreneurs find business solutions, get to know clients on a personal level and improve the customer experience.
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sam
Sam
Marketing Analyst
Talk to Sam for five minutes and you'll see he's a film buff and L.A. sports fan through and through. At ONTRAPORT's offices, however, he tackles the job of Concierge Services Manager, using his ingenuity to design and build automated marketing systems that kick-start online businesses for entrepreneurs. Sam proudly melds his professional work performance with a sometimes overtly sarcastic sense of humor that grows on you the more you become exposed to it. It also helps, as he puts it, if you "don't entirely suck."
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sara
Sara
Director - Operations
Excited about working for a fast-paced startup with a young and friendly culture, Sara decided to join the Ontra-team in November of 2011. As ONTRAPORT's Director of Operations, Sara is responsible for managing ONTRAPORT's many departments to ensure that our company delivers a flawless product to its customers. She is in charge of keeping our multiple departments on schedule so that they meet all delivery dates, have successful new feature launches, and provide excellent training materials and customer support to their users. In her spare time, Sara utilizes her creativity from her B.A. in Communications and Art History from the University of California, Santa Barbara to work on photography and interior design. You may not have known that Sara also has a passion for traveling and is always actively planning her next adventure. Oh, and you're not seeing things, Sara and Erin do share a last name because they are, in fact, sisters.
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sassi
Sassi
Personal Assistant
As Landon and Lena's Personal Assistant, Rachelle aka "Sassi", loves coming to work every day because of the friendly and family-oriented culture. Her favorite aspect of the office has to be the people - whether you're the one writing the code or the one ordering lunch, every job is appreciated, and everyone is supported professionally and personally. At Sassi's desk, you are bound to discover some of her favorite things, which include an impressive Hello Kitty collection. During her time off from directly providing assistance to Landon and Lena, Sassi likes to explore new areas of Santa Barbara. When the time comes to unwind, Sassi enjoys curling up with her fiancé to a good Harry Potter movie or an old 80's movie like 16 Candles.
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scoot
Scott
Implementation Specialist
Scott is a Santa Barbara native and one of ONTRAPORT's finest Super Heroes. Since joining ONTRAPORT in 2011, Scott has specialized in helping clients solve complex issues and rooting out bugs in the software. Scott loves working at ONTRAPORT and has made many friends in the company along the way. Scott enjoys watching movies like Count of Monte Cristo, Die Hard, and I. He is also an avid listener of cKy, Pennywise, Authority Zero, and the Black Keys.
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sean
Sean
Director – Customer Service
After graduating with a Bachelor of Business Economics from University of California Santa Barbara, Sean was introduced to ONTRAPORT by a close friend. Some of his responsibilities include training new reps, improving the quality and efficiency of the department, interfacing with our largest clients, and being aware of the customer experience. Sean loves the atmosphere that ONTRAPORT has to offer, the company vision, and the biannual company trips. Even though the New Orleans Saints lost a playoff game during the last company trip, it was great bonding with his already awesome coworkers. When Sean is not helping clients he likes to golf, bike, snowboard, and enjoy beautiful Santa Barbara.
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slayman
Steve
QA Engineer
Steve joined the ONTRAPORT team in September of 2009 and has been a huge part of growing the Quality Assurance department. Steve sprung onto the scene in Customer Support and quickly graduated to VIP support. Today, Steve takes pride in being a key member of the Quality Assurance department. Working closely with the development team made reignited Steve's interest in programming, and he is participating in on-site courses to strengthen his expertise. Originally from Sonoma, CA, Steve is one of the biggest sportsfans you'll ever meet and actively supports his favorite Northern California teams.
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steven
Steven
Sr. Principal Architect
ONTRAPORT's team members are not without their epic origin stories. A longtime developer for ONTRAPORT and lead systems architect, Steven and his bionic left leg have come a long way. His true age unknown, it is rumored that as an infant Steven was raised by German methodist missionaries in the southeastern region of Belarus. After escaping from an IRA internment facility, posing as a clergy member for 2 years as to avoid detection, and stowing away on a Lufthansa flight to the United States, Steven met ONTRAPORT CEO Landon Ray in a California bowling alley, and the rest, as they say, is history. Although there is no certifiable evidence, scattered documents also suggest Steven's involvement in the first and second Opium Wars with allegiance to the East India Company. Needless to say, ONTRAPORT would not shine as bright as it does today without his brilliance.
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will
Will
Program Manager
William is a jack of all trades and master of some too. He has a wide variety of creative talents that he uses daily at ONTRAPORT. Originally, William never imagined that he would one day become a designer as his background was mostly in music, theatrics, sports, and business development. However, as soon as he realized he could create art with a mouse and keyboard, William quickly got hooked and has never looked back. He is mostly self taught and his skillset stretches across print, web, and motion design in addition to some front end development. Most recently, he was the architect behind the OfficeAutopilot Membership plugin and continues to be the company's WordPress wizard. Aside from his passion for all things technology related, William loves coming to work everyday because of his 'OntraFam.' The 'OntraFam,' he says, is something completely different to anything he's had anywhere else. 'They are a group of extraordinary people that feel more like a member of my family than a member of a company.'
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angela
Angela
Event Coordinator/Facilities Manager
Angela Phillips' favorite place is the beach, so it's not much of a surprise that she hasn't strayed that far from it during her life. Born and raised in Ventura, she moved to the San Fernando Valley at 18 to get a start in the administrative side of the real estate industry. But she wasn't able to stay away from the central coast long. She moved back to Santa Barbara. It was there that Angela met a cute Brit while she was out at the British pub (go figure) where he was bartending; she ended up marrying him in 2005. Today she enjoys her dog, Becks, turtle, Beans, watching football (or as we Yanks know it, soccer) and, of course, the gorgeous Santa Barbara beaches.
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larry
Larry
Quality Control Specialist
Larry Arone may lead the "SLO" life (SLO = San Luis Obispo, where Larry lives and works), but he prefers his music to have a faster tempo. Something a little jazzier, say? Larry had a unique path to his current job as Client Experience Manager; he spent over 25 years working as a professional jazz and Latin pianist before becoming ONTRAPORT’s third employee. Larry attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music, received his BFA in Jazz Studies from Cornish College of the Arts, then a Masters in Afro-Latin Music from Cal State Los Angeles. Although his professional focus is now providing an incredible experience for ONTRAPORT clients, he remains committed to music -- producing albums, teaching private piano lessons and playing in various jazz trios and Latin/Salsa groups in his free time.
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anthonyb
Anthony
QA Engineer
A transplant from the Midwest, Anthony's move from Kansas City was motivated by love. Before following his heart to Santa Barbara, this young Don Juan attended Metropolitan Community College - Longview (MCCKC) as a part time student while working as an administrative assistant and writing his own destiny by teaching himself hardcore IT skills. An achievement he can attribute to his magic fingers (sorry ladies he's taken), Anthony scored 161 words per minute on a typing test - his personal best. Better yet, he's climbed the boy scout ladder to the rank of Eagle Scout during which time he was conferred upon by the Tribe of Mic-O-Say where he holds the rank of brave. Should the zombie apocalypse come to pass, you'll find solace in Anthony's leadership and bravery to guarantee your survival.
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ben
Ben
Assistant Postmaster
Part German, part French, part American, this international hybrid born in Amiens, France, comes to us fresh off his four year stint at UCSB. With three associates degrees and a BA in Environmental Science (with a minor in geology) under his belt, this aspiring treehugger prides himself on the field experience he's accrued while on his many geological outings. His love of travel and European origin have also opened the door to his almost hooligan-esque soccer fandom; he is a dedicated Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Arsenal supporter. Wanna know who scored against who in the last 10 games? Forget the internet, Ben will tell you straight up.
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codie
Cody
Product Specialist
Some have seen it all, some have yet to. As a new recruit at ONTRAPORT, you could say Cody's in for one hell of a ride. A small town boy from the Denver, CO area, Cody moved to Santa Barbara in March of 2012 in search of something more. While not manning the ONTRAPORT support center, he makes time for his athletic pursuits which include going to the gym and playing on a local baseball team, the Santa Barbara Seals. Despite our close proximity to the ocean, Cody is petrified of any water higher than his neck. It's a good thing Santa Barbara is home to many a swimming pool or he'd be high and dry. Little known fact: Cody has experience in training and breaking horses for western style riding or trail riding. That and he's a car enthusiast - mostly American and German.
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frank
Frank
Tech Support-Super Hero
Frank is from the California coast and damn proud of it - Newport Beach to be exact. Abandoned by his former employers who sought greener pastures in snowy, distant lands, Frank remained where he felt at home, sunny California. A master craftsman, Frank harnessed his nautical savvy to build a small sailboat which he launched in 1999. He even created a website to document the building process which eventually morphed into an amateur boat building site, attracting over 3,000 members since its inception. As the man himself puts it, his long term plans include working until he keels over - driven by a desire and realization that he detests doing nothing with his time, especially with nothing in the bank. With a strong background in customer support working for manufacturing firms in the telecommunications and gas fired appliance industries, Frank is a perfect addition to our customer support troop - manning the front lines to create raving fans of our service.
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hanna
Hanna
Tech Support-Super Hero
Charlie Chaplin once said "A day without laughter is a day wasted." Hanna, Santa Barbara native and longtime friend of many ONTRApeeps, is never in short supply. A glass half full kind of girl, she's always on deck wherever there's adventure to be had whether it's hiking, surfing, or extreme sports yet to be named. Like so many of her four footed friends, Hanna enjoys a good belly rub here and there. Should you find yourself at the ONTRAPORT office, she’ll be one of the first to greet you.
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jared
Jared
Project Manager
Jared Bresee is full of energy, excitement and adrenaline: in other words he is a perfect fit as Project Manager for ONTRAPORT’s Design and Content Team. An adventurer at heart, Jared plays ice hockey, tennis and beach volleyball. Like a shark who can’t stop moving, he also surfs, snowboards and hangs out with his “super awesome” Australian Shepherd, Jaxon. Jared refuels by firing up his stove where he whips up homemade burritos, tacos and other culinary creations for his friends. But his enthusiasm really gets cooking when he watches Anaheim Ducks games -- he follows the team religiously. But behind his X-Game persona is an A-Grade intellect: Jared graduated from UCSB with a Business/Economics degree and has experience managing information technology, analyzing contracts and helping college professors secure six-figure grants.
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julia
Julia
Marketing Coordinator
Straight out of the University of California, Santa Barbara (she graduated while working for us), Julia Stanaro is the newest addition to our Business Development team. This sharp youngun’ was born in the small Bay Area town of Orinda and lived in London between the ages of six and 14 before returning to the Bay Area for high school. During her time at UCSB, Julia worked at Santa Barbara nonprofit Dream Foundation and startup Social Intelligence. She loves her new gig, hiking, running, biking and all that sunny Santa Barbara has to offer.
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julie
Julie
Tech Support-Super Hero
Pioneering her way into ONTRAPORT's support team as one of its first female representatives, Julie was raised in what she refers to as a “boring California town”. A self-driven workaholic, Julie left the nest on her 18th birthday with $3 in her pocket. After four years of dreaming, yearning, and good ol' fashioned hard work, her plan of living on the American Riviera came to fruition. Before living the ONTRAPORT dream, Julie took on the job of Property Administrator for a Property Management Company and administrative assistant at an investigation Company and a CPA firm; jobs which she felt were out of alignment with her standards for advancement, innovation, and excitement. Lo and behold, she longed for more. That's when a dapper young gentleman by the name of Martin (found elsewhere in this mosaic) shared with her the wonders of ONTRAPORT and what a thrill it was to work there. When Julie’s not at home watching Dexter or the food network, you'll see her reading at the beach, hiking, fishing, or running...a lot.
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katlyn
Katlyn
Content Writer
As Course Developer for the Education/Content Team at ONTRAPORT, Katlyn has been able to apply the knowledge and skills she’s obtained over eight - going on nine - years of college. You see, when Katlyn’s not here at work, she’s at her other job as a “professional student.” On her way to earning a Ph.D. in Communication at University of California, Santa Barbara, Katlyn’s graduate school research focuses on interpersonal communication - how the way we talk to each other influences the quality of our close relationships, our health, and our well-being.
Originally from a western suburb of Chicago, Katlyn attended Michigan State University, where she competed all four years on the Varsity Gymnastics Team. After earning her Master’s in Communication at the University of Montana (in the quirky-awesome city of Missoula), she ended up in sunny Santa Barbara for still MORE schooling. When Katlyn’s not studying, teaching, writing, researching, or working, she likes to be active through her yoga practice, running, and playing with her French Mastiff, Cooper, at the beach. She also likes to cook, travel, and drink good wine with her (brand-new) husband. And she’s been known to do a few handstands and flips at parties now and again.57
lynda
Lynda
Certification Program Specialist/Project Manager
As you may have noticed, ONTRAPORT is a proud haven for UCSB graduates and Lynda certainly fits the bill. Originally from Bakersfield, CA, she's called Santa Barbara home for going on 16 years now. Prior to her joining our team, Lynda was in telecommunications for 5 years, power equipment for 2 and gourmet foods for 6. Talk about well rounded work experience!
A self proclaimed volunteer/non profit junkie, she donates her time to several nonprofits including the Junior League Santa Barbara, the Arthritis Foundation, The American Cancer Society, and the Santa Barbara Young Professionals. As if you weren't already in awe of her ambitions, Lynda tries to learn or do something new at least once a year, her latest triumphs - wakeboarding and catching a 65lb. amberjack on a fishing trip. Out and about, you're likely to run into her at the public library she frequents to quench her literary thirst.58
madeline
Madeline
Product Specialist
Wouldn't you know it, another UCSB graduate! Madeline very recently topped off her education with a BA in communications. A Bay Area native, she foresaw herself back in the cool embrace of the bay area fog, but couldn't leave the warm Santa Barbara climate. Like many ONTRApeeps, she's drawn to the beach… beaches all over the world, in fact.. Yes, she's been bitten by the travel bug. Let’s hope she's got her adventure book and a pen ready because there’ll be many pages to fill before the year is up.
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morgann
Morgan
Customer Support Assistant Manager
A Virginia native, Morgan dabbled in two very different professions before her arrival at ONTRAPORT: veterinary technician and rounding up rambunctious little youngsters as a preschool teacher. Adding to our ever-growing pool of UCSB alums, she walked the stage, diploma in hand with a BA in Linguistics and minor in Russian studies. The luxury of time on her side, Morgan was able to explore everything the US has to offer by driving off on a 3 week road trip cross country.
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nick
Nick
QA Engineer
Nick Cross is another addition to our international family. Born in Massachusetts, Nick spent part of his childhood in Germany before moving back to the midwest - Madison, Wisconsin to be exact. The Junior Software Engineer attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, earning a B.S. in Computer Engineering with a Technology Entrepreneurship Certificate. When he’s not coding, Nick enjoys travel, sports, wakeboarding, snowboarding, reading fantasy books, playing video games and scuba diving.
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patrick
Patrick
Lead Business Solutions
One fine Rancho Cucamonga morn' Patrick Anderson was born
He grew up the world over on many a shore
Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore
Were you to glance at his resume
Here's one thing you'd see today
Amateur soccer development rep
Recruiting young players to take the next step
It wasn't for just anyone he did this you see
Whilst on the payroll of the Los Angeles Galaxy
2 MLS championship rings on his fingers
The unrivaled air of success still lingers
He once summoned his courage sans a trip to the bar
to approach a world famous soccer star (Beckham)
It's soccer and running and friends he adores
Leave him in stitches and he is all yours
Your spirit and drive and will certainly do
ONTRAPORT heartily welcomes you
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sarah
Sara
Recruiting Coordinator
Sin City native Sara didn't stick around there too long as she toured 3 different countries before her parents settled down in Santa Barbara. Some say it's because her family of acrobats made off with a loan shark's money and were being hunted. Some say that that last sentence was entirely untrue. Several years later with a new last name the heat off her back, Sara attended boarding school here on the central coast before being admitted to UCSB.
Her interest peaking in creative dead men, no major accommodated her tastes better than art history (with an emphasis in Renaissance Italy). Shortly thereafter she took the highbrow job of Executive Assistant at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. She comes to us now referred by 2 of her brothers who hopped on the ONTRAPORT bandwagon before it was cool. We're already big fans of her personality. Pragmatic and bold, her cheekiness is above reproach. Beware, if you're 5'2" or shorter, Sara can and will jump over you. Her only weaknesses: fear of enclosed spaces and macaroon addiction.66
tamara
Tamara
Design Director
Tamara lives by Andy Warhol’s mantra, “ You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.” She brings this philosophy into her work, making the functional beautiful as ONTRAPORT’s Design Director. Tamara started her career in publishing in the New York City offices of Hearst Publications’ Town & Country magazine. After several years, she left to travel the world, teaching English in Brazil and working for a travel publication in Mexico. When she decided to end her nomadic ways, she continued to work for several design agencies before taking a position as Design Director at the Santa Barbara Independent, an alternative weekly newspaper. When she’s not immersed in the world of design, she loves to seek out new travel destinations, collect 1960's vintage dresses, torture her Himalayan cat, watch Ingmar Bergman movies and spend time with her beloved husband.
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Tim
Systems Administrator
Though he would say “Je ne sais pas” if you asked him, System Administrator Timothy Weidner spent the first two years of his life in France before moving back stateside. A few years later, Tim first discovered his love for computers in his grade school accelerated learning program. He started his first job at 15 working at a Publix Super Markets, where he bagged enough money to buy computer equipment. Following high school, he returned to France, where he lived in L'aubepine, a town just outside of Saumeray with only 15 residents! While there he did various handyman jobs in exchange for horse rides and veggies from the villagers’ gardens. After moving back to the United States, Tim returned to his love of computers, working various IT jobs in the St. Petersburg, Florida area. After losing everything in the great recession of 2008, Tim began rebuilding his life from square one. The first change was in his diet and exercise - Tim has lost 60 pounds since August of 2012! The next change was relocating to Santa Barbara to join ONTRAPORT. He loves both the town and the team!
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valerie
Valerie
Business Solutions Representative
Valerie spent her childhood waking to mooing cows and the wind whistling through the orange groves. This farm girl’s idea of a good time meant firing up her ATV and chasing coyotes on rugged terrain with her friends. Fast forward several years and we see Valerie doing a brief stint in the solar energy business and called on to exhume her cunning as an office manager and National Tradeshow coordinator for a wholesale fashion jewelry company. Valerie recently participated in the Tough Mudder endurance race where she crawled through muck and was subjected to electrocution, scrapes, cuts, bruises, saying, “It was worth the street cred.” A culture enthusiast through and through, Valerie dedicates her off-time to travel and versing herself in world languages. As of now, she speaks fluent English, Spanish, some Italian and is well on her way to mastering French. Valerie, bienvenue à ONTRAPORT.
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jonp
Jonathan
Software Engineer
Who marched onto the ONTRAPORT campus with his ass-kicking boots on? This guy! Jonathan, a surefire product of the technological revolution, left his hometown of Santa Barbara and made his way to Orange County to attend UC Irvine. What began as a pursuit of a career in special effects soon morphed into a fascination with computer science. As Jonathan put it, “I really like building stuff!”
Teeming with ambition, he left school to start a web development and branding agency that exists to this day. After two years of nurturing his entrepreneurial venture as co-founder, Santa Barbara beckoned him back - and he answered the call.
Professional passions aside, Jonathan volunteers with animal rescue organizations as time allows and even rescued a chipper golden retriever named Dino, whom he’s obsessed with. (not pictured, Dino)71
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John
Executive Director - Brand Building
John Lewis has always been fueled by the idea of process. Specifically, he’s excited about the process of collaboration and creativity - two ideas that have led him down the long and winding road of marketing and advertising and ultimately to startups and technology. He learned the ropes of the NYC ad agency game before moving to culture brands like Nike, Burton, Diesel, Pony, Lucky Brand, Sonos and multiple startups that included a brand of his own creation based in Beijing.
However, John’s greatest accomplishment to date is living in harmony with four girls… five if you include the family dog. John has run multiple marathons, loves to snowboard and ride motorbikes and has been known to enjoy a Barbie video with his three daughters every now and then.72
jazzy
Jasmin
Sidekick
Originally from Florida, Jasmin Torres (known as Jazzy) moved to Santa Barbara, CA last year with her two dogs and never wants to leave.
Prior to ONTRAPORT, her Monday through Friday was spent in sales-oriented environments in various management roles. Her weekends were a little more unique: For 10 years Jasmin was a stunt combat performer for medieval faires, renaissance festivals and pirate shows. She’s even performed on an old pirate schooner!
She lists her favorite pastime as watching horror movies. Last October she watched one horror movie a night, racking up 31 days of blood and gore. When not enveloped in a good horror flick, she loves watching Korean TV dramas, which she describes as “over-the-top” soap operas.73
kyle
Kyle
Sidekick
Born and raised right here in Santa Barbara, Kyle Everman was friends with many an ONTRApeep before finally joining the company. Prior to ONTRAPORT, Kyle was a machinist by trade and worked for his father’s robotics company for five years.
Kyle loves to travel and spent a month in Australia right after high school. He walked through the jungles of Cairns, saw the Great Barrier Reef, watched the sunset over the Sydney Opera House and hung out with some kangaroos.
A little known fact about Kyle is that he loves to break code. The one code he hasn’t broken? The Zodiac Killer’s. Kyle says, “That code pretty much broke me, but I haven’t stopped trying to solve his final riddle.”75
kerry
Kerry
Director of Content
Kerry’s new role at ONTRAPORT as Director of Public Relations taps into her passions for storytelling and creating new relationships. She’s had loads of experience fine-tuning her talents through her own boutique marketing and PR firm where she managed clients’ brands and communications.
Born in Morocco and raised in Hawaii, Kerry loves the exotic and all things beach. Her other passions include putting her green thumb to work in the garden and traveling the world. Though she attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, this self-proclaimed “weekend hippie” calls Santa Barbara home. Her college beau-turned-husband is a beach lover as well, and they enjoy spending weekends walking their dog, Penny, along the miles of Santa Barbara coastline.76
jenna
Jenna
Course developer
Jenna grew up in Kailua, on the island of O'ahu, although most of her adult life has been spent in Colorado where she’s been living for the last 18 years. Before landing at ONTRAPORT, Jenna was Associate Director for an academic coaching program where she worked with college students who experienced learning disabilities and/or ADHD at University of Denver. She recently made the move from Colorado to Santa Barbara to join her husband and border collie lab, Mylo.
Jenna has lived in the South of France, traveled to India where she attended a teaching by HH Dalai Lama, she ran an art zine for seven years and has co-produced many art and music events over the years. Other fun facts about her: she paddled outrigger canoes for 11 years, got a Bachelors of Fine Art in Painting, a Masters in Couples and Family Therapy and is an expert hugger.78
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Hannah
Executive Assistant
Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Hannah was the only girl in her bunch, living with four brothers. Though her family is a little smaller these days, it’s just as rambunctious. She has three children - Blake, 17; Ethan, 11 and Addison, 7. This self-proclaimed “PTA aficionado” has logged tons of volunteer hours at her local elementary school.
An exercise buff, Hannah likes running at dawn, riding her bike on the beautiful Santa Barbara bike paths and doing Crossfit. She may say she “fakes being sporty,” but the fact that she’s featured on her studio’s homepage belies her humility.
Little known fact: when nobody will go dancing with her, she plays Dance Dance Revolution alone at home (accompanied only by Skinny Cow ice cream bars and wine). On the weekends you can find her in the carpool lane driving her sons to water polo tournaments or little league games.79
aaron
Aaron
Back End Engineer
Aaron has participated in Muay Thai fights in Thailand, and been taught how to survive in the wilderness by native in New Zealand. Traveling to his chosen "homeland" of Japan he practiced Budo (an ancient form of Japanese martial arts) at the base of Mt. Fuji with his Master, an 85-year-old Shinto Priest. He tried his hand at acting in LA which was amusing, but not fulfilling for this Katsudon-eating-quick-kickin’ man. So it was off to Santa Barbara where his newest challenge was mastering computer science.
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bianca
Bianca
Sidekick
Bianca is one of the lucky few to have been born and raised in Santa Barbara. To feed her love of travel she participated in Long Beach Ballet’s internationally renowned “Ballet Ambassadors,” which takes a group of talented dancers to China to train with the National Ballet of China Guangzhou. After achieving plié perfection, the company ended the tour by attending the Beijing Summer Olympics. Being in Santa Barbara allows her to enjoy her favorite activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, hiking, and of course, dancing; perhaps she’ll show you a move or two.
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chris
Chris
Content Writer
Chris Tarello was born and raised in Valencia, CA and can navigate Six Flags Magic Mountain blindfolded. His childhood adrenaline rushes have coalesced and turned into dreams of owning a Honda CB400 Cafe Racer and a black 1982 Porsche 911. He doesn’t drive a Porsche to work yet, but he does bring a BA in Creative Writing from UCLA. An ideal day for Chris might involve yoga, scanning Reddit, diving into expatriate literature and brushing up on his Shakespeare. Chris enjoys all music, especially hip-hop and rap. Yes, Shakespeare and rap. Dost thou hustle?
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eric
Eric
Course Developer
If you’re in the least bit interested in food, beer or bikes, Eric is your man. Since 2002 he’s owned a number of restaurants and currently owns Patton Alley Pub in Springfield, Missouri. This restaurant owner also has an impressive shoe collection but his greatest sources of pride are his two children. Eric is also working on his PhD in organizational communication at UCSB and even makes time to help the planet by bike commuting to UCSB, 20 miles round trip, and uphill - both ways of course. Luckily, Eric can easily walk to work at ONTRAPORT. That too is uphill, both ways.
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jaime
Jaime
Sidekick
Jaime was born in San Diego, and recently turned up in Santa Barbara. All the sunshine and photosynthesis colored her thumb green and sprouted her love for gardening. If you can’t keep a cactus alive, just talk to Jaime. Along with her gardening skills, she plays the violin, ukulele and some piano. We’ll let you know when she’s mastered playing all three simultaneously.
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kelsey
Kelsey
Sidekick
We’ve heard travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer. If that’s the case Kelsey is a pretty wealthy girl. She was born in Hong-Kong and lived in New Zealand, Australia and Thailand and Beijing where Kelsey attended the 2008 Olympics and met Muhammad Ali. You can often find Kelsey reading at home, which she shares with her dog, Nibbles and cat Buggy.
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michelle
Michelle
Sidekick
Michelle moved to Santa Barbara from Oceanside and doesn’t want to leave any time soon. In four and half years she earned three AA degrees from SBCC and a BA in Communication from UCSB. This member of Sigma Chi Eta and 2012 SBCC Communication Student of the year is a self-proclaimed “Comm nerd”.. She loves old movies, glitter, Jane Austen novels, Hawaii, black coffee, bacon, chocolate and her Bichon Frise, Sparky.
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ray
Ray
Frontend Engineer
We have a theory here that Ray Peters is actually a superhero. The engineers enjoy a quiet workspace so no one asks too many questions of Ray since he has “important things to do”. What contributes to our theory? Ray Peters is clearly a perfect superhero cover name, akin to Clark Kent, Reed Richards and Peter Parker. Supposedly Ray was born in Orange County and studied Computer Science and Business Administration Management at Western Washington University before moving to Santa Barbara to be closer to family… or to fight crime.
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robert
Robert
Sidekick
You won’t find Robert with any flowers in his hair, even though he was born in the heart of San Francisco. San Francisco’s hills don’t do well for someone with a fear of heights and neither does that dang bridge. Santa Barbara brings Robert closer to his favorite sports team, the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s an authority on professional basketball history and also boasts an impressive knowledge of film. He’ll happily discuss either with you - just give him some Italian food and a Moscow Mule.
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ryan
Ryan
Business Solutions
Ryan is from the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Yes, the city that gave us Motown, the first air-conditioned car, and the first concrete road also gave us the great Ryan Connery. For college, Ryan headed west to the University of Colorado Boulder and he has proudly dubbed it, “The best college in the world.” So when it comes to college sports, it’s Buffaloes all the way. Boulder gave Ryan the opportunity to fall in love with snowboarding and he’s proudly been a “ski bum” twice. Ryan moved to Santa Barbara just before beginning work here at ONTRAPORT. We haven’t told him it doesn’t snow here yet.
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shaun
Shawn
Business Solutions
Shawn was born and raised on the North shore of Lake Tahoe and moved to Santa Barbara to attend UCSB, where she studied Communication and Exercise & Health Science. Wouldn't you know, she actually uses her degree every morning when she attends Jenny Shatzle's 5:45 A.M. workout group. She enjoys meditation, chardonnay, watching documentaries and movies, playing board games and baking. When she’s not playing Mrs. Fields, Shawn stays busy as a member of the The Junior League of SB and is in the process of becoming a "big" through Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
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zach
Zack
Business Solutions
This Santa Barbara transplant was born in Seattle. Zack is a man of many talents. He has a sixth sense for bathroom locations, is a serious pickle maker, volunteers for the SB Film Festival and annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta and used to do musical theater. He stays active skiing and playing golf, and for the past 4 years he’s participated in an old man Bocce Ball league. In short, Zack keeps it classy.
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mikeb2
Mike
Facilities / IT Manager
Michael was born and raised in Silicon Valley, a fitting beginning for a man who has made a career in the tech industry. He enjoys listening to music and watching movies with high-tech audio and video (big surprise there). He also enjoys racing cars. Rumor has it he was part of a very successful auto racing team in 2001. You’ll have to ask him yourself for tales of high speeds, burning rubber, and checkered flags.
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