Trustees and Board Governance

David is an acknowledged expert in the media industry around the world and has been at the forefront of three major industry revolutions – DVD, Blu Ray, and Digital Distribution. David is now compassionately committed to accelerating individual, team, and organizational performance. His passion for building high-performing teams and coaching executives has helped create a cadre of effective leaders in companies

David holds a graduate certification in Executive and Organizational Development from Columbia University. He is a strategic advisor and fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Coaching, where he co-authored a research study/e-book entitled “Leading With Humanity: The Future of Leadership and Coaching”. He is a former chair and current board member of The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. He is a former board member of the End Hunger Network where he and Jeff Bridges co created an entertainment industry focused campaign that raised 20 million dollars.

Jason Stilwell is an accomplished public servant and visionary leader with over 25 years of experience driving excellence in city and county management. Renowned for innovative thinking and a results-driven approach, he has consistently elevated organizational performance while aligning operations with community objectives. With expertise in strategic planning, fiscal management, and organizational transformation, he has successfully managed multimillion-dollar budgets, supervised diverse teams, and navigated complex policy challenges to deliver impactful solutions.

Stilwell’s career reflects a dedication to fostering collaboration, streamlining operations, and implementing initiatives that address critical community needs. Whether leading economic development projects, enhancing public safety, or improving city infrastructure, he brings a forward-thinking perspective to governance. His track record includes developing strategic budgets, advancing pension reform, and building public-private partnerships that strengthen communities and enhance quality of life.

I have only recently become a member of the board of trustees of the Foodbank, but I have served as a board member for a number of not-for-profit organizations, usually on finance and/or audit committees. I graduated from UCLA in 1967 and earned an MA in philosophy at UCSB in 1971, was employed as a social worker with Santa Barbara County for 10 years, and then switched careers to accounting and became a CPA in 1981. I was then controller and later CFO at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust until I retired in 2006. A long-time resident of Santa Barbara, my spare-time activities include hiking, travel, photography and raising tomatoes.

I have been so impressed by how much the Foodbank has served the communities in this county as we have all been beset by the COVID pandemic. I look forward to assisting in this important contribution.

Carol, my wife, and I relocated to Santa Barbara almost 10 years ago leaving New York as the Rudolph N. Schullinger Professor emeritus of Surgery and Pediatrics, Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, where I was also Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of Surgery at the Morgan-Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York. As director of the Charles Edison Laboratory for Pediatric Surgery, we became recognized for our work in neonatal lung injury, newborn oxygen delivery, and the use of novel artificial organs for prolonged neonatal life support. I was also responsible for educating pediatric surgery fellows, research fellows, pediatric surgery faculty and medical students. I am currently Visiting Scholar at UCSB, have an appointment at the University of Chicago, School of Medicine and am a consultant to the World Telehealth Initiative.

I am an advocate for the well-being of children and their families knowing without good health, their future is most challenging. The mission and vision of the Foodbank is, for me, a logical continuation of that advocacy. I have embraced and am pleased to work with the Foodbank because of its central role in developing food security and food knowledge for the most vulnerable among us: the children and their families in our community. Food, and a few other things, mark their future!

Ted Bruckner was born and raised in Santa Barbara. He has worked locally in the construction industry for over 35 years and is currently the senior project manager at Young Construction. Ted has managed the construction of many commercial and multi-family residential projects throughout the central and south coast.

Before joining the Foodbank of Santa Barbara board of trustees, Ted volunteered in the warehouse and with food distribution. Ted currently is a member of the Foodbank’s building committee which is overseeing improvements to the new Goleta warehouse facility.

After graduating from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, Tim Harrington went on to earn his MBA at Golden Gate University. Since then, he has served in multiple capacities throughout Santa Barbara County. His service has included roles with the Lompoc Valley YMCA finance committee, Allan Hancock College Foundation, Olive Grove Charter School board of directors, board of directors of the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Lompoc Economic Development Committee, and he co-founded Future for Lompoc Youth. In these roles, Tim has shown a great commitment to our local communities. He also has an extensive background in business, with experience at Raytheon, Hughes Aircraft, and the Small Business Development Center Program. He is currently working as principal at TerraLink Consulting and continues to volunteer through committee work.