SB CAN Appoints Joyce Howerton as Advocacy Director

 

January 7, 2010

 

Contact: Deborah Brasket, SB CAN Executive Director, deborah@sbcan.org, 805-722-5094

 

The Santa Barbara County Action Network (SB CAN) is delighted to announce the appointment of Joyce Howerton as Director of Advocacy and Outreach. She will lead in community organizing around SB CAN’s HOT issues of housing, open space, and transportation.

 

“When it comes to progressive leadership in Santa Barbara County, there is probably no one more well-known or well-loved than Joyce,” commented SB CAN Executive Director, Deborah Brasket. “For over forty years she has been fearless and passionate in her commitment to social justice, civil rights, and environmental causes, working on numerous local and national political campaigns.”

 

As a three-term mayor of Lompoc Joyce secured pay equity for women, created a state-of-the-art regional landfill project, and developed the Lompoc Community Center, among many other accomplishments.

 

Most recently she served as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Fund for Santa Barbara offering technical assistance on effective use of the media, advocacy, lobbying, organizational development, fundraising strategies and building community networks. 

 

Joyce is a founding member of SB CAN and served as North County Vice President for many years. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards and county commissions, including the North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center, which she founded in the 1970‘s. She was also a founding member of Domestic Violence Solutions and the North County Women’s Political Committee, and served on the Santa Barbara Foundation Board of Directors for nine years. Joyce was the co-founder and main spokesperson for the Coalition Against the County Split, which led the fight to defeat overwhelmingly a ballot measure in 2006 that would have permanently divided Santa Barbara county.

 

“What an honor to have Joyce working for SB CAN,” said South Coast Vice President Dick Flacks. “Her deep knowledge of social justice and environmental issues and county politics will be important in helping us achieve our goals.”

 

SB CAN was founded in 2001 as a countywide, grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social and environmental justice, and creating sustainable communities.