Board of Directors

Paul Mocker, President

Paul grew up in Goleta a block from the Stow House and spent his childhood roaming Lake Los Carneros and the Stow House grounds.  Paul and his wife Janet moved to Goleta from Bellevue, WA in 2013. They do not have children but have the privilege of being servants for their feline master, Sam.  Paul has a bachelor’s degree in History, a master’s degree in Education and an MBA. Paul is self-employed and runs his own tax preparation and consulting business. He holds a CPA license from the State of California and is a member of the California Society of CPAs. He was elected to the Board in 2021. In his free time, Paul likes to garden, attend City Council meetings, and hike the local trails. He often explores the “hidden” side of Lake Los Carneros, where lurks the clues to our rich past.

Erin Johnson, Secretary

Erin grew up in Goleta a block from the Stow House and spent her childhood roaming Lake Los Carneros and the Stow House grounds. She holds a bachelor’s degree in forest management from University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in English literature from California State University, Chico. She is an acquisitions editor for Island Press, a nonprofit environmental publisher in Washington, DC, where she acquires and develops books for scientists and general readers that seek practical solutions to pressing environmental problems. She became a certified UC master gardener in northern California and was active for many years with the master gardener program in Shasta County. She also served as a docent and volunteer at Turtle Bay Exploration Park and the McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Redding, the city where she raised her family and explored the wilderness areas of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, and the Trinity Alps out her back door. She returned to Santa Barbara in 2016, and was elected to the Board in 2021, where she hopes to lend her expertise to enhance and maintain the beautiful grounds and gardens of the Ranch for the enjoyment of its many visitors.

Denise Sanford, Executive Director

Denise Sanford is First Vice President and Audit Manager for Community West Bank. In Denise’s position, she is responsible for building and managing the Bank’s Internal Audit department developing audit standards and the audit framework. Denise is a longtime Santa Barbara based banker with deep customer and community relationships providing unparalleled customer experience. She actively promotes and advances the banks’ brand and participates in numerous community events. As an entrepreneur, Denise helped start and build a local community bank which was merged and eventually was bought by a larger institution. Denise has been very active in the community over a period of 40 years.  She serves on the following boards as an active member and executive leadership roles; Goleta Valley Historical Museum, American Cancer Society, Santa Barbara Police Foundation, Courthouse Legacy Foundation currently serving as Treasurer, Lobero Theater Associate Board, UCSB Customer Experience Certificate Program Advisory Board, and Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara where she served as La Presidenta for the 2018 Fiesta.  Denise has been instrumental in the leadership, fundraising activities, and awareness for the organizations she serves. Denise has lived in Santa Barbara for the past 40 years having moved here from the Los Angeles area after her marriage.  She has two sons, Connor and Kirby.

Stephanie Petlow, Board Member