LEAP Awards 2024

Start time February 29, 2024

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Join us on LEAP day, February 29th 2024, to honor two outstanding community leaders, Katya Armistead and Kristen Miller, at our LEAP Awards. Each year, LEAP hosts a virtual event celebrating two individuals who have positively shaped the lives of the children and families in Santa Barbara County.

Join us for a special celebration!

Contact Kara Shoemaker, Director of Development, at karas@leapcentralcoast.org.

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Katya Armistead

Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Student Life at UC Santa Barbara

Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons is an infectious disease specialist in Santa Barbara, California, where she plays a role in patient care, community health, and medical education. She earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, and completed her residency at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, followed by an infectious disease fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. Currently, she serves as the Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and the Medical Director for Infection Prevention and Control.

Katya completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara, her Master’s in Education from Azusa Pacific University, and her doctorate (Ed.D.) in educational leadership from a joint program between UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is a trained facilitator for The Leadership Challenge Workshop®, teaches a leadership course at the UC Santa Barbara Gervitz Graduate School of Education, and works on special projects, especially around campus climate and diversity. In addition, Katya is involved in several local nonprofits, including her membership in Leading From Within (LFW) board of directors and co-instructor for their Emerging Leaders Program (ELP). She is a co-facilitator for Antioch University’s Women in Leadership Certificate Program, sits on the Board of Directors for Women’s Economic Venture (WEV), and is a senior consultant for Equity Practice Group (EPG), facilitating DEI-related workshops for businesses and nonprofits, as well as a partner with The DH Effect whose mission is guiding individuals, families, companies, and organizations to personal accountability, high-trust relationships and belonging.

Kristen Miller

President and CEO of Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce

Kristen Miller leads the Chamber as President & CEO with over 25 years of experience. Prior to the merger of the Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria Chambers of Commerce, Miller led the Goleta Chamber team since 2002, coming from the Corning, New York Chamber of Commerce. Under her leadership, the Chamber has been a catalyst for business, running robust public policy and economic development programs.

She has continued her professional education with extensive training in visitor services, destination marketing, economic development, and community relations, since her degree from New York University. She has served on several local boards including Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board, Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, Visit Santa Barbara, Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation, and UCSB Economic Forecast Project.