2024 New Board Bios
Melissa Guillen
Melissa Guillen is an East Coast transplant, and currently works as a restaurant executive. She is an adoptive mother, biological mother, and stepmother to four wonderful children. Melissa is excited to offer her experience to Girls Inc. as a former nonprofit professional, foster parent, Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer, and international exchange student host. She is also an accomplished trail and ultramarathon runner with many notable performances including her finish as Female Champion at Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2019. In her free time you can find her running, catching sunsets at the beach, and searching for the best food SoCal has to offer.
Lauren Hudspeth
Lauren Hudspeth is a life-long community volunteer with a professional background as a strategy and operations executive and consultant. She has worked with and for a spectrum of organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft, GM, GE, Nordstrom, JHPIEGO and the federal government. She served as Board Chair for Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington where she led the successful search for a new CEO, and as a tax prep volunteer for the United Way’s Free Tax Campaign.
Kendall Lindenbaum
Kendall Lindenbaum is a former HR leader and employee benefits consultant, where she helped organizations develop benefit programs strategies to support the needs of employees. She is an advocate for women’s health equity, and currently works in corporate strategy for women’s health benefits company Progyny, whose mission is to help women and families achieve ideal health throughout reproductive health milestones.
Kendall served on the board of the Denver-based organization The Gathering Place, a day center for women, children and transgender individuals experiencing poverty, and often homelessness. As part of the Executive Committee, she helped lead the organization through significant challenges, including an extensive executive search to replace a president of 35 years, and the COVID pandemic.
Mike Loeza
Mike A. Loeza is a Santa Barbara native, and a devoted husband and father. He has a 19-year career at The Towbes Group, with expertise in corporate training and development, and a commitment to his organization’s growth and the professional development of its members. Mike’s commitment to the betterment of his city is evident as he Chairs the Towbes Group’s Grant Committee, which oversees volunteerism and philanthropic efforts for the betterment of Santa Barbara.
Mike embodies the spirit of Santa Barbara, showcasing unwavering dedication through professional and volunteer contributions, leaving a lasting positive impact on both the organization and the community.
Along with the Towbes Group, Mike has been a longtime supporter of Girls Inc., appreciating its mission of empowering young girls in our community.
Nicole Noren
Nicole Noren is an award-winning director, producer and journalist for ESPN and her independent production company, Green Truck Films. Nicole has produced more than 50 investigative reports and short documentaries for ESPN. A recipient of six Emmys, two Edward R. Murrow Awards and a Peabody Award, Nicole has reported extensively on gender-based violence, education, health and social issues.
A first-generation college grad originally from Ventura, Nicole is an avid traveler, music lover, photographer and outdoor enthusiast now based in Santa Barbara. In addition to Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, she is also a board member for Project Experience for Youth – a non-profit which provides experiential learning opportunities to low-income students in Ventura County. She has been a registered yoga teacher since 2014, once lived on a sailboat for a year, and can typically be found on a trail or at a concert.
Angela Scott
Angela Scott, the Founder & Designer of The Office of Angela Scott, a women run footwear brand, is an innovative entrepreneur with a passion for transforming fashion into a source of empowerment. As a foster child, Angela understands firsthand the power of mentorship and programs that build strength and confidence in young women. Her unwavering dedication to promoting gender equality is not just a mere talking point but a lived reality. Angela actively champions the rights, opportunities, and advancement of women in all facets of life.
In addition to Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, Angela is a founding member of CHIEF, a women’s organization in Los Angeles, and contributes to the advisory board of Women in Leadership at UCSB Extension.