Board Members

Gabe Escobedo
                                                                                                         
PRESIDENT

Mr. Escobedo earned a Bachelor’s degree at California State University, San Marcos before earning a Master’s degree at St. Mary’s College of California. He works at UCSB as an Intramural Coordinator, overseeing an 18,000-participant program with a $600,000+ budget. Mr. Escobedo helped manage an evacuation center at UCSB during the Thomas Fire. He’s also served on the Planning and Community Formation Commissions at the City of Santa Barbara for the past 3 years. Mr. Escobedo is a member of the Board of Directors for Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA) as well.

His current term on the school board expires December 2026.

Email him at: gescobedo@sbunified.org

William Banning
                                                                                                         
VICE PRESIDENT

William Banning is a passionate advocate for public education with extensive experience in the field. He has a proven track record of working with teachers, administrators, and parents to improve student achievement and is committed to ensuring that every student in the district has access to a high-quality education and the resources they need to succeed.

Banning holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership and retired as Superintendent of the Goleta Union School District in 2017. His 40-year career includes work in Administrative Services, Human Resources, and both elementary and secondary school site leadership. His teaching experience includes elementary, secondary, and university levels. He is looking forward to applying his skills and experience to make a positive impact on the District.

His current term on the school board expires December 2028.

Email him at: wbanning@sbunified.org

Rose Muñoz
                                                                                                         
BOARD MEMBER

Elected to the Santa Barbara School Board in 2018, Rose Muñoz is a Santa Barbara native. She is bilingual and bicultural. Muñoz holds a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) and is recognized as the first social worker, in known history, to serve on the school Board. Muñoz, active in the school community, has volunteered for a Parent Teacher Association and was involved in the formation of the Equity and Excellence Committee at Dos Pueblos High School.

She is recognized for her work to support the passage of local school bonds for art and music programs and to increase funding for local schools. In addition to her work with the school community, she provided Spanish translation for the Pro Youth Movement and the Westside Community group. Her goal is to have a school culture that is inclusive and safe for all students. It is her belief that every student in our schools should have equal access to an excellent education, regardless of race, income or background. Muñoz and her husband, Luis, have two daughters ages 25 and 28 who attended public schools and benefitted from a public education in Goleta Union and Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Her current term expires in December 2026.

Email her at: rmunoz@sbunified.org

                        Sunita Beall
                                                                                                                                                                                      BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Beall is Santa Barbara Unified Parent and works as a physician at UCSB.

She previously served as a Trustee on the Board of Santa Barbara Middle School . Dr. Beall also participates in the SBUSD Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Parent Advisory Committee.

Her current term on the Board expires in 2028.

Email her at: sbeall@sbunified.org

Celeste Kafri
                                                                                                         
Board Member

Celeste Kafri is a parent and education advocate. As a Board member, she is working towards a future where every child in Santa Barbara Unified is supported, challenged, and thrives in school and life.

Celeste has always been a volunteer and advocate for others. Most recently, she co-founded a grassroots group of parents that successfully advocated for evidence-based reading instruction in Goleta Union School District, to ensure more students in the district read proficiently. Other volunteer experience includes serving in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia and advocating for a medically fragile foster child as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Celeste has operations and finance experience. She earned an BA in Economics from Swarthmore College, an MBA from UCLA Anderson, and a Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown. Celeste established and ran operations for BlueLabs, a data analytics start-up. 

Celeste is book-worm with a life-long love of learning. In her free time, she enjoys nature, hiking, and native plants. She is married and has three children.

Her current term expires in December 2028.

Email her at: ckafri@sbunified.org

Erick Gonzalez Ramirez
                                                                                                         
S T U D E N T   B O A R D  M E M B E R

Erick Gonzalez is a senior at Santa Barbara High School and will serve as the new Student Board Member for the 2024-2025 school year.

Erick chose to take the position as Student Board Member with the goal of having every student’s voice heard, and to strengthen communities on every campus. 

He is driven by the desire to see his fellow students thrive, excel, and bloom, ensuring they are represented through their culture, perspectives, and ideas.

He prioritizes student well-being and strives to make the school environment a place where all feel united and able to grow as learners with the support they deserve to be successful. 

Email Erick at: studentboardmember@sbunified.org