New Board Members at SB Museum of Natural History

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History announced the newest members to its Board of Trustees: our town’s Hiroko Benko and Amanda Lee. Both women have long histories as professional businesswomen and philanthropists. 

Benko is renowned for her historic ocean exploring vessel, The Condor Express, founded by her late husband Fred, for which she is the CEO and president. She has a profound love of the natural world and her work in the community attributes to it. 

Jean-Michel Cousteau has been a longtime friend. Benko supports his Ocean Futures Society, recently donating The Condor Express for a whale-watching experience with Cousteau in November. She shared she could not be with Cousteau for that event because she was requested to lead a private tour and tea ceremony with family friend Kobori Sojitsu, the 13th Grand Master of the Enshu Sado School in Tokyo, for members of the Montecito Bank & Trust’s MClub, while on a cultural tour of Japan.

Born in Japan, Benko has made her home in Santa Barbara for over 30 years and has worked in international relations and foreign service positions based out of Los Angeles. She is one of four co-chairs on the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage team with Cousteau, Greg Gorga (executive director of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum), and Holly Lohuis (Ocean Futures). Her nonprofit service includes being a member of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Board. She has been featured in the Montecito Journal’s Giving List(2022).

Amanda Lee is the Montecito Estates Director for The Haskell Group and she has worked in the real estate field for over seven years, following a career in boutique marketing and PR. 

This year she co-chaired the Montecito Union School Foundation Annual Gala with Cate Stoll. She holds a BA in Communications from UCSB. Lee and her husband Travis have three children: Cash (12), Harper (9), and Navy (almost 2). 

Lee’s family are patrons and supporters of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History as it is home to countless priceless memories for them. She is dedicated to helping preserve the history and unique offerings that the Museum provides for future generations of Santa Barbarians and visitors of the area.  

411: www.sbnature.org