Rita Beth Moya, corporate and health foundation executive, advisor and philanthropist, passed away peacefully July 3, 2024, surrounded by her loving family at her home in Montecito, California, at age 74. She was loved by all who knew her for her grace, generosity, intelligence, humility, and character.  Rita was born to Paul David Becker and […]

There are 19 RiteCare Childhood Language Centers across California, a program of the California Scottish Rite Foundation that provides life-changing speech therapy, language skills, and literacy services to more than 2,300 children at no cost to the families. The highly effective centers in many ways more than fill the gaps between what the public schools […]

For more than 25 years, uber philanthropist Leslie Ridley-Tree and her husband Paul generously supported the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in its mission to “integrate into the lives of people.” Leslie, who moved to more heavenly pastures two years ago at the age of 98, served on the board of trustees for 15 years, […]

Animal activist and winemaker Gretchen Lieff hosted a pre-Independence Day bash at her charming Arcady estate for 60 guests, including her ex-husband, international legal eagle Robert Lieff, who is also an award-winning vintner with his Rutherford cabernet. Among those hovering around the barbecue to snaffle the burgers and hotdogs while quaffing Gretchen’s La Lieff vino […]

Grammy-winning violinist Joshua Bell, music director of London’s Academy of St, Martin-in-the-Fields, joined iconic pianist Jeremy Denk in a dazzling duo performance at the Granada. The tony twosome’s concert, part of the Music Academy of the West’s Summer Festival, featured works by Franck, Beethoven, and Mozart. The sold-out 90-minute performance featured Mozart’s “Sonata No. 18 […]

The Music Academy of the West hosted the second of its five-part orchestra series when the Academy Festival Orchestra under conductor Anthony Parnther, the Yale-educated music director of the San Bernardino Symphony since 2019, performed at the Granada Theatre. Joan Huang’s “Tujia Dance,” and Florence Price’s “Symphony No. 3” kicked off the entertaining concert, wrapping […]

Victoria Rightmire is the new executive director of CADA, the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Since 2013 Rightmire has served as Program Director of CADA’s SAVE program, which provides free counseling, assessment, referral, financial consultation, and legal guidance to employees of contracted companies. Rightmire also provided exemplary leadership, guidance and clinical supervision at CADA […]

Santa Barbara Symphony president Kathryn Martin has been honored with the 2024 Executive Leadership Award by the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.  The prestigious accolade will be presented at the organization’s annual conference in San Francisco at the end of this month. Kathryn’s dynamic leadership has been instrumental in bucking national trends through improved community […]

Corin Lee is the 2024 Alumni Enterprise Award winner at the Music Academy of the West for his innovative endeavor VR Practice. Lee attended the Miraflores campus as violin fellow in 2009 and today is a member of the Ethel string quartet and founder of the Liberated Performer, a program that trains and empowers performers […]

Local realtor, investor, and entrepreneur Kim Stone is the new president of the Montecito Rotary Club. A longtime Rotarian who has led multiple service projects for the organization, she succeeds Tony Morris, who has just completed a two-year term. Founded in 1953, club has developed projects and provided service to the community and the wider […]