Wildling names new president, board members
Kristine Power
Kristine Power is the new president of the board for the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, which has also added Kevin Patterson, Gene Sinser and June Sochel as new members.
A museum spokesman thanked Suzi Schomer, who served three years as the board president. “Her dedication, vision and enthusiasm have guided the Wildling and, fortunately, she will continue to serve as a board member in 2017,” the announcement said.
“With a background in education focusing on art and the environment, I feel a special dedication to the museum and look forward to working with the board, staff, volunteers, museum members and the community, Power said.
Kevin Patterson
A graduate of the Colorado School of Mines in chemical engineering, Patterson had a 38-year career with a major international oil and gas company. His assignments included many all over North America and also two assignments in Kazakhstan and Indonesia. Since retiring to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2015 he has become active with NatureTrack Foundation and attends lectures and hikes at the Sedgwick Reserve.
Gene Sinser
Born and educated in Europe with post-graduate studies at UCLA and USC, Sinser ran a Division at S.E. Rykoff and Company for 12 years and then opened and managed his own art gallery from 1984 to 2000.
He served three terms on the Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury, is a past board member of the Arts Fund of Santa Barbara, is a business coach for Maui Mastermind and SCORE, and is a board member for the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra and the Montecito Fire and Protection District.
June Sochel
Sochel spent several years teaching government and history in Santa Barbara schools. While working on a graduate degree in public administration she accepted a position with Citizens Planning Association, a nonprofit environmental agency dedicated to land use planning and resource management. The 1969 oil spill propelled her fully into the environmental movement and politics, where she managed a number of political campaigns for local candidates.
As Executive Director of the Gildea Foundation she continues to work with numerous nonprofit organizations throughout the county. In the public sector, she spent three years working as special assistant to the county administrator.
