Our History
Founded by Betty Stephens (1932-2018) in 1970, Democratic Women of Santa Barbara was created to champion Democratic principles and candidates. Betty envisioned building a community of local women who worked together to raise awareness and funding for Democratic candidates and causes. A victim of sexual violence, Betty said “I found a strength I didn’t know I had. I did daring things.” She believed in empowering women and was a major supporter of many Democratic candidates and causes, including Planned Parenthood and Domestic Violence Solutions.
In 2020, Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The organization has been a chartered club of the California Democratic Party for 45 years. Growing out of the U.S. women’s movement of the 1960s, the founders of Democratic Women, who had been working hard in the political arena in Santa Barbara, sought to have a larger decision-making role in their activities.
Our Values
- The well-being of families and children, including safety from gun violence
- Safe access to reproductive healthcare
- Sustainable economic and environmental practices
- A well-funded public education system
- Healthcare for all
- Voting integrity, voter accessibility and automatic voter registration
- Social justice for all
- Representation for disenfranchised and marginalized people
- Equal rights and protection under the law for LGBTQ+ people
- Comprehensive immigration reform
- Ramification for the Equal Rights Amendment
- Respectful International relations
- Solutions to end homelessness
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
1972 Gene Frost
1972 Mary Jo Miles
1973 Rachel Ullman
1974 Ghita Ginberg
1975 Betty Stephens
1976 Patricia Everett
1977 Mary Clapp
1978 Gene Goldberg
1979 Carnzu Clark
1980 Harriet Phillips
1981 Mary Stilwell
1982 Nina Mauer
1983 Mabel Gunderson
1984 May Goldberg
1985 Jean Roisman
1986 Marilyn Anticouni
1987 Jean Crist
1988 Barbara Upton
1989 Veronica Milo
1990 Naomi Schwartz
1991 Virginia Patterson
1992 Edith Feniger
1995 Mattie Brewer
1996 Elizabeth Storke
2000 Ghita Ginberg*
2001 Harriet Miller
2002 Harriet Phillips
2003 Naomi Schwartz
2004 Selma Rubin
2005 Susan Rose
2006 Hanne Sonquist
2007 Marty Blum
2009 Lolly Quackenbush
2010 Betty Stephens*
2011 Selma Rubin
2012 EJ Borah
2013 Nancy Miller and Marian Shapiro
2014 Mary Ellen Wylie
2015 Sally Hearon
2016 Jill Dexter
2017 Hannah-Beth Jackson
2018 Janet Wolf
2019 Luz Reyes Martin
2020 Hannah-Beth Jackson*
2021 Joyce Dudley
2022 Susan Salcido and Susan Rose
2023 Gwyn Lurie
2024 Claudette Roehrig
2025 Myra Paige
PRESIDENTS OF THE BOARD
1970-71 Mary Jo Miles
1972-73 Betty Stephens
1974-75 Kay Alexander
1976-77 Mary Stilwell
1978-79 Marilyn Anticoni
1980-81 Mabel Gunderson
1982-83 Jean Roisman
1984-85 Elaine Powers
1985-86 Gene Goldberg
1986 Bilina Cicin-Sain
1987 Jean Crist
1988-89 Barbara Upton
1990-91 Virginia Patterson
1992-93 Elizabeth Storke
1994-95 Lillian Flavin
1996-97 Catherine McCammon
1998 Lillian Flavin
1999-2001 Beverly Herbert
2002-04 Barbie Deutsch
2004-07 Kathleen Modugno
2008-11 Mary Ellen Wylie
2012-13 Nancy Miller
2013-16 Gail Teton-Landis
2017 Marty Blum
2018-21 Christina Pizarro
2022-25 Suzanne Cohen
2026 Claudette Roehrig