Nancy Golden Named Opera Santa Barbara Board Chair 

Nancy Golden, an accomplished marketing and fundraising professional with a distinguished record of involvement with area cultural and nonprofit organizations, has been named Opera Santa Barbara Board chair. Ms. Golden, who had been serving as vice-chair, will succeed Sandra Urquhart when her two-year term begins July 1. Rounding out the Board's new complement of officers are Jon DuPrau (vice-chair), Mary Penny (secretary), Richard Banks (treasurer), and Beno Budgor (member at large). Each will serve a one-year term.

A native of Connecticut, Ms. Golden earned a bachelor's degree in English literature at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York, before holding a succession of marketing positions at Time Inc. over a 21-year period. For the past 26 years she has served as the principal of Golden Direct Fundraising, a direct mail consultancy whose clients have included museums and environmental, performing arts, and human services organizations in the Bay Area and locally. Ms. Golden has lectured on direct mail fundraising at the University of San Francisco and presented workshops for members of the Santa Barbara/Ventura Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and for the Santa Barbara Non-Profit Support Center. Her local volunteer efforts include Santa Barbara Meals on Wheels and the Santa Barbara Public Library Adult Literacy Program. She has been a resident of Santa Barbara since 1995, having lived in San Francisco the previous seven years.

"Growing up, I sang in church and school choirs and fell in love with opera upon seeing Carmen at the Met as a seventh-grader. I don't have much musical talent, but have always loved music, and take great pride in doing what I can to nourish and support music-presenting organizations in our community," said Ms. Golden, who until recently served on the Santa Barbara Symphony Board. "I care deeply about Opera Santa Barbara and look forward to contributing to its success. The company has a very bright future."

"We will certainly miss Sandy Urquhart's calm and insightful leadership as well as her unfailing good nature. She has been an absolute pleasure to work with. At the same time we are very excited at the prospect of having Nancy step into the role of Board chair," said General Director Steven Sharpe. "Organizations such as ours thrive to the extent they attract committed and talented advocates. Together and individually Sandy and Nancy offer undeniable proof that our company has been exceedingly fortunate in this regard."

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