Board of Directors
The Ventura College Foundation is made up of a volunteer board of community leaders who serve as the Board of Directors and hundreds of supporters, all of whom are dedicated to enhancing and sustaining the educational experience at Ventura College.
2024-2025 VCF Board Members
Nicole Kreutz
Board Chair
Nicole Kreutz,
Board Chair
Nicole Kreutz is a Ventura College alumni. She believes community colleges are a great stepping stone to a four-year college education for students who aren't yet sure of their career path and for students who want to acquire a two-year certification needed for a high-demand job in the workforce. Nicole sees the foundation's programs impacting students every day. She's most proud of the foundation's scholarship opportunities that alleviate students' worry about finances so they can concentrate on their schooling and remain on track for a successful future.
Nicole has been on the VC Foundation board for five years, previously serving as treasurer. She is vice president, Senior Portfolio Manager for Montecito Bank & Trust in Santa Barbara and is involved in Rotary and other nonprofit organizations in the community.
Rob Van Nieuwburg
Vice Chair
Rob Van Nieuwburg,
Vice Chair
Rob van Nieuwburg was chair of the VC Foundation board of directors for five years, finishing his tenure in 2021. He skillfully maneuvered through the challenges that go with board decisions and outside forces such as the pandemic. His connection with the college began around 1986. At the time, he was the Parts and Service Director for Ventura Toyota (he's now its Business Relations Director). He saw the need for a vocational auto program at the college level and was instrumental in bringing a state-of-the-art program to Ventura College. Since then, after graduating from the program, over 300 students have launched their automotive careers through Ventura Toyota alone -not to mention the many other auto dealerships. With vehicles increasingly more technically complicated, the auto program, he believes, is more important than ever.
Rob joined the board in 2004 and has been involved ever since. He sees community college as a means to transition into adulthood, giving students the time and opportunity to find themselves and discover their career path.
Dustin Tondreau
Treasurer
Dustin Tondreau,
Treasurer
Dustin Tondreau joined the VC Foundation board in 2024. He is the AVP of Wealth Management at Ocean Air Federal Credit Union in Ventura County which partners with LPL Financial.
Dustin’s role as Foundation Board Treasurer is to provide a fiduciary duty of care in overseeing the foundation’s financials and to bring new relationships and strategic partnership opportunities. He also shares his knowledge of finance, economics, and leadership with the Foundation, so it remains productive and prosperous as it seeks to fulfill its mission.
Dustin is a strong advocate for the community college system, viewing it as a powerful, cost-effective gateway to four-year universities so students do not incur thousands of dollars in education debt. He also recognizes the vital role community colleges play in meeting the growing demand for skilled labor trades, particularly in fields like nursing that are crucial to the community. He adds, “Ventura College, with the Foundation's support, offers a local education and economic solution that enables community members to enhance their lives and, in turn, strengthen the entire community.”
Dustin received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from California State University, Northridge.
Abra Flores
Secretary
Abra Pilar Flores,
Secretary
Abra Pilar Flores is a costume designer and educator.
As an educator, Abra sees the tremendous good the foundation does for students. Her goal is to help grow the financial support the foundation offers students and to expand outreach efforts so prospective students know all the financial assistance opportunities available to them.
Professionally, Abra has been telling stories with her designs for the past 40 years. As a working designer, with experiences in multiple venues and production situations (theater, film, dance, and opera), Abra brings a strong knowledge of and appreciation for costume design to her work and her teaching. It is very apparent she loves her craft, and takes great pride in creating excellent work, striving to instill in her students a pride in their craftsmanship and a love of theatre. It’s through scholarships from the foundation that helps her students to excel in their fields.
Abra received a BA in Theatre from Portland State University and an MFA in Costume Design from California Institute of the Arts.
Dr. Claudia Lourido-Habib
Ventura College President
Dr. Claudia Lourido-Habib
Dr. Claudia Lourido-Habib
Dr. Claudia Lourido-Habib is president of Ventura College and a Ventura College Foundation board member.
Dr. Lourido-Habib has more than two decades of experience in community college academics and administration. She was a tenured faculty member at Fresno City College for 10 years. Her administrative roles include Dean of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Industrial Maintenance & Business at Reedley College, Dean of Instruction of Fine Performing Arts, Communication & Journalism at Fresno City College, and Vice President of Student Services & Instruction at Madera and Oakhurst Community College Centers. She served as Porterville College President for five years before coming to Ventura College in July 2024.
As a first-generation immigrant who began her college education knowing little English, she has demonstrated throughout her career a steadfast dedication to expanding access to higher education and fostering innovative programs for traditionally underserved populations.
“Because of my background, I’m more aware of students' needs,” says Dr. Lourido-Habib. “Ventura College is dedicated to giving students the resources that make education possible, so they have a path to success.”
Dr. Lourido-Habib received an Associate of Science in Architecture from Fresno City College, Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design from California State University, Fresno, Master of Science in Instructional Design, and Doctorate in Education and Leadership from California State University, Fresno.
Adrienne Arguijo, M.A.
Adrienne Arguijo
Adrienne Arguijo, M.A., is the Project Director at Ventura College for Servingness: Aspiration, Identity, and Learning (S:AIL) in Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) STEM and Articulation Programs. Coming from a background similar to that of 65% of the student community we serve, Adrienne feels particularly compelled to invest in bringing her experiences and passion to the Board of Directors.
Over the years, Adrienne has managed multiple HSI programs in various capacities at Santa Barbara City College, California Lutheran University, and UC Santa Barbara. For two decades, Adrienne has led student and academic affairs programs with an unwavering passion for transformational change and equity-centered initiatives guided by culturally informed student-centered approaches.
“Ventura College students are incredibly talented and have bright futures ahead of them. It's an honor and a privilege to serve Ventura College students and to be part of their life journey,” says Adrienne. “The Foundation is critical to providing equitable and just-in-time support to all students, which includes a diverse representation of promising scholars eager to give back to our community.”
Adrienne is a first-generation college graduate, earning a B.A. in English with a minor in Women's Studies (LGBTQ+ concentration) and an M.A. in Education from UC Santa Barbara.
Debe Bylo
Debe Bylo
For VC Foundation board member Debe Bylo, Ventura College has been a family affair. Debe took classes at the college to satisfy her teaching credential requirements. Her daughters were lifeguards and swim instructors at Ventura College during the summer months and her husband served as the volunteer bookbinder for the library (he also took art classes). Debe was a middle school teacher for the Ventura Unified School District for 23 years before retiring so she knows the power of education. As a board member, she supports and champions the VC Promise, the VC Foundation’s textbook lending library and other programs that make education financially feasible for students.
Debe says she loves community colleges because they create a bridge to four-year universities, offer career education programs, and opportunities for those wanting to re-enter the job market or brush up on their skills.
Debe received her Bachelor’s Degree in art history from the University of California, Riverside and her Master’s Degree from Azusa Pacific. A Ventura resident since 1976, she is a VC Foundation donor and member of the President's Circle.
Kenneth Collin
Kenneth Collin
Kenneth Collin, a VC Foundation board member since 2014, became interested in Ventura College when his grandson began taking classes there. Ken was impressed by the high level of instruction.
Ken believes education is essential in obtaining a decent job especially as the complexity of industry continues to expand. He sees the VC Foundation providing the critical funding for those who have the ability but not the financial means to see their college and career dreams come true.
Ken graduated from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and as a 2nd Lieutenant from the Army ROTC program. Ken has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Once discharged from the Army, he was employed at several aerospace companies until he purchased Westaironics, Inc., a manufacturers representative company in Los Angeles. He later founded CMP Display Systems, a manufacturing company that designs and fabricates display panels for the aircraft industry. He is now retired and volunteers at several nonprofit organizations.
KAMEA KELLNER
Ventura College ASVC President
Kamea Kellner
Kamea Kellner, Associated Students of Ventura College President, is a first-generation college student majoring in Business Administration and planning to transfer to a four-year university in Fall 2026.
Kamea is passionate about student engagement, with a goal of ensuring a fun and interactive experience for every student at VC.
“As president, I would like to use my platform to advocate for student needs and communicate to them about all the external community support and faculty groups available on campus,” says Kamea.
Before becoming president, Kamea served as ASVC Director of Finance. As a first-year student, she became involved in First Year Experience (FYE) and joined the Business Club and Transfer Student Organization.
Along with being President, Kamea works at the VC Student Activities Office organizing events and leadership opportunities around campus. During her free time, you can find her at the thrift store, at a concert, or with her cats.
Anne Paul King
Anne King
Anne Paul King, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation (VCF), collaborates with the VCF Board to ensure the success of Ventura College students and programs. She’s devoted to opening doors to opportunity by breaking down financial barriers so students can pursue their educational dreams. She believes in the power of a community college education to transform students’ lives and to meet the needs of the Ventura County workforce and economy.
With over 33 years in the nonprofit sector, King oversees the foundation’s $3.7 million annual budget and $29.6 million in assets by building a solid donor base for direct student support, vital resources, and campus initiatives to support student dreams.
The Ventura College Foundation's support of Ventura College students is vital. Fifty-two percent of Ventura College’s 10,000 students are low or extremely low-income and many hold multiple jobs. Fifty percent of students are food insecure and twelve percent are housing insecure.
Under King’s leadership, the foundation distributed $809,995 in direct support to over 5,000 students during the 2022-2023 academic year and another $1.17 million to 68 Ventura College programs across 16 departments and divisions. Scholarships, the VC Promise, VC Basic Needs, textbook and equipment support, and other programs increase access to education, eliminate equity gaps, and empower all students to succeed.
A 20+ year Ventura County resident, Anne Paul King is a dedicated advocate for education. She has worked as a volunteer and professional to help all students strive to reach their educational goals and achieve success. By strengthening the county’s educational assistance opportunities, she has empowered a generation of students to not only achieve educational success but to secure fulfilling careers that strengthen their families and our community.
King was a founding member of the Conejo Schools Foundation. She assisted Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks, with multiple fundraising campaigns that have allowed the church to repair, renovate, and add to its facilities while strengthening programs for Pre-K Education, Youth Ministry, Homeless Services, and Senior Citizens.
King is a Vice-President of the Network for California Community College Foundations, a member of Downtown Ventura Rotary, and an Advisory Committee Member for New Art City Theatre, a new nonprofit based in Ventura dedicated to the development of new theatrical works. She served for five years on CLU’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership, Program Design Committee. She was named the AFP Santa Barbara/Ventura Professional Fundraiser of the Year in 2019.
Liz Kraus
Liz Kraus
Liz Kraus is an adjunct professor of English, Emirita at Ventura College. After a 20-year career, she recently retired from her teaching position and published a humorous, non-fiction travel book, “3 Sisters, 3 Weeks, 3 Countries (Still Talking). Liz began her studies at Ventura College when she was 42 and used scholarships to fund further schooling at Cal State Northridge. The gift of scholarship then came full circle for Liz as she and her husband created the Liz and Dave Kraus Scholarship for returning students who focus on humanities studies.
Making sure VC students do not go hungry is a top priority for Liz. While teaching, she saw students who were unable to afford food so she created Liz’s Tab with L&T Catering to feed hungry students on campus. Her goal as a board member is to spread the word about the foundation’s financial and assistance -programs in ways that reach the student community.
Liz sees Ventura College as an important hub. She says, “Community colleges are all-inclusive. It doesn’t matter your age, your education level or goals, community college is for you. It’s an economical way to discover who you are and what you want to do with your life.”
Matt Lavere, ESQ.
Matt LeVere
Matt LaVere grew up near Ventura College and took classes there in high school and college. A VC Foundation board member for over six years, he is passionate about ensuring that all youth in our community have access to affordable, high-quality education and addressing other challenges students face, such as housing, transportation, and food insecurity.
Matt was elected to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors in 2020. Before that, he served on the Ventura City Council from 2016 to 2020 and was Ventura's Mayor from 2018-2020. He earned his BA with honors in 2000 from Pepperdine University and his law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. Professionally, Matt has worked as a lawyer specializing in business law and agriculture since 2006.
Matt has also served on the Board of Directors for Project Understanding, the Downtown Ventura Rotary Club. He's active in other local charities that benefit youth.
Lydia Matthews-Morales
Lydia Matthews-Morales
Lydia Morales retired in 2022 after 31 years of teaching Mathematics at Ventura College. During her tenure, she had the privilege of helping many students achieve their goals while gaining intimate knowledge of their needs both inside and outside the classroom.
Lydia has donated to Ventura College Foundation during her entire career because the foundation always serves to accommodate students' needs. Having been a first-generation, returning, student of color in STEM who immigrated from Trinidad, Lydia has a first-hand understanding of many of the challenges that her students faced. She sees serving on the foundation board as an opportunity to continue her commitment to helping students accomplish their goals.
As a former Math Department chair and faculty senate president, Lydia had the privilege of advocating for faculty in different capacities, including meeting regularly with the VCCCD board of trustees, with the ultimate goal of better serving students.
Currently, Lydia volunteers at the County of Ventura Health Care Agency during its weekly One Stop event that offers over a dozen services for the homeless or impoverished in one location. These services range from social workers doing case management to providing meals. She envisions the foundation continuing and expanding its service to support more students with similar needs.
Ed Summers
Ed Summers
Ed Summers comes to the board with 30 years of experience in banking and community involvement. He served as a board member for such business organizations as the Ventura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA) and the Economic Development Collaborative- Ventura County (EDC-VC) and was a city council member for the City of Ventura. His focus on the board is to spearhead stronger relationships between industry and the college. With studies showing strong demand for a workforce with advanced technical education experience, Ed sees community colleges playing a vital role in offering the technical training that will prepare our future workforce.
Throughout his career, Ed has developed a strong reputation for bridging the gap in communication between different facets of stakeholders, building consensuses and collaboration. He has a strong reputation and excellent working relationship with business leaders, elected officials and administrative staff at the city, county, state and federal levels.
Harald Wulff
Harald Wulff
Harald Wulff grew up in Duesseldorf, Germany. He studied chemistry in Heidelberg, obtaining his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. Harald soon immigrated to the U.S. and joined Shell Development Company in Emeryville, California. That followed with positions at BASF and then Henkel Corporation, where he became president and CEO. He was appointed to the board of Henkel KGaA. He later became chairman and CEO of Cognis, a worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients. He moved to Ventura in 2001 and retired in 2005.
Harald's family (including children and grandchildren) live in Ventura County. Always community-minded, he has been a member of the Ventura Rotary Club for almost 20 years.
Harald joined the Ventura College Foundation in 2019. Says Harald, "VCF does an incredible job providing financial support to students. This support enables students to focus on their education to secure quality jobs today and in the future. I'm proud to be part of this highly motivated and engaged board. I see VCF's efforts making an ever-growing impact on our community."
James Zavas
James Zavas
Board member James Zavas is Vice President of Business Administrative Services at Ventura College. He oversees the college's financial operations, facilities, information technology, community services, the student business office, financial aid department, and the Basic Needs Center.
Prior to joining Ventura College in September 2023, James served as Budget Director for Ventura County Community College District beginning in December 2020, and before that, served in the Controller and Assistant Controller roles at Santa Barbara City College for seven years.
Being on the administration side of community colleges for over 10 years, James has seen firsthand how community colleges provide students with an affordable education that improves their lives and the lives of their families. Two of the key benefits, says James, are to provide an opportunity for students to get their first two years of a bachelor's degree completed at a lower cost and allow students interested in learning a trade to enroll in one of the many certified career technical programs that are available at the colleges.
“The Ventura College Foundation,” says James, “helps ensure that students get the best services and financial resources possible to make their educational journey more successful.”
James holds a Master’s in Business Administration from California State University, Channel Islands and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Board Emeriti:
David Bianco†
Ellyn Dembowski
Ruth Hemming, ED.D
David Pugh†
Donna Santo, ESQ.
Richard Taylor, ESQ.
Lucia Tebbe†
George Tillquist†
Hon. Colleen Toy White†
John Woolley, ED.D
Helen Yunker†
† Deceased