John Van Donge, founding President of the Santa Barbara Search and Rescue Foundation, brings extensive experience in wealth management and community service. He joined Stifel in 2014 as a founding partner of the Private Wealth Services Group and has held significant roles at Merrill Lynch, managing over $1 billion in assets. An Eagle Scout and active in the National Eagle Scout Association, John also serves as President of the Santa Barbara Police Foundation and supports the SBPD K-9 unit. He founded Blaine County FiRST, a non-profit for first responders in Blaine County, ID.

Joe is a strategist, finance professional, and entrepreneur. He earned an MBA from Vanderbilt University. He currently oversees AssetLab Capital’s strategic direction and finance and serves as a Board Member at Mission Linen Supply and previously held executive roles there. Additionally, Joe is on the Board of the GBP Foundation, supporting underprivileged and at-risk youth. He previously founded an aerospace software company and was a Director of the Tennessee Business Aviation Association. He holds Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Pilot, and Rescue Diver certifications. Recently, Joe completed the SAR Academy and now serves as a Rescue Trainee with SBCSAR.

Mark Hall’s dedication to service is evident in his roles within the Santa Barbara community. He serves as Secretary of the Santa Barbara Search and Rescue Foundation and is a 10-year Rescue Member with the Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue Team, currently an Incident Commander. At Golden 1 Credit Union, Mark specializes in real estate finance, bringing four decades of experience in mortgage banking and wealth management. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Biology and excelled as an intercollegiate athlete. Mark’s commitment extends to coaching high school sports, professional refereeing, and contributing to conservation and community development through the Santa Barbara Zoo’s Development Committee.

Staci Richard brings more than 30 years of experience in education, emergency response, and community leadership to the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation Board. She has been an active volunteer with Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue since 2018, serving as an Operational Leader and coordinating the team’s Project Lifesaver program in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. She previously served four years on the Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue Board.

Staci serves as Senior Manager of U.S. Emergency Response at Direct Relief, where she coordinates disaster response efforts and supports frontline healthcare partners during major emergencies, including the recent California wildfire response.

In addition to her SAR and humanitarian work, Staci has longstanding ties to the Santa Barbara community through her career in education and mentorship at Laguna Blanca School.

Thomas Tighe brings more than two decades of leadership experience in global humanitarian response, nonprofit governance, and crisis management to support the Foundation’s mission of strengthening Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue.

Tighe recently concluded a distinguished 24-year tenure as President and CEO of Direct Relief, where he led the organization’s growth into one of the world’s most respected humanitarian aid providers. Under his leadership, Direct Relief expanded its global reach, scaled its emergency response capabilities, and became a critical partner to first responders and healthcare providers.

Tighe is a graduate of UC Berkeley and earned his law degree from UC Law San Francisco. His past roles include Chief Operating Officer of the Peace Corps, counsel to a U.S. Senate committee, and visiting professor at UC Santa Barbara. He is also a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand.