Our Board of Directors

Click for Profiles of Our Advisory Board members

J. Gordon Melton, Ph.D - F-ACT President - Dr. Melton, the director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion, and a research specialist with the Department of Religious Studies at UCSB, was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Birmingham-Southern College (BA, 1964), attended Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary (MDiv, 1968), and received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1975. He was ordained as an elder (minister) in the United Methodist Church in 1968. That same year he founded the Institute for the Study of American Religion. He and the Institute moved to Santa Barbara in 1985. He now resides there with his wife Suzette. His daughter Melanie lives in suburban Washington, DC. Dr. Melton has written a number of scholarly and reference books including the Encyclopedia of American Religions (1979; 8th edition 2009). Other award winning titles include American Religion: An Illustrated History (2000); the Encyclopedia of Protestantism (2005); A Will to Choose: The Origins of African American Methodism (2007); and The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena (2007) Dr. Melton has an extensive background in fundraising and served as the press liaison for a spiritual organization for a number of years.

Judy Shortle - F-ACT Secretary - Born and raised in Ohio, Judy has called Santa Barbara home since 1969. She received a BSW from Ohio State University and a MSW from the University of Washington. She worked for the Washington State Department of Public Assistance. Throughout the years, Judy has been involved in community non-profits, including serving as PTA President for 4 years. She is active in the ministries of her church and has served on 3 mission trips to Chile to help with building projects of the Chilean Methodist Church. She and her husband Eb have two children and two grandchildren. Judy plays alto saxophone in the Prime Time Band and SBCC Concert Band.

David Jimenez - F-ACT Treasurer - David is the IT Manager for Wyatt Technology in Goleta, where he has been employed since 2001. He is the son of immigrant parents from Jalisco, Mexico and has lived in Santa Barbara most of his life. He attended Santa Barbara High and graduated from UCSB with a BS in electrical and computer engineering. David has worked in the fields of engineering and software since 1986. David tutors community college students in math and science.since 2001. He has lived in Santa Barbara most of his life. He attended Santa Barbara High and graduated from UCSB with a BS in electrical and computer engineering. David has worked in the fields of engineering and software since 1986. David tutors community college students in math and science.

E. Onja Brown Lawson, M.A. – Onja is the mother of four children. She has been an educator for many years. She has worked as a counselor at Santa Barbara City College and was the Assistant Director of the Education Opportunity Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Onja was on the faculty at San Francisco Community College for seven years, and was the Director of Education for the Marine Ecological Institute, Redwood, California, prior to moving to Carpinteria, California, in 1987. About a year ago, she relocated to Santa Barbara. For the past ten years she has worked as a home/hospital instructor for the Carpinteria Unified School District; and is also, working on a project in Santa Barbara, involving the environment and energy conservation. Mrs. Lawson has been active in a number of community organizations that serve families and children in the Carpinteria and the south coast community. Education: M.A. degree, counseling, San Francisco State University; B. A., Biology, San Jose State University; A.S. degree, science, Monterey Peninsula College. Onja also, completed requirements and was admitted into UCSF Medical School. Additionally, she has several California teaching and counseling credentials, including K-12, special education and community college counseling. Though a resident of California since graduating from college, Onja sill holds close ties to New York City, which is where she honed the desire to be in a profession that served others, an example set by her mother.

Carlos C Yanez, JD - Carlos is a seventh generation California. He obtained his BA degree in Political Science from Whittier College. His JD was earned at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Married to Denise Yanez he currently lives in Solvang with his wife and two young children. He is the Santa Barbara Regional President of Coastal Vision, Inc., a Westlake Village based real estate development company. Long active in community issues he is also on the board of directors of the Lompoc Hospital Foundation, the Lompoc Family YMCA, Lompoc Chamber of Commerce and Habitat for Humanity NSBC. He has won numerous awards for his contributions to the community and has served as President of the Vandenberg Village Rotary Club. During his presidency the Village Club was recognized for itís outstanding contribution to the local and international community. Mr. Yanez also serves as the Third District Civil Service Commissioner for the County of Santa Barbara.

Sally Hughes, LMFT - Sally Hughes makes her audiences laugh and cry while they absorb invaluable and powerful healing life lessons. Graduating Summa Cum Laude in her late 40's. She re-entered the workforce as a single mother of two young sons. While working full-time, she also cared for her mother, an Alzheimer's victim. Internal fortitude, wisdom, an irrepressible spirit and impossibly positive attitude were essential for her own personal challenges. Her eldest, brilliant son killed himself at 23 after receiving both his B.S. and M.S. in theoretical mathematics in four years - a mere two weeks after turning 21. Sally is now a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, suicide survivor, speaker, and author. She also is the co-founder of a non-profit promoting children to access their unique, resilient full potential.

Paul Anthony Tonkin - Paul has lived in Southern California since 1955. He has a BA in psychology and post-graduate training in Behavioral Sciences. He served in the California Air National Guard as a Pharmacist Specialist and later as the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Medical Service section. He also worked in the Psychiatric Unit at Queen of Angels Hospital and later for the California Department of Corrections (Compton) and also for the Probation Department in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Since he retired in 1997, he started a video production company.


	Our Board of Directors Click for Profiles of Our Advisory Board members J. Gordon Melton, Ph.D - F-ACT President - Dr. Melton, the director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion, and a research specialist with the Department of Religious Studies at UCSB, was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Birmingham-Southern College (BA, 1964), attended Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary (MDiv, 1968), and received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1975. He was ordained as an elder (minister) in the United Methodist Church in 1968. That same year he founded the Institute for the Study of American Religion. He and the Institute moved to Santa Barbara in 1985. He now resides there with his wife Suzette. His daughter Melanie lives in suburban Washington, DC. Dr. Melton has written a number of scholarly and reference books including the Encyclopedia of American Religions (1979; 8th edition 2009). Other award winning titles include American Religion: An Illustrated History (2000); the Encyclopedia of Protestantism (2005); A Will to Choose: The Origins of African American Methodism (2007); and The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena (2007) Dr. Melton has an extensive background in fundraising and served as the press liaison for a spiritual organization for a number of years. Judy Shortle - F-ACT Secretary - Born and raised in Ohio, Judy has called Santa Barbara home since 1969. She received a BSW from Ohio State University and a MSW from the University of Washington. She worked for the Washington State Department of Public Assistance. Throughout the years, Judy has been involved in community non-profits, including serving as PTA President for 4 years. She is active in the ministries of her church and has served on 3 mission trips to Chile to help with building projects of the Chilean Methodist Church. She and her husband Eb have two children and two grandchildren. Judy plays alto saxophone in the Prime Time Band and SBCC Concert Band. David Jimenez - F-ACT Treasurer - David is the IT Manager for Wyatt Technology in Goleta, where he has been employed since 2001. He is the son of immigrant parents from Jalisco, Mexico and has lived in Santa Barbara most of his life. He attended Santa Barbara High and graduated from UCSB with a BS in electrical and computer engineering. David has worked in the fields of engineering and software since 1986. David tutors community college students in math and science.since 2001. He has lived in Santa Barbara most of his life. He attended Santa Barbara High and graduated from UCSB with a BS in electrical and computer engineering. David has worked in the fields of engineering and software since 1986. David tutors community college students in math and science. E. Onja Brown Lawson, M.A. – Onja is the mother of four children. She has been an educator for many years. She has worked as a counselor at Santa Barbara City College and was the Assistant Director of the Education Opportunity Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Onja was on the faculty at San Francisco Community College for seven years, and was the Director of Education for the Marine Ecological Institute, Redwood, California, prior to moving to Carpinteria, California, in 1987. About a year ago, she relocated to Santa Barbara. For the past ten years she has worked as a home/hospital instructor for the Carpinteria Unified School District; and is also, working on a project in Santa Barbara, involving the environment and energy conservation. Mrs. Lawson has been active in a number of community organizations that serve families and children in the Carpinteria and the south coast community. Education: M.A. degree, counseling, San Francisco State University; B. A., Biology, San Jose State University; A.S. degree, science, Monterey Peninsula College. Onja also, completed requirements and was admitted into UCSF Medical School. Additionally, she has several California teaching and counseling credentials, including K-12, special education and community college counseling. Though a resident of California since graduating from college, Onja sill holds close ties to New York City, which is where she honed the desire to be in a profession that served others, an example set by her mother. Carlos C Yanez, JD - Carlos is a seventh generation California. He obtained his BA degree in Political Science from Whittier College. His JD was earned at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Married to Denise Yanez he currently lives in Solvang with his wife and two young children. He is the Santa Barbara Regional President of Coastal Vision, Inc., a Westlake Village based real estate development company. Long active in community issues he is also on the board of directors of the Lompoc Hospital Foundation, the Lompoc Family YMCA, Lompoc Chamber of Commerce and Habitat for Humanity NSBC. He has won numerous awards for his contributions to the community and has served as President of the Vandenberg Village Rotary Club. During his presidency the Village Club was recognized for itís outstanding contribution to the local and international community. Mr. Yanez also serves as the Third District Civil Service Commissioner for the County of Santa Barbara. Sally Hughes, LMFT - Sally Hughes makes her audiences laugh and cry while they absorb invaluable and powerful healing life lessons. Graduating Summa Cum Laude in her late 40's. She re-entered the workforce as a single mother of two young sons. While working full-time, she also cared for her mother, an Alzheimer's victim. Internal fortitude, wisdom, an irrepressible spirit and impossibly positive attitude were essential for her own personal challenges. Her eldest, brilliant son killed himself at 23 after receiving both his B.S. and M.S. in theoretical mathematics in four years - a mere two weeks after turning 21. Sally is now a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, suicide survivor, speaker, and author. She also is the co-founder of a non-profit promoting children to access their unique, resilient full potential. Paul Anthony Tonkin - Paul has lived in Southern California since 1955. He has a BA in psychology and post-graduate training in Behavioral Sciences. He served in the California Air National Guard as a Pharmacist Specialist and later as the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Medical Service section. He also worked in the Psychiatric Unit at Queen of Angels Hospital and later for the California Department of Corrections (Compton) and also for the Probation Department in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Since he retired in 1997, he started a video production company.