Meet our Staff
Jonathan Abboud, General Manager
As the General Manager, Jonathan oversees all of the services, finances, and employees of the IVCSD. Former AS President and current member of the SBCC District Board of Trustees, Abboud is experienced in community leadership and activism, having played an integral role in the creation of the IVCSD as the co-founder of the Isla Vista Self Governance Initiative.
generalmanager@islavistacsd.com
Sydney Castaneda, Community Engagement Director
As the Community Engagement Director, Sydney takes the lead in planning, developing, managing, and executing the District’s community engagement initiatives, including education, advocacy, communication, and outreach.
communityengagement@islavistacsd.com
Carly Marto, Compost Collective Program Manager
As the Compost Collective Program Manager, Carly oversees the successful operation of the Isla Vista Compost Collective (IVCC) and is responsible for the overall management and supervision of IVCC employees.
compostcollective@islavistacsd.com
Myah Mashhadialireza, Community Spaces Program Manager
As the Community Spaces Program Manager, Myah operates both the Isla Vista Community Center and Community Room. She will oversee the building’s programs on a day-to-day basis, work with individuals and groups interested in using the spaces, and develop programming for the entire community to benefit from.
communityspaces@islavistacsd.com
Jenna Norton, Isla Vista Beautiful Program Manager
As the Isla Vista Program Manager, Jenna oversees a crew of workers who identify and respond to beautification issues in the Isla Vista Community. She collaborates with local stakeholders to reduce waste, increase sustainability, and beautify the community.
Fiona Salsich, Mobility Plan Outreach Coordinator
As the Mobility Plan Outreach Coordinator, Fiona will support reaching all residents in Isla Vista by door-to-door canvassing, community outreach, events, and other community engagement activities for the very first Community Mobility Plan in Isla Vista. Her focus is listening and gathering feedback toward implementing an equitable and sustainable Community Mobility Plan.
Meet our Compost Collective Team
Sophie
Sophie is an environmental studies major with an outside concentration in psychology and brain sciences originally from Palm Desert, California. Sophie is very interested in soil science, urban agriculture, science communication and of course compost! Sophie hopes to further their interests by starting a career related to these topics once she finishes her studies. Sophie joined IVCC almost 2 years ago and got involved with IVCC to get outside, talk to people about compost, and get in the dirt! In her free time Sophie likes to weightlift, do yoga and thrift.
Fiona
Fiona graduated from UCSB in 2021 with a B.A. in environmental studies. Fiona is passionate about building sustainable communities through grassroots methods and community activism.As a Compost Coordinator, Fiona is dedicated to reducing food waste in her local community by assisting with the collection of food scraps and the maintenance of community compost piles.
Arushi
Arushi Lakhan-Pal is an Environmental Studies and Communication double major at UCSB. She was born and raised in the Bay Area. Arushi is interested in food sovereignty, renewable agriculture, environmental justice, ethnobotany, sustainable fashion, and more. She hopes to work with one of these topics in her career. Arushi joined IVCC to learn more about compost systems and taking care of land, and to contribute to Isla Vista’s sustainability and sense of community. Arushi enjoys doing yoga, reading, baking, swimming, and spending time outside.
Zach
Zach is a double major in Economics & Environmental Studies and is from Brisbane, CA. He wants to pursue a career in Environmental Planning to reduce urban sprawl and improve overall sustainability and equality in our living spaces. Zach joined IVCC to learn more about reducing waste and to gain skills of composting which are an essential component to combating climate change. In his free time he enjoys bouldering, capoeira, playing the piano, and consuming art in all its forms.
Ash
Ash is an environmental horticulture student at SBCC. They also work at the far mar with veggie rescue, the food pantry garden at SBCC, is a board director at the IV Parks District, and a garden and compost manager at my Coop house. They have been learning about building healthy soil, growing native, edible, and medicinal plants, while building a community based on solidarity and love for about 4 years.
Luc
Luc is an Environmental studies major (B.A.) at UCSB. His role for Isla Vista Compost Collective is a dirt rider which means he picks up food scraps on the bike (when IVCC is collecting food scraps) and does up keeping on the compost piles. His hobbies are sports, music, hanging out with friends, and exploring nature. He was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.
Meg
Meg is studying Environmental Studies at UCSB. She is passionate about sustainability and climate change and looks to be able to find some type of feasible solution to these issues. Meg is originally from Upstate New York, which she misses very much. Growing up in such a rural area inspired Meg’s love for the environment and composting. She is stoked to be involved in IV’s closed loop food system and learning about how to create environmental change at the local scale. When not riding around on the coolest e-bike around, Meg loves running, hiking, and crocheting.
Meet our Isla Vista Beautiful Team
Alicia
Alicia is a Biology major at UCSB with an interest in environmental science and environmental preservation. As a part of the Isla Vista Beautiful program, she passionately helps respond to beautification issues within the community aspiring to create long-term enhancements and promote sustainable practices in Isla Vista.
Kate
Kate is a History and Environmental Studies Double Major at UCSB with an interest in environmental activism and global studies. Her experience in conservation with the Appalachian Mountain Club and community outreach in Washington, DC gives her a multidimensional background to apply to the Isla Vista community.
Joselyn
Joselyn is a Political Science major at UCSB with an interest in law. In the past, she has taken up the role of a leader making her excellent at taking initiative. She has a passion for inclusivity and a love for Isla Vista. As a member of the Isla Vista Beautiful team, she is committed to making Isla Vista a more enjoyable place for everyone.
Maya
Maya is a Sociology and Environmental Studies major at UCSB. Maya has hands-on experience working in farming and agriculture and has a general love for the outdoors. This along with her passion for sustainability and community improvement makes her a fantastic addition to the Isla Vista Beautiful team.
2022-2023 Interns:
Sara Rubin- Community Engagement Intern
Sara is a Political Science major at UCSB with a passion for international relations, public policy, and law. With her experience in community organizing and advocating for underserved groups in law, Sara works collaboratively with other interns to improve and greater serve the Isla Vista community.
Jacob Parsons- Community Spaces Intern
Jacob is a UCSB alum who has continued to be actively involved in the Isla Vista community since moving here. He has a passion for event planning and community building and is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the community in this capacity. He is extremely active and can be seen skateboarding, playing basketball, or walking my dog most days.
Sanaya Shah- Community Spaces Intern
Sanaya is a Political Science major with a minor in Professional Writing for Civic Engagement at UCSB. She is extremely passionate about event planning, community outreach, marketing, and celebrating the diverse Isla Vista community. As the Community Spaces Intern, Sanaya works in collaboration with the other interns to improve and make the Isla Vista Community Center a welcoming space for all!
