Goleta City Councilmembers and several staff members were honored to be part of a memorable evening put on by the South Coast Chamber of Commerce on December 5 celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Goleta’s Finest and our 2025 honorees. The gala featured inspiring speeches, heartfelt moments, and special recognition for the remarkable individuals who have made a lasting impact on the Goleta community.
The 2025 Goleta’s Finest Award recipients are:
- Man & Woman of the Year – Ron and Patricia Caird
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Anant Yardi
- Educator of the Year – Sarah Ashton
- Education Impact Award – Dos Pueblos Mock Trial Team
- Student of the Year – Kennedy Fick
- Student Leader of the Year – Reese Large
- Nonprofit of the Year – The Friendship Paddle & Keiki Paddle
- Health Impact Award – Arie DeJong
- Volunteer of the Year – Jeff Zamora
- Nonprofit Leader of the Year – Ernesto Paredes
These outstanding honorees capture the spirit of the Good Land. Learn more about each recipient here: https://tinyurl.com/3mh67f6f.
View photos from the event at https://tinyurl.com/3rsccy8d.
We are so proud of all of this year’s recipients and thank the Chamber and all the generous sponsors for putting on this wonderful event every year!
Group Photo
Goleta City Council and Staff, pictured left-to-right: City Manager Robert Nisbet, Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover, Councilmember Jennifer Smith (District 3), Councilmember James Kyriaco (District 2), Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín (District 1) and Assistant City Manager Jaime Valdez
Audience