New AHC Foundation Board members Paul Cook, from left, Christina Hernandez, Dr. Naishadh Buch, and Len Jarrott.
SANTA MARIA — The Allan Hancock College Foundation Board of Directors elected four new members to its board, adding experience in business, finance, nonprofit management and public affairs.
The new members include Paul Cook, president/CEO of CoastHills Federal Credit Union; Guadalupe City Councilmember Christina Hernandez; Dr. Naishadh Buch, retired COO of Lompoc Valley Medical Center and real estate broker Len Jarrott.
“We’re fortunate to have such accomplished and experienced volunteers joining our board,” says Dr. Jon Hooten, executive director of the Foundation. “Each of these individuals care deeply about education and the future of the communities we serve. We’re honored that they are choosing to direct that passion toward serving Hancock’s students.”
Paul Cook is a seasoned banking executive with 25 years of experience in finance, lending, operations, administration and technology. He has served as president/CEO of CoastHills Federal Credit Union since 2018 and has been at the organization since 2015. He also serves as board chair of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. Cook holds a degree in political science from Utah State University and an MBA from Brigham Young University.
Christina Hernandez, a Hancock alumna and lifelong resident of Guadalupe, is an experienced non-profit professional and civil servant. She is on the district staff for Assemblymember Gregg Hart and since 2022 has served as a Councilmember for the City of Guadalupe. For eight years she was an administrator at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center and has served in leadership positions in the Guadalupe Lions Club, Los Amigos de Guadalupe and the Comité Civico de Guadalupe.
Dr. Naishadh Buch recently retired from the Lompoc Valley Medical Center as chief operating officer with over 20 years of experience in hospital administration. Dr. Buch served 12 years as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as?a Liaison Officer to UN forces. After retiring as a lieutenant colonel, he trained as a pharmacist and received his Doctorate of Pharmacology degree, as well as an MBA, from the University of Southern California.
Len Jarrott owns Jarrott & Co., a successful real estate brokerage firm based in Santa Barbara, where he lived for over 50 years. Now a resident of Nipomo, he has long supported community college education, having served as an elected trustee to Santa Barbara City College and a member of the SBCC Foundation Board of Directors. He has also taught classes at SBCC, UCSB and Brooks Institute of Photography. He also serves on the boards of Festival Mozaic and Hospice of San Luis Obispo County. He holds a degree in biology from Loyola Marymount University, a masters degree in philosophy from San Diego State, and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Established in 1977, the AHC Foundation exists to ensure college education for all. The Foundation recently completed a $10 million campaign to provide two years of tuition and fees for new high school graduates in the region. With a $24.5 million endowment, the Foundation provides over $550,000 in scholarships each year plus additional support for students, academic programs and other college priorities each year.
For more information, visit ahcfoundation.org.