American Red Cross names new board of directors

The American Red Cross of Ventura County has announced the newest members of its board of directors for 2008-09. The group includes four residents from Thousand Oaks and one from Oak Park.

Jacqui Irwin, former Thousand Oaks mayor, was appointed to the city's planning commission in 2003 and elected to the Thousand Oaks City Council in 2004.

She has served on several City Council committees, including the Crime Prevention Task Force, Lynn/Olsen Road Traffic and Capital Facilities Committee. She serves on the Cal State Channel Islands Dean's Leadership Advisory Committee and has also been the chair of the American Diabetes Tour de Cure Bike Ride for the last four years.

A resident of Thousand Oaks, Glenn Hogan served as vice president of sales and marketing for Hawaii Hotels & Resorts and CEO of HH&R Information Technology and Communications. Presently, he serves on the board of directors for Pleasant Travel Service.

Chris Kimball of Thousand Oaks became the seventh president of California Lutheran University in April 2008 after having served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at CLU for nearly two years. Kimball is a teacher, scholar, author and speaker on higher education.

He served on the Council of Independent Colleges chief academic officers task force from 2002-06 and chaired the group from 2005-06. He also served as a chair of the Academic Council of Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities.

Michele Pettes of Thousand Oaks is the Ventura County public affairs manager for The Gas Company. Prior to this position, Pettes was president & CEO of the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County.

She has more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. A native of Ventura County, Pettes is the past executive director of three U.S. Small Business Administration Women's Business Centers and president of the Women's Construction Network.

The youngest member of the board is Mateen Saffarian, a 17year-old Oak Park High School student from Oak Park. He helped to start a Red Cross Youth Club at his school. Saffarian joined the board of directors to help strengthen the youth program.