Our Hosts

Erica Salda-Zoller, CSA, CAS, President/Founder, E Pro Insurance Agency, LLC, , an Economic and Business graduate of Westmont College and Warrior Soccer Goalie MVP. Erica has been insuring futures through annuities, life insurance, and estate gift creations for clients since 1983. She has assisted over 20,000 clients in the last 34 Years to achieve their financial goals. While focusing her business on the needs of seniors, she has many multi-generational clients, sometimes working with as many as four generations of the same family.

Throughout her adult life, Erica has been involved in youth projects and has coached multiple sports from ages KK to 8th grade for over 35 years. Although she was Nominated for Coach of the Year, Erica is most proud of co-founding Santa Barbara Wellness Center, Inc., focused on wellness education, assisting in fun-raising over a million dollars to our Local Santa Barbara Teen Athletes through the efforts of TeenSportsRadio on KZSB News Press Radio AM 1290.

Co-founding the OASIS program at St. Raphael’s Elementary School with past principal Ellen Manning assisted students with different learning abilities through facilitating greater access to resources on-campus. Ellen Manning’s leadership reached out to our communities educational leaders and created an environment that provided services to all our students learning styles. The Outstanding Academic Spiritual Inclusive School Program created a community that still exists today, a very actively involved creating, participating and partnering group. We all just live to love Santa Barbara! That said, please join me and replant your front yard “Grow Food Not Grass!”

Dominique Hackett, CHC is a certified health coach and meditation teacher, mother of five children, and survivor of not one, but two life-changing heart attacks. After her second heart attack, she realized something wasn’t right with the way she was living her life. She then embarked on a soul-discovering, attitude and consciousness-shifting journey that resulted in combining her life-long passion for cooking, helping people, and her new-found knowledge of health and happiness. She now joyfully lives her life in Santa Barbara, CA, working with clients one-on-one, cooking and teaching others how to prepare delicious and nutritious foods through her blogs and in classes and coaching programs around the world. She also loves teaching meditation and sharing gluten-free recipes with our local teen athletics as a co-host on Teensports Radio.

Host of “Tell Me Your Story”, new paradigms for a new world. Giving you choices and knowledge of those choices to make your dreams come true.

We all have a story and mine is no greater or lesser than yours. Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I was legally blind from birth. In spite or because of that, I went through 13 years of school not knowing what I wanted to do and so I went to Community College and worked in the AV Department. I found out about a job with ‘Sun Sounds’ Radio Reading Service, for the blind and visually impaired. I not only became a client, I started working there August 29, 1979 and never “looked” back.

On March 6, 1996, I received a lens implant and went from 20/200 or worse to 20/80 overnight. Within just a few months, I was learning to drive a car. A dream I had given up in acceptance of the way I was, legally blind. And that was ‘OK’. Bicycling was just fine for me. Then my marriage of 15 years came to an end and I met Amrita Ma. We married and moved to her home town of Santa Barbara and we both started a new life up on the hill, within 5 minutes for her childhood home.

We’ve been to Ireland twice and dream of living there one day very soon.

I dreamed I would drive, travel to far away places, share the love with someone with a very open, loving heart, live by the sea, have my own radio show, teach others my craft, meet new and exciting souls. I am working on 2 books and more.

What are your dreams?…

Michelle Hillman Meyering was born in South Dakoda and raised in Tempe, Arizona. She holds a B.S. in Exercise Science/Physical Education from Arizona State University and is a certified personal trainer. Prior to moving to Santa Barbara in February, 2014, she lived all over, supporting her husband’s Miliary career, including posts in Washington, D.C., Germany and Georgia.

She has two daughters and was active in their sporting endeavors; coaching soccer for 10 seasons and serving as team manager for 2 travel soccer seasons as well as one year with the European Olympic Development socdcer team.

Michelle found her niche in the non-profit sector after working for the Boy Scouts. That passion followed her to Santa Barbara, where she began work with the Santa Barbara Police Activities League. “Being able to positively impact the lives of our future leaders is what keeps me going!” she states. Michelle strongly believes that it takes a village and PAL provides the structure and backbone of that village for many of the youth they serve.

Heather Bond is a multi-generational native to Santa Barbara. Heather has had a fascination with how the human body and the brain work together through thoughts and visualization since she was a young girl.

She started competing in sports at the age of 7 and was a stand out athlete through high school and college, holding school records and winning her Western State conference in the discuss from SBCC. She went on to earn a degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition in the early 1990’s through American College of Sports Medicine.

In 1993 Heather qualified to become one of the females on the USA Adventure Racing circuit and for the next 10 years she pushed the physical limits of the human body, racing all around the world. In

1999 Heather was selected as one of five individuals to be selected to join the USFS full time as a fire fighter while earning her AS degree in Fire science and Wildland Fire technology and in 2003 Heather got selected for a position to become a coveted L.A City Fire Fighter. This is where her world got turned upside down. In July 2005, Heather had a 200 pound ladder drop on her head in a company drill and suffered a serious spine injury. Heather spent the next 2 years in structured rehab and battled to redefine her identity.

In March of 2008 after her therapy ended, Heather along with her mom Monica embarked upon a spiritual journey to India, hoping for answers to who she is now, not knowing that what lied ahead of them would not only answer that question but change her life forever. After a 3-week journey through this country of extreme contrasts Heather and her mom were ready to disembark back to the US, when the most bizarre twist of fate happened. The airport security found a cartridge of 9 mm bullets in Heather’s backpack. For the next 3 months Heather and her mom were held prisoner in India not knowing what would become of them.

Because you’re reading her bio, Heather made it back. With many lessons learned and stories to tell.

In 2010 Heather returns to her roots of inspiring and motivating others, especially women, to take responsibility for their own health and fitness. Like her mentor, the late great Jack LaLanne Heather’s philosophy is to get people to look differently at health and fitness making it Simple, Fun and Effective.

Dale Figtree, PhD has been a Nutritional Health Practitioner for over thirty years and an artist since childhood. She has a private Nutritional Consulting practice in Santa Barbara, California, and taught “The Basics of Nutrition” for several years at the Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine. Dr. Figtree presents nutritional seminars throughout the United States and Europe, and is the author of three books:

• Eat Smart, Feel Great: Fun and Informative – for Kids, Teens, and the Whole Family
• Delicious, Nutritious and Simple: Super High-Nutrient Recipes for Health and Healing
• Beyond Cancer Treatment: Clearing and Healing the Underlying Causes.
• She also has produced the DVD/video, The Joy of Nutrition.

Steve has been coaching high school basketball for 13 years and compiled over 250 wins in the process that includes 2 CIF Championship Games and also a trip to the 2013 State Final Four. 3-time league”Coach of the Year”, and in 2015 was also listed as one of the “Top Coaches” by West Coast Elite Basketball. Steve Stokes has immediately made a major impact in the athletic programs across the board at Providence. Most of Providence’s athletic teams are poised to have record breaking seasons and their athletes are reaching new levels of success. His impact at Providence has not only been felt on the court, but in the community as well. Providence athletics has been involved with youth programs in the community and is creating an athletic culture in the Santa Barbara community. Providence has quickly become a destination for many high level athletes in town.

Angela Miller-Bevan attended local schools in Santa Barbara, going on to study Business at Santa Barbara City College. She has worked for local companies in the Santa Barbara area in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations before coming to Fairview Gardens in 2014. Angela is married to Sean Bevan and they have two handsome sons, Austin and Jaxson. She brings her Development experience to Fairview Gardens from her 15 years of service on the Old Spanish Days Board and The Carriage and Western Museum Board. Angela has also served on the Santa Barbara Human Research Board and the Santa Barbara Family Care Service Board. She is a past president of Kiwanis of Santa Barbara.

Director of Marketing and Development
The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens
598 N. Fairview Ave, Goleta, CA 93117

Andrew Gil born and raised in Santa Barbara and graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 2006. He attended UC Berkeley where he earned a B.A. in Political Economics and Political Science in 2010. Andrew finished his schooling in 2012 earning his M.A. and PPS Credential in Educational Counseling from Azusa Pacific University. He is bilingual and is active in civic and community events. Andrew is currently a Guidance Counselor at Santa Barbara High School, an Academic Counselor at Santa Barbara City College, and is the Associate Head Basketball Coach at Santa Barbara High School. In his spare time enjoys exercising and playing all sports.

Ronnie Shahbazian, was born and raised in Fresno area and worked in the family automobile repair business while attending school. Drafted into the Army in 1967 and served in Vietnam from November 1967 until November 1968 returning to college and the family business after his discharge.

In 1983 Ronnie moved to Santa Barbara, CA and has worked in various management positions including Color Glow West, Cycles 4 Rent, The Californian Hotel, and Hotel Santa Barbara. Became a commercial driver in 2001 with Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District and continues to work as a driver along with the marketing department.

Becoming interested in motorcycles at a young age he is now an avid motorcyclist and in 2005 became a part of Santa Barbara Riders and has served as spokesman since 2014. Additionally, Ronnie has served since 2014 inception, as board President for the Santa Barbara Riders for Veterans Foundation. The organization serves the needs of local Veterans.

Honored to be a co-host of SB Teen Sports Radio and looking forward to contributing to the shows focus on the Santa Barbara youth sports scene.

Brian Falk L.Ac., Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches University in Santa Cruz. Brian attended UC Santa Barbara for an undergraduate degree in Psychology. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in Somatic Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate University. Brian has integrated his formal education with extensive travel experiences abroad. He worked in the hospitals in Hang Zhou, China, where he was exposed to pediatric massage, herbal treatment for stroke patients, and advanced acupuncture techniques. He worked as an acupuncturist on the Caribbean Princess Cruise Lines, treating people from all around the world. Extended time in Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, and Europe has given Brian a unique cultural education that has allowed him to connect with various types of people and life situations. In addition to his private medical practice in Carpinteria, he is a teacher and writer, with an intention to spread Wisdom traditions for the benefit of humanity and Nature. Past lectures and seminars have included topics such as vision improvement, food as medicine, and using acupuncture and massage for chronic pain.

Clinic location:
4943 Carpinteria Ave.
Carpinteria, CA 805-223-0915

Michael attended the State University of New York at Albany on a federally funded grant program, the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). Michael was planning to be a middle school teacher, but during his junior year, his college advisor encouraged him to take an elective course at a non-profit organization. Michael flipped through a brochure, saw The Boys & Girls Club listed and decided to see what it was all about. Michael has spent his entire 28 year career in Boys and Girls Clubs. Michael held positions in Albany New York, Lodi New Jersey, Everett Washington, Burlington Washington, Bellingham Washington and Anaheim prior to joining the United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County.

In January of 2015 Michael took the position with the United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County. In the 11 months he has been there average daily attendance has doubled, the clubs have opened on Saturdays and extended their hours to late nights on Friday nights.

Michael has been married to his wife Marian for 28 years. Together they have three children: Brennan (a sophomore at UCSB), Collin (a senior in High School) and their 12-year old daughter Michaela (who Michael says is going to be a NUN!).

Dustin Alliano, Owner of Superior Fitness Center is a 9th generation Santa Barbara local. Dustin trains a wide variety of clientele ranging from seniors to young athletes. His approach to fitness is not the typical narrow mind set of many larger gyms, which focus purely on the physical body. Dustin uses a more holistic approach to overall health and wellness. His gym not only houses a wide variety of workout equipment, a lot of which is unique even to the fitness realm (400-700lb tractor tires used for flipping etc.), but it also contains a meditation room where his clients can choose to relax, center, and rejuvenate themselves after their workouts. It is no mere coincidence that Superior Fitness Center has many inspirational and motivational quotes visible all around the facility. Their presence reflects Dustin’s goal as a trainer: to motivate and inspire people to step out of their comfort zone, believe in themselves, and develop the courage, faith and persistence needed to reach their full potential. After a session with Dustin you will not only leave feeling like you got a great workout but you will feel better about yourself as a whole.

Superior Fitness Center
1331 San Andres
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Laurie Cortez, founder of College Coaching Services and Certified Educational Consultant, has successfully guided hundreds of high school students and their parents through the college admissions process. Laurie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management, a California Teaching Credential, and has secured advanced credentials in College Counseling through UCLA. Laurie is an active member of NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling). She has written informative articles for the Santa Barbara News Press and The Daily Sound, and has presented workshops about the college application process at local high schools, junior high schools and educational centers.

Laurie’s experience as a former teacher and vice principal, combined with her proven track record as an Independent College Counselor, provide valuable insight to the higher education landscape; specifically how applicants can best prepare themselves to achieve success with the college application process.

Anthony Rodriguez is a co-founder of Santa Barbara Response Network and co-chair of the local Out of the Darkness walks, Anthony has been a fierce advocate for suicide prevention. However, his work in the community is not limited to that; he has also been a tremendous help offering lessons in CERT, empowering the community to feel prepared when disaster strikes. He often shares his life story to educate and inspire others to be empathetic to those contemplating suicide and shed light on how to prevent suicide. He is so excited to be a co-host on Teen Sports Radio and take advantage of the amazing opportunity to share his story on this platform!

Emily Yurchesen is an author, musician and performance coach. With an M.A.T from Lewis and Clark College, her first teaching gig was in an alternative high school. After three years, she had a spiritual awakening or “kriya” that led her to her calling. She hopped on a plane to take a trek in Nepal, watch a cremation ceremony in India and then made a new home in Portugal where she taught literature at an American International School but equally important began to develop her own creative and musical passions. She finally learned to play her guitar that sat dejected in her closet for six years and began to hear music inside of her. She picked up her pen and wrote stories and songs that helped heal her and inspire others to follow their dreams. Finding this connection with music led her to exciting new terrains including becoming an author of a transformative creative and musical workbook entitled “An Odyssey of Song” that guides people to find and express the songs and stories in their hearts. She also embarked on teaching music classes for all ages and coaching people one-on-one and in workshops to unblock their creativity.

Emily’s musical path has provided amazing opportunities to perform in different places around the world. The most exciting was when she and her friend Lulu were invited to do some travel writing in the Dominican Republic. They wrote inspiring articles, for they had a mission with this trip. Carrying five ukuleles and 10 solar powered lights in their suitcase, they intended to share the gifts of music and light. Lulu’s friend had a connection with a local t.v. show, and they had an opportunity to share their intention and an original song about the power of peace that they wrote on this station. This brought musical joy and light to a number of families.

Emily has volunteered the last five years providing healing music to the Mission Villa Alzheimer’s Home. She also performs regularly for Mariposa Senior Center and a number of other community gatherings including Peace Pinknics with local activists.

Recently, Emily joined the Unity Toastmasters in Santa Barbara as she starting launching a career in public speaking. She wrote and told an award winning Tall Tale about a girl who goes on an incredible Hawaiian ukulele adventure to discover the music within her and find her voice.

Emily loves to inspire people to “follow their bliss” as mythologist Joseph Campbell inspired her to do through the wisdom of the hero’s journey. She believes that everyone has the potential to be the hero of their own lives, and love is the guiding force of the universe. The more we learn to love and celebrating the unique divine spark we are, the more the universe conspires to support us and gives us the courage to as Thoreau says to, “Walk confidently in the direction of our dreams”. Emily is thrilled to have this wonderful opportunity to support the children and families of this community. Thank you Erica and to Teensports Radio.

My grandfather came to Santa Barbara in 1866, owned and operated the Enterprise Dairy, and two streets are named for him: Langlo Terrace and Old Langlo Ranch Road. My father born 1914 Cottage Hospital and me in 1948. I attended Peabody, La Colina Jr High, San Marcos High School, and Santa Barbara City College.

I apprenticed 1968 as a machinist; 1971 Heating & Air Conditioning; 1978 a fixed wing-single-engine aircraft pilot license; 1979 built my first house; 1981 contractor’s license;1982-1990 I built a 1953 Studebaker for competition and drove it on the Bonneville salt flats, top speed 235 miles per hour.

I taught apprentice classes for SBCC in 1990-93. Now I attend SBCC’s Extended Learning classes in music and singing. My Hobbies are vintage cars and motorcycles, and I have a 1929 Ford Roadster bought by my father in 1932 and a 1940 Ford Coupe, 1965 Ford Gal-axle and 1940 Indian Scout Motorcycle.

Kristine has great depth of passion, love, and curiosity for Mythology, Astrology, Storytelling, Human Development, Jungian Psychology, Dreamwork and World Travel, and with these, aims to provide insightful, powerfully transformative tarot readings.