The Bishop community, staff, and current board welcome new members Ronald (Ron) Cortez, Ashley Parker Snider, Shari H. Isaac, Marisa Grimes, and returning former members Ralph Iannelli, and Peter DaRos to the Board of Trustees.
Ron Cortez is an accomplished leader with over twenty-nine years of executive experience in higher education, local government, and the military. Currently, he is the Associate Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services at the University of California, Santa Barbara overseeing Business and Financial Services, Auditing, Human Resources, Police, and Environmental Health and Safety. Prior to that, he worked fourteen years for the County of Santa Barbara, ultimately serving as the Deputy CEO. He is presently on the Board of Directors, United Way and formerly was the president of several statewide professional organizations, including the California Counties General Services Association and County Engineers Association of California-Solid Waste Committee.
In 2012, Mr. Cortez made headlines when he and his daughter Kristen (Bishop, ’05), simultaneously earned their Juris Doctorates. He decided it was finally time to pursue his Law degree when his youngest child, Marcus, graduated from Bishop in 2007, and began earning his degree at Georgetown University.
Shari H. Isaac, has served as a Corporate airline executive in Chicago, bringing to the board her business expertise in marketing, human resources, and educational development. Presently, she sits on the corporate board of PathPoint, Inc., the advisory board of the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, also participates in guidance of the precordium at UCLA.edu. She currently serves as a leadership officer for the World President Organization’s Santa Barbara Chapter. A graduate of Northeastern Ill. University in education, she and her husband George have two grown children. Their daughter, Megan is a graduate of Bishop in 2008.
Ashley Parker Snider, Bishop alum ’82, is widely known in the community for her work in business, public relations and philanthropy. Recently stepping down from her position as Director of Admission and Public Relations for Bishop, she has returned full-time to her family’s business, FesPar Enterprises. Prior to working at Bishop, Parker Snider was the Executive Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Sales for the Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard. Upon graduation from Bates College, she was part of President Reagan’s White House staff in the Office of Presidential Advance, and at the close of the Reagan Administration, she accepted a position at the Office of Public Affairs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She has served on the boards of Direct Relief International and the Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, in addition to her charitable work through the winery.
Parker Snider and her husband, Tim, have three children. Their son Spencer graduated from Bishop in 2011 and attends The University of Colorado Boulder. Their daughter Greer will graduate in 2013 and their son Henry is currently in middle school.
Marisa Grimes has dedicated her life to working for causes that positively impact the lives of many. With a degree in Economics from St. Mary’s College, she has contributed to the efforts of numerous organizations. As a board and Campaign Leadership Committee Member, she has fundraised extensively for the Storyteller Children’s Center. She has also been a huge supporter of Direct Relief International. Grimes has been instrumental in creating awareness of their work by facilitating the Youth 4 DRI club at Bishop and through her leadership in their spring fundraiser, Youth 4 DRI Flower Sale.
Known for her exceptional talent in organizing events, she has served on multiple auction committees for groups that include the Hospice Mentor Program in Santa Barbara, Marymount School and Bishop High School. Grimes and her husband Brett, are parents to Bishop graduates, Matthew and Scott; Scott ‘10 attends University of Notre Dame, and Matthew ’12 attends The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School.
Ralph T. Iannelli Jr. is business executive with an illustrious career in asset and investment management. He is the founder, president, and CEO of the Essex Capital Corporation. He also teaches at Loyola Marymount University and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Active in the Bishop Community, he was on the Board of Advisors to Bishop from 1999 to 2004 and the Bishop Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2011. Iannelli has likewise been a member of the Board of Trustees at Marymount School where he was the president for three years. He has served on various other boards including the Montecito Education Foundation, Santa Barbara Police Activities League, givezooks!, and Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. Majoring in history, he earned his degree from St. Joseph’s College. He and his wife Melissa have three children who are all Bishop Graduates; Ralph ‘05, Grace ‘05 and Olivia ’10. He returns to Bishop, after a leave of one year from the board.
Peter DaRos, is a native to Santa Barbara and co-owner of Santa Barbara Stone and DaRos Masonry. He graduated from Bishop in 1968 and earned his bachelor’s degree from University California, Santa Barbara. Joining the Board at Bishop in 2005, Mr. DaRos was instrumental in the renovations to Bishop’s physical plant. He is active in his church and serves on the Financial Board at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus. Previously, he served on the boards of Villa Majella and the Santa Barbara summer sport’s festival, Semana Nautica.
DaRos and his wife Christina are the parents for three daughters. Their two eldest daughters, Katie ‘99 and Rachel ’09 are Bishop alums and their daughter Marianna will graduate from Bishop in 2014. He returns to the board after a leave of one year.
Continuing board members are Hon. Thomas Adams, Patricia Aijian, Andrea Carr, Christine DeVries, Fr. Thomas Elewaut, Maria Fazio, Msgr. Michael Jennett, S.T.D., Patricia Kelly, Lynn Koegel, Michelle Limb, Lee Mikles, Sr. Kathleen Patrice, CSJ, Mary Beth Tynan, Fernando Velez, Esq., ‘86 , Nicholas Vitalari, Ph.D.
Bishop Diego High School is an independent, not-for-profit, Catholic, co-educational high school that welcomes students of all faiths.
