The Santa Barbara Foundation’s Person of the Year Award has long recognized individuals whose work shapes the fabric of the community.
At a sold-out luncheon Wednesday, this year’s honorees, Dorothy Largay and Marybeth Carty, were recognized for two distinct paths to that impact, one rooted in global philanthropy and leadership, the other in decades of local, hands-on community building.
The luncheon, held under a tented Rotunda at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, drew a full crowd of local leaders, nonprofit supporters and community members, underscoring the continued relevance of the long-running tradition.
The program highlighted both the award’s legacy and this year’s honorees, with remarks emphasizing the role of volunteerism in sustaining the region’s nonprofit ecosystem.
“The Person of the Year award reminds us that community doesn’t happen by accident,” said Janet Garufis, president and CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust. “It is built and sustained by individuals who show up and give back.”
For Jackie Carrera, president and CEO of the Santa Barbara Foundation, the award serves as a reminder of the individuals who continue to carry that responsibility forward.
“What makes Santa Barbara special is not a single act of generosity,” she said. “It’s the willingness of people to keep showing up, again and again.”
That commitment is reflected in the work of this year’s honorees.
Largay’s career has centered on advancing the health and economic stability of women and families, both locally and internationally. As founder and CEO of the Linked Foundation, she has led initiatives focused on improving outcomes for underserved populations, alongside longstanding involvement with organizations including Direct Relief, Cottage Health and Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.
In her remarks, Largay emphasized that more work remains and called for expanding the number of people engaged in community efforts.
“We need to expand the number of changemakers,” she said, urging those in attendance to bring others into the work.
Carty’s impact has been deeply rooted in Santa Barbara County, spanning decades of work in education, philanthropy and community-based initiatives. She currently serves as executive director of the Natalie Orfalea Foundation and has held leadership roles across a range of local organizations, including the Santa Barbara County Board of Education.
Now in its 83rd year, the award honors Santa Barbara-area individuals whose volunteer service reflects a sustained commitment to the community. Honorees are nominated by community members and selected by a committee of past recipients.
Reflecting on a lifetime of service, Carty pointed to action as a guiding principle.
“Action is the antidote to helplessness,” she said, adding a line from a favorite poem: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can.”
While their paths differ, both honorees reflect a sustained, long-term investment in the communities they serve, a defining characteristic of the award.
