Meet Dean Noble

On Dean Noble’s very first day as the new executive director of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM), it was my completely coincidental good fortune to be perched on the Museum’s patio with a cup of Java from Dart Coffee and in possession of pad, pencil, and laptop. Any plans I may have had remain a mystery because all was forgotten when I hit the jackpot in the Executive Suite of the museum that day. Talk about serendipitous events!

Entering the executive director’s office it appeared that I’d crashed a welcoming party between Noble and outgoing Director Greg Gorga. The conference table groaned with gift bags and museum files ready to be opened and the congenial mood in the room was overwhelming. It seemed that I’d landed in the catbird seat as a direct witness to the passing of the helm at SBMM, and the opportunity to experience firsthand Noble’s enthusiasm for the prospect of expanding the museum’s longstanding mission of innovative exhibits and educational experiences celebrating the Santa Barbara Channel and its connections with the sea. 

Hardly a stranger to an ocean-oriented environment, Noble’s roots are in Honolulu where he was born and raised, the son of a teacher at the Kamehameha School for indigent children of Hawaiian descent. As Hawaii’s largest private landowner, stewarding over 363,000 acres of land across the islands, the Kamehameha schools are dedicated to preserving the indigenous culture of Hawaii along with the conservation and preservation of the surrounding agricultural lands. Noble grew up on this natural preserve where his parents lived for 40 years, honoring the land upon which the entire Noble family lived. 

Moving to the Mainland for college Noble attended Pepperdine University (overlooking the Pacific coastline!) eventually earning a master’s degree in business from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. “Although I considered business to be my background I spent most of my career in storytelling working for and with independent studios and production companies. My position in feature film development eventually led to Universal Studios and its international theme parks division.” While with Universal, Dean traveled to Japan to assist in opening the Universal Theme Park in Osaka and served in marketing for Universal Studios Japan. “My experience with Universal included supervision of TV specials for the Japanese market and many other opportunities that proved helpful going forward, not the least of which was an intimate knowledge of theme park operations.” He added with a chuckle, “Plus… I met Steven Spielberg at Amblin Productions on the Universal lot in Hollywood, Meryl Streep and other super fun famous folks!”

The Director of Education at the Santa Barbara Zoo was Noble’s sister-in-law who, knowing his background in marketing, passed the word along that the zoo needed a Marketing Director. “A position at the zoo in beautiful Santa Barbara was so tempting that I applied for the position instantly and landed the job.” Despite the drive from Thousand Oaks and a cut in pay, the time Noble spent on that awesome campus was a reward in itself. “My first office was a converted kitchen and I had to move my chair if folks wanted to use the microwave,” he laughed. “Nonetheless I spent thirteen wonderful years at the zoo watching it grow into the world-renowned organization it is today.”

What Griffith Park is to Los Angeles and Central Park is to New York, so is Elings Park to Santa Barbara. The 230-acre parcel overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a venue for almost every sport, as well as special events, educational activities for young and old and, of course, lots for dogs! In 2019 Noble was hired as executive director of the Elings Park Foundation, a self-supporting nonprofit, existing solely for the benefit of the community – minus taxpayer dollars! With his marketing skills and theme park experience he elevated the profile of the park with support of an enthusiastic board, the generosity of private funding, and conservation partnerships with likeminded organizations. “Especially exciting was bringing Shakespeare to the Park with Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum and UCSB’s Naked Shakes as a summer program … A Midsummer Night’s Dream never looked better!”

Naturally curious as to how the Maritime Museum might have appeared on Noble’s radar screen, the answer came lightning fast and with gusto: “I attended a Whale Heritage presentation at the Maritime Museum by Holly Lohuis!” The excitement bundled in his response indicated that there was more to discover. “Indeed,” Noble continued, “That is true! I was so impressed by the presentation and the need for conservation and protection of whales and other sea life, plus the care and preservation of our oceans … it brought me back to my childhood in Hawaii and reminded me how much I missed the ocean and everything about it.” Interestingly, SBMM actually serves as a partner and team member in the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area, one of a network of 12 areas worldwide designated for whales and humans to live together harmoniously. Lohuis serves as the organization’s co-chair as well as a spokesperson along with the support of other ocean related nonprofits and businesses. When the decision was made to apply for the SBMM executive director position, Noble felt that, along with so many generous foundations and donors, he’d helped to elevate Elings Park to its next level for the community’s enjoyment. “But I’m still there three days a week,” he chuckled, “enjoying our beautiful park walking my dog!”

As Noble begins his tenure at the Maritime Museum, he brings deep local nonprofit leadership experience and a strong record of community engagement. As a longtime Santa Barbara resident with his wife, Holly – a third-grade teacher at Montecito Union School and two (almost grown) children – he and his family are a part of Santa Barbara life. His enthusiasm for his new position and for the museum’s future couldn’t be overstated. “SBMM is a special place – rooted in local history, powered by education, and connected to one of the most remarkable marine environments in the world. I’m honored to join the team and excited to help lead the museum into its next chapter; advancing experiences that inspire stewardship of the Santa Barbara Channel.”

Having taken full advantage of this small but important gathering and not one to miss a party, I refused to vacate my seat in the Executive Suite until I witnessed the opening of the gifts and snapped pictures that captured the atmosphere of the day. Tell me … just how lucky can a girl be as an uninvited guest at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum?