Meet the Team Behind the Buellton Visitors Bureau and Discover Buellton

Buellton Visitors Bureau is funded by the City Of Buellton, and operated by the Buellton Chamber Of Commerce.

Board Of Directors

The current Board Of Directors for 2020-2021 include: Tessi Martinez, President What do I love about Buellton? Where do I start! I love Firestone Brewery with friends. Riding bikes over to Flying Flags and sitting around a pit fire chatting with visitors at the park. Riverview Park offers a great place to walk. Industrial way is great for many things: work out at All Sports – (AWESOME GYM!), go wine or spirit tasting. Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Industrial Eats – many choices for a fun afternoon in our Industrial Zone! And don’t forget Pattibakes, our little hidden gem.

Janeen Bouslaugh, Vice President

For me the hidden gems in Buellton are the coffee cabin where I start each day, River View Park for its walking path and botanical gardens and Firestone BarrelWorks for the wild ale beer program. Can’t get any better.

Sonia Jimenez, Director

Hello my name is Sonia Jimenez. I am a lifetime resident of Buellton. My family moved here when Pea Soup Andersen’s had a zoo and we could hear the Lion and Elephant, as we lived right across the street. I have fond memories of riding the train and taking pictures in the cut out faces of “Hap Pea and Pea Wee” with my siblings.

Director – Tamara Blakeley

My name is Tamara Blakeley. I have been a Santa Ynez Valley resident since 2005 when I relocated after accepting a job offer from the Chumash Casino Resort. I was born and raised in Los Angeles county, lived in Texas for a few years, then lived near Joshua Tree, California before moving to Buellton. My hobbies are traveling, playing sports, and wine tasting. Growing up in a big city, living in smaller communities, and traveling has made me realize that a small town suits me best. I love the desert but the valley is my home and look forward to helping Buellton continue to grow into the beautiful town we all love to live, work, and play!

Mark Mendenhall, Treasurer

I was born at the Lompoc Hospital (because the Valley didn’t have one) in 1952 and have lived in Buellton all of my life (except for about a year when I lived in Solvang). I attended Buellton School when it was at the site of the Post Office. Kindergarten was in the basement! I graduated from SYVUHS in 1970 alongside my future bride, Vickie. My parents both graduated from the high school in 1948, all of our children graduated from there as well as our oldest granddaughter! I worked for my Dad at the original Buellton Garage for many years. Later I leased the Chevron from Bill Olivera for 25 years (it is now the lube bay). During this time in 1989, I got my contractor’s license and started Mendenhall Construction Co. When Buellton became a city, I was on the original Planning Commission and City Council for 15 years. I later joined the Chamber of Commerce as a board member. My hobbies are racing, collecting gasoline memorabilia and antiques to enhance our museum, Mendenhall Museum of Gasoline Pumps and Petroliana.

Beverly Snyder, Director

My name is Beverly Snyder, and I have lived in the Santa Ynez Valley for 23 years. For over 18 of those years, I have worked as Manager ll for Hertz Local Edition in Buellton, located at the Marriott, as well as many other locations in Santa Barbara County. My husband and I are also owners of a local fencing company that was established in 1986, Quality Fence Co. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, playing bocce ball, dining at our local restaurants with friends, and walking through our charming downtown to get ice cream with my grandson. My family and I are incredibly proud to be residents of this beautiful community and It’s our hope to serve it well in every way that we can.

Kros Andrade, Director

Kros Andrade is the owner and Creative Director of UVA Design Studio, an award-winning branding and graphic design agency. He has been working in design for over 20 years, with experience in a wide range of industries. His focus is on branding and developing brands, as well as graphic design. Kros started his business in 2008 after spending many years working in a corporate environment. This gave him valuable experience in branding, art directing photoshoots for catalogs, and designing for multiple markets. In his free time, Kros enjoys spending time with his family and volunteering in his community.

Rudie Henderson, Military Affairs Chairperson

I was born in Lone Pine, California and joined the Air Force in 1950 and served in Japan and Korea until 1954. I was then sent to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and was discharged in December of 1954. I entered a career involved in the design and development of instruments for missiles and aircraft for over 33 years and retired as a senior microelectronics engineer from Raytheon in 1991. I now serve as the Military Affairs Chairman for the Buellton Chamber of Commerce. My wife Carol and I have lived in Buellton for over 30 years. We have three children, Janet, Mike, and Dean. We are proud to have two of our grandchildren serving in the armed forces.