Michael Medel

Michael Medel, Dean of Business, Scheinfeld Center, Media Arts, & PE
Katherine Harvey Fellow (2013-14)

It was being called into the principal’s office—the kind of moment that usually spells trouble—that unexpectedly set Michael Medel on a path towards teaching and, eventually, academic leadership.

After graduating from San Diego State University, Michael returned to his Carpinteria hometown, accepting a substitute teaching job to earn money while figuring out his next move. He planned to return to San Diego before the Canalino Elementary School principal called him into her office to offer him a full-time teaching position, in large part, because he was bilingual, and the only male teacher at that time. He filled in for a teacher on maternity leave and said the role was “the most psychological-training” he had ever received. 

After a year Michael returned to Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), where he previously ran track and field as a student-athlete. And 24 years later, he has advanced through the college serving nearly every aspect of the school, from new student orientation to financial aid advising to director of admissions and records. He now serves as Dean of Instructional Programs, where he oversees all of the academic disciplines within the business, media arts, and physical education divisions, in addition to dual enrollment. Michael also returned to the classroom 18 years ago after earning a master’s degree from California State Northridge which enabled him to teach communications at the college level. 

“I caught the teaching bug from my earlier years, and valued the direct influence I could have on students,” he said.

Early in his career at SBCC, Michael also knew that in addition to working, he wanted to give back. Both his parents had been involved with the Boys & Girls Club and Michael had an affinity for this organization, hoping to serve on its board, but struggling with how to make that happen. 

“I was naïve and didn’t know how one went about joining a board,” he admitted. “My perception at the time was that you had to be wealthy and look a certain way and have a certain job and donate a lot of money. People on boards didn’t look like me and I really felt inadequate.”

It was Michael’s participation in the Katherine Harvey Fellows program that would give him the confidence, knowledge and relationships to realize his worth.

“Something happened when I joined the Katherine Harvey Fellows program,” he said. “I started to build connections and learn about leadership, networking, and the nonprofit sector. Lo and behold, I went from having no opportunities to being asked to serve on multiple boards every year.”

Those boards that he has said yes to include the Goleta Boys and Girls Club, the Santa Barbara Fair and Expo, Adelante Charter School, and Leading From Within, where he was recently named Board Chair, succeeding Ken Saxon and serving as the organization’s first-ever, non-founder Board President.

“Leading From Within changed conceptually what I thought about leadership and impact,” he reflected.

“I had always thought that leadership was something that I developed, that I do and was a skill set that I possess as an individual. I didn’t understand the concept of networking and leadership as it relates to building teams, and how influential that is.”

“My personal experience underscores the power of Leading From Within, which is building their own network as an organization to have greater impact on our community,” he said ”while empowering individuals to grow and have influence on their distinct sector.”

“Leading From Within has shaped a core pillar of my leadership style,” he concluded. “It really comes down to how you treat people, realizing that every person, regardless of their position, brings something to the table. My job is to figure out what positive contribution that person can bring and create space for them to be successful.”