A.S. Executive appointed to IVCSD Board of Directors
August 21, 2026 at 9:56 am
Associated Students External Vice President for Local Affairs, Noah Luken, was appointed to the Isla Vista Community Services District Board of Directors at its Aug. 11 meeting, creating a direct link between the two governing bodies.
Luken, a fourth-year economics and philosophy double major, was elected as Associated Students (A.S.) External Vice President for Local Affairs (EVPLA) for the 2026-27 academic year and will serve on the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) board until Dec. 2028.
The EVPLA, a position unique to UC Santa Barbara, serves as a liaison between A.S. and local governing bodies, such as the IVCSD and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. They also represent the student body on local issues such as housing and safety resources.
This is the second time an active A.S. executive has served on the board and the first time an EVPLA has held the position, according to IVCSD Director Spencer Brandt.
“I think the asset of someone like [Luken] is self-evident,” Brandt said. “It really helps make the relationship between ourselves and the Associated Students that much more stronger.”
On June 30, then-IVCSD Director and UCSB alum Edward Pilotte resigned after graduating; Luken will now serve out the remainder of Pilotte’s term.
Four other people applied for the position: third-year economics major Jonas Hoffman and I.V. residents Jeffrey D. Everhard, Matthew Fox and Lorraine Listokin. While Listokin attended the meeting virtually, she could not be reached when the board began interviewing applicants.
A majority of the four present board members had to agree on a candidate in order to appoint them. Voting was conducted in rounds, wherein board members first discussed the candidates then voted for their top choice, then the candidates with the fewest votes were eliminated until only one remained, or the board made a unanimous decision.
After interviewing each candidate, followed by a first round of voting, the board narrowed down its decision to Luken and Everhard.
Everhard emphasized that he would bring “institutional memory” to the position as someone who was involved with the creation of the IVCSD in 2017, earning him support from Directors Carrie Topliffe and fourth-year anthropology and global studies double major Annabelle Sipos.
Brandt and Board President Katherine Carmichael voted for Luken in the first round largely because of his position in A.S.
After further discussion, Topliffe changed her vote to Luken, giving him majority support and the appointment.
In an interview with the Daily Nexus, Luken said that he applied to the board to create “continuity” between A.S. and IVCSD in order to more effectively tackle the issues he is prioritizing as EVPLA, including I.V. cityhood and improving living conditions in I.V. He added that he is not worried about the additional time commitment and plans to join IVCSD committees “that best supplements the initiatives [he’d] like to pursue this year.”
“This is a pretty exciting step for Isla Vista and for Associated Students in particular to have more of a direct voice in local governance,” Luken said.
Luken signed the official oath paperwork on Aug. 14 and will be sworn in at an upcoming board meeting.
The appointment of Noah Luken to the IVCSD Board of Directors is an interesting example of how student leadership can connect with broader community decision-making. Having a representative who understands both university concerns and local issues can help create stronger communication between different groups.
Roles like this show the importance of young leaders gaining real experience while contributing fresh perspectives on topics such as housing, safety, and community development. As people continue to build connections both locally and online, digital spaces and platforms like https://joocasino-deu.net/ are also becoming part of the wider conversation around modern communities.
This seems like a useful step toward better coordination between student representatives and the wider Isla Vista community. I came across aviamasters game while reading more about how local governance and student leadership can work together. Having a direct connection between the two bodies could make it easier to address issues that affect both students and residents. I’ll be interested to see what priorities come out of this appointment.
Luken is stepping up to complete Pilotte’s remaining term, bringing new energy and direction to the role!
Regards!
Agatha | fence contractor
Congratulations to Noah Luken on the appointment. He’s put in real, sustained work for this community as EVPLA, and it showed — this is a strong outcome for IVCSD, and not a surprising one. I hope his push to connect IVCSD’s work with cityhood and with improving living conditions in I.V. gets real traction; both need exactly the kind of sustained attention he’s describing. Good luck on the board.
— Jeff “Geof Bard” Everhard