Board of Directors

Susie holds a Master’s degree in Education Administration from SDSU. After 25 years in College administration, Susie joined her husband, Duane and their three children in the family coffee business. Coffee Corner was established in 2009 and now has a second location and a trolley food truck. Santee residents for 15 years, Susie and her family enjoy giving back to the community and deepening their connections around town. Susie recently joined the Santee Chamber’s Board of Directors after being a member for years and looks forward to the annual Santee Street Fair where she and her family participate and volunteer.

Daniel is an Owner/Realtor of Mission Realty Group. He was born and raised in Santee for the past 44 years and he has a passion and pride for our City and community. His "why" for owning a business in Santee is to have a platform to give back to the community that he loves. They have a dedication to philanthropy and giving to those in need in our community. Daniel and his wife are raising their two children in Santee and can often be found volunteering for various organizations around town.

Mike has always enjoyed community service, having served 6 years in the Navy on a nuclear submarine and then 28 years with the San Diego Police Department. He's a longtime proud resident of Santee and really enjoys our special East County community. He retired in 2018 and has been staying busy helping out at Carlton Oaks. In addition to serving on our board, he also serves on the Santee Community Oriented Policing Committee. He cares about our community deeply and wants to continue to play a part in keeping it safe and prosperous.

Tim, a renowned and versatile drummer with over 20 years of experience, has extensive knowledge in concert promotion, engineering, and music production. He is a proud member of the Vic Firth education team and the Sabian education network. In 2008, Tim founded the Staump Music School as a testament to his unwavering passion for enriching lives through music. As the chairperson of the Santee Street Fair, he spearheads the annual event that showcases the talents of local businesses, fostering a vibrant and supportive environment.

Curtis has been a resident of Santee for the past decade. He and his wife Katie opened their first salon, Salon Thrive, in 2015 and later opened Beauty Bar by Thrive in Santee Station. He has been an active entrepreneur and volunteer throughout East County and was voted Santee's Favorite Hair Salon and Santee's Young Professional of the Year for 2019. He has also ventured into managing their third-generation family business, Superior Asphalt, alongside his brother-in-law.

Dr. Karl Burris is a native of East County San Diego, where he grew up playing sports. After graduating from West Hills, Karl began coaching and was also working at a local pharmacy, where he regularly interacted with people in pain as they picked up their medications. He took a special interest in seeking to understand how people experience their pain differently and how they interact with their pain experience. It was with this unique combination – a love of physical activity, an understanding of the pain people experience, and a belief that physical therapy can be transformational – that Karl set his sights on becoming a physical therapist.

Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked at nearly every major hotel, venue, and theme park in San Diego in one capacity or another. She has worked in the film industry as a 1st, 2nd AD, grip, and PA; the hotel industry as an Assistant Director of Audio Visual Services and as a Catering Sales Manager; the live event and theatre industry as a lighting tech/stagehand/stage manager; and the special event industry as a wedding and event planner. She and her husband are actively engaged Santee residents raising their five boys together.

Joel Cruz, along with his wife and three children, have proudly called Santee home for the past eight years. He is the Vice President and co-owner of SoCal Truck Accessories, a family-owned business that has been in the community for 17 years. Before joining the family business, Joel proudly served five year in the United States Marine Corps, honing in on leadership skills and developing a strong understanding of organizational structure. Outside of his profession, Joel enjoys spending time with his family, playing the saxophone, golfing, and camping. He takes pride in his role as a business leader and his position on the Board of Directors of the Santee Chamber of Commerce, where he works to strengthen the local community and economy.

Greg began as a Part Time worker in college for MBE, leading to manage his own store, then on to partner and Own a store. That one store became #1 in SD, then grew to 6 stores, the largest Multi Center operation on the West Coast with 38 staff like family. In 2014 He went solo, back to 1, then 3, and now 2 stores again. Greg sits on The UPS Store Co-Op BOD, Host’s its first Video series “THE ASK!”, and spoke at The UPS Store convention to 2,200 fellow owners. From the ground up he has learned from and given back to his The UPS Store family and Small Business Friends!

For over two decades, Cory Kading has been a leader in operations, customer service and guest experience management. With an established history of supporting high-profile clients and facilities, he excels at delivering solutions to complex problems, with a focus on environmentally sustainable practices. Cory holds a degree in Occupational Health and Safety Management and earned his Certified Facility Manager (CFM) and Sustainable Facility Professional (SFP) credentials in 2017. Outside of work, Cory is actively engaged in youth sports and player development and enjoys spending time with his wife and kids on weekend adventures and camping trips.

Has been a Santee resident "ever since I had the choice to be one." Graduating from West Hills High School, he moved to Santee shortly thereafter with his wife. Bryan has run a wedding and portrait photography business since 2007 and joined Whissel Realty Group in 2015 where he started as the Media & Marketing Manager, whose primary job was to capture photos & videos for the real estate company, as well as produce, film, edit, and distribute Kyle Whissel's first community series, #SanteeSaturdays. Bryan is a father, husband, and Santee resident who loves to exercise his creativity through photography and videography, and is now the Director of Media at Whissel Realty Group. 

Rocky is a long-time Santee resident, who graduated from Santana High School and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from San Diego State University. His background includes 25 years as a banking and insurance executive involved with budgeting, managing cash flow and analyzing risk for small to large size companies. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Governors for the Grossmont Hospital Foundation, as well as the Board of Directors for the local non-profit Lion’s Camp Jack, which sends foster and at-risk youth to summer camp. He has been married to his wife Jenni for 20 years and has two children. His son attends Santana High School and his daughter is a sophomore at Grossmont Community College.

Barbara was first elected to Santee School District's Board of Education in 1979 and is still serving to this day having been in various roles including President, Vice President, Clerk and Legislative Representative. She also has served on the San Diego County School Boards Association and the California School Board Association. Barbara has a strong background in Government Relations having worked in that field for over 30 years at Rady's Children Hospital. She has a diverse range of community service experience and has received various awards for her contributions. She is a proud wife, mother and grandmother and lifetime advocate for children's health and education.

James Sly is responsible for defining and implementing the East County EDC’s ambitious project portfolio, which cuts across education, industry, workforce, and government. Additionally, Sly leads many of the organization’s strategic partnership and business development efforts, working to make East County a locus of economic activity in San Diego. Sly was born and raised in Santee, California. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from San Diego State University, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification from the University of California, San Diego, and various leadership certifications.

Eddie rejoins the Board after serving 6 years from 2010 to 2016, where he served as the 2014 Chairman of the Board. Eddie opened the Sportsplex facility in June of 2010, leaving his position of General Manager at Chili’s Restaurant in Santee. Eddie has helped grow the Sportsplex into a popular sports venue, where upwards of 400,000 people will make their way into the park in 2025. Eddie, his wife of 14 years Natalie, and their two children Maddie and Eddie III are proud to call Santee their home as well.

Born and raised in San Diego, Sarah has been a member of the community for 35 years and loves her city and all it has to offers. Sarah succeeded her father's business in 2009 and more recently obtained her own contractor's license. Being from San Diego, Sarah understands perfect weather and comfort along with quality products at affordable pricing is what San Diegan's most desire. A few fun facts- Sarah is a huge Charger and Padre fan. Sarah loves her Country and is proud of her military. Sarah has an adult softball team at the Sportsplex in Santee and plays every Tuesday night. Sarah is happily married and has two beautiful daughters.

Shaylin is the Children’s Department Head and a full time dance instructor at Expressions Dance and Movement Center in Santee. She is a certified coach through More Than Just Great Dancing™️, a motivational speaker, and a passionate advocate for children, teens, and young adults with disabilities. Shaylin is an east county native, and enjoys hobbies such as painting, tidepooling, and trying new food! She loves animals and the outdoors. When she isn’t working, she loves spending time with her two dogs, rabbit, and three guinea pigs.