Vice Chair –Steve Mason, Santa Barbara County Personnel Administrator, and 35-year Ojai resident. Steve and his wife have two adult children who graduated from OUSD schools. He is active in our local Ojai schools and is also a volunteer coach. Mr. Mason is the Commission’s appointee. He worked as Assistant Director - Planning and Development for the County of Santa Barbara, now retired. His term of office expires 12/01/24. Mr. Mason has served on the Personnel Commission since January 2004. 

Chair -  Laura Meisch was previously a classified employee with the Ojai Unified School District, having retired from the position of Director of Fiscal Services in 2016. She was raised in Ventura and is a long time Ojai resident. Laura and her husband have two adult children who attended Ojai Unified Schools. She continues to volunteer with several local organizations and remains physically active playing Pickleball. Ms. Meisch was appointed to the Personnel Commission by the Classified staff in February 2023, her term expiring 12/01/25.

Photo Coming for Dr. McDougal

Member – Dr. Susan McDougal is a retired principal and has thirty years of experience in education in various capacities from classified employee to high school Principal.  Her education includes a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in educational management, and a PhD in Urban Educational Leadership.

Dr. McDougal’s areas of expertise include Special Education, Career Technical Education, school safety, shared leadership, and improving student achievement.

After retirement, Dr. McDougal continues to support teachers as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Massachusetts Global.  She has taught there (previously Chapman University and Brandman University) and supervised student teachers for the past eighteen years.  

Dr. McDougal is the Board of Education's representative to the Personnel Commission whose term expires 12/01/26