Leadership & Board of Directors

Sara Tinger is the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Hostel Society. She is passionate about affordable travel, cultural exchange, and community building, and works to strengthen the hostel's role as both a welcoming destination for travelers and a valued community resource. Her background includes nonprofit leadership, volunteer engagement, fundraising, and international service.

Having been a hosteller for most of her life, Terri has been a supporter of the Santa Cruz Hostel for the last 30 years, showing her dedication to the development and operation of the hostel as architect, volunteer, Board Member, and past president. Terri is a local architect, whose work in historic preservation can be seen all over Santa Cruz County, including the Hostel at Carmelita Cottages. She is also the architect for other hostels in California including the Monterey Hostel, City Center Hostel and Pigeon Point Hostel. Terri became a consulting architect to HI-USA advising on hostel design in many parts of the country and authoring the "Design Guidelines for Mid-Size Hostels" commissioned by HI-USA. Terri currently serves as SCHS Secretary.

As a past commissioner on the Scotts Valley Arts Commission, Sheryl organized the first Art walk for Scotts Valley and worked on getting a small grant. She also started the Open Garden and English Tea Luncheon for St. Phillips Church. This continues as an annual fund-raising event for the church. She started and organized all aspects of the Garden faire from 2006 to 2018, including recruiting speakers, vendors, food trucks and musicians; designing the layout and directing volunteers. As vice-president of the Monterey Bay Iris Society for 8 years, Sheryl recruited monthly guest speakers and helped to present regional conferences hosted by MBIS in 2005 and 2015. Sheryl's hostelling experience relates to her enjoyment of travel and her experience of hostelling in Germany. Her goals are to enhance the property, help with volunteers and with events.

Rich has lived in Santa Cruz County for over 40 years and has served on boards of various local nonprofit organizations. As an educator, Rich has taught classes on Sustainable Tourism, Resort management and Food Safety among many other subjects. Early in 2020, he enjoyed the warm welcome of hostels during a cycling trip to Cuba. Last summer he stayed in the beautiful hostel in San Francisco while cycling around Northern California with travelers from five foreign countries. Rich would like to support the Santa Cruz Hostel Society fulfill its mission to foster greater knowledge, understanding and love of the world.

Victoria served on the Los Gatos Friends of the Library board for 7 years (on the fundraising committee and as the Program Director). She brought guest speakers to share their knowledge and unique experiences with library patrons and the community. On other boards she served as newsletter editor, treasurer, and conference chairwoman. Her favorite tasks are hosting special events and bringing special guests in to do their thing that brings joy and wonder to others. At the hostel she serves on the marketing and events committee and enjoys having a small part in making a Santa Cruz stay special for guests and making their travels more pleasant.

Christina started her career at CBS Television Network in Los Angeles and began working in public relations on the Central Coast with the California Strawberry Commission and later with the YMCA of Silicon Valley. Christina is a 21-year veteran of the local tourism and hospitality industry, serving as Communications Director and Film Commissioner with Visit Santa Cruz County, where she heads up the year-around public relations program, and oversees media relations, industry relations, and crisis communications efforts. She has secured earned coverage in both domestic and international travel, lifestyle, and consumer media outlets. In her role she also serves as film commissioner for the Santa Cruz County Film Commission, a department within Visit Santa Cruz County.

Don, a former member of our Board of Directors, has returned to help further our mission of connecting people of all ages with a greater knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the world through hostelling.

He discovered hostelling while traveling throughout Europe in the 1990s, often volunteering in hostel kitchens and assisting with cleaning and daily operations.

Don is a Veteran and former teacher of Business English Communication Skills who has taught in both Europe and China. He also brings professional experience from the advertising industry, where he worked as a marketing executive.

Don's motivation for returning to the Board of Directors is to help expand the organization's outreach and grow its impact within the community and beyond.

Updated bio coming soon!

Updated bio coming soon!

Updated bio coming soon!

Updated bio coming soon!

Updated bio coming soon!