Geoff Hornby, Immediate Past President

Geoffrey Hornby, Immediate Past President, has been on the Board since 1998. He was it’s first President (an office in which he served until May 2002), and has always been a major donor and tireless volunteer.

Throughout a long international business career, two non-financial considerations have always been of high importance: That his work should improve peoples' lives and that he could bridge the misunderstandings that might otherwise arise among people from different cultures. This, combined with his life-long interests in literature, education and the  theater made Speaking of Stories the ideal organization to support -  dedicated as it is  to both  literature and the performing arts plus  education and social outreach programs.

Geoffrey and Karin delaPena, Speaking of Stories Artistic Director and Director of Educational  Programs, also have a business partnership in Grace & Competra dedicated to bringing high quality professional theatrical/educational programs to the audiences they serve. Their two principal activities thus far have been:

1.Under their Panto Productions label, producing professional Panto at Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theatre each winter holiday season from 1999 to 2002 with  Jack and the Beanstalk—the Panto, Goldilocks, 3 Bears... And Then Some! and most recently Puss & Boots—the Panto .

      2. Producing Beautifully Read!,  a show in the style of Speaking of Stories, and its educational component, Well Read! Well Read! was devised by Karin delaPena, and is used by Speaking of Stories under the name Word Up! Both Beautifully Read! and Well Read! recently were hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and more Embassy-sponsored trips to Asia are being planned. Also, a training video of the Well Read! technique is in progress, for sale to interested parties.

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