Brief biography:
Jason Copus serves on the Montecito Fire Protection District Board and is running as the appointed incumbent. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, he is the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Montecito Inn. He volunteers with Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue and previously served for 10 years in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. He and his wife, Zoe, are raising their three children locally.

Campaign website: copus4mfd.com

1. What experience and qualifications would you bring to the district’s board?
I bring experience as a current Board director, an emergency response volunteer, and a local business and community leader. Through Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue, I’ve responded alongside Montecito Fire on trail rescues and seen the importance of training, coordination, and dependable equipment. I also served for 10 years in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, including three as a flotilla commander. My work at the Montecito Inn and on local boards has taught me to examine budgets carefully, communicate clearly, and consider how decisions affect both residents and businesses.

2. What are your two highest priorities for the next term?
My first priority is making sure Montecito Fire is ready for the emergencies it handles every day, from medical calls and traffic collisions to house fires, while also preparing for wildfires and evacuations. That means supporting our firefighters and paramedics with the staffing, training, and equipment they need. My second priority is the District’s financial future. Those resources carry long-term costs, and I want the Board to make careful decisions that keep our level of service strong and sustainable.

3. How would you keep residents informed and make board decisions understandable and accessible?Residents should be able to understand what the Board is considering, why it matters, and how to share their views before a decision is made. I would support clear agendas and meeting materials, explanations of major proposals in plain language, and timely updates through the District’s public channels. I would also listen to residents and businesses outside of meetings and bring their concerns into the Board’s public discussion. Even when a decision is difficult, the reasoning behind it should be clear.

How would you balance emergency response readiness, wildfire prevention, staffing needs, and long-term financial sustainability?
I would start with what the District needs to handle its daily calls safely and reliably. Staffing and equipment have to support medical calls, fires, and other emergencies. Fire prevention also needs consistent attention, particularly the work that reduces wildfire risk, alongside evacuation planning. The Board has to look beyond the cost of a decision this year. When we consider adding positions, funding prevention work, or buying equipment, I want to understand the ongoing costs, the benefit to the community, and how each decision fits into the District’s long-term budget.

Bio 

Education:
Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua NY
Ithaca College, Ithaca NY

Career:
Founder and CEO of Executive Perils, Inc.  2000 to 2024
National insurance broker solely focused on Cyber, and  Directors’ & Officers” ,

Volunteer:
Trustee Ithaca College 2016 to 5/2026- Co-Chair Audit and Buildings & Grounds CommitteesTrustee Simon Wiesenthal Center/ Museum of Tolerance 2022 to present - Audit, Governance/Nominations committees
Trustee Casa Dorinda (2025 to present- Marketing (admission) and Operations

Growing up with dyslexia he has a passion for helping those that face challenges and has compassion for those less fortunate.  Divorced with no children, enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, being outdoors.

Contact Info: Peter4CitoFire@gmail.com

1. What experience and qualifications would you bring to the district’s board? 
In 2000, I founded an insurance brokering and underwriting company in a two-bedroom, two-bath rent-controlled apartment. Over 23 years, we grew into a nationally recognized firm, earning awards for innovation and expertise, before being sold to Goldman Sachs in 2023. As founder, CEO and sole shareholder, I was responsible for every aspect of the business—financial management, strategic planning, risk assessment, personnel and long-term decision-making. I learned to identify vulnerabilities before they become problems, ask difficult questions and make thoughtful decisions under pressure. I will bring that same discipline, independence and long-term perspective to the Montecito Fire Protection District Board.

2. What are your two highest priorities for the next term? 
Montecito may feel like a small town, but its 20-square-mile footprint demands a comprehensive, prevention-focused strategy that matches priorities to our human and financial resources. Efficiency, planning, and disciplined budgeting can maximize our return on every dollar. Our emergency environment is becoming more complex, requiring preparation before crises—not simply reaction afterward. With a potentially strong El Niño this fall and winter, we must prepare for both wildfire and flooding, regardless of whether conditions prove wet or dry. That means strengthening wildfire readiness, increasing flood-abatement efforts and inspections, and helping residents identify hazards. My priority: prepare, communicate, and protect Montecito responsibly.

3. How would you keep residents informed and make board decisions understandable and accessible?
I will be available via phone and email. Also, want to implement “Firehouse Fridays”, where I will be available to meet face to face with residents one Friday a month at the station. I also plan on looking into a semi- annual newsletter (that I would pay) mailed to the residents of Montecito.

4. How would you balance emergency response readiness, wildfire prevention, staffing needs, and long-term financial sustainability?
I am used to balancing numerous priorities at once. Each priority must be evaluated on short term and long term advantages vs. disadvantages, proactive strategy planning is compulsory. Long term fiscal discipline will allow us to face upcoming challenges. I believe we are in good hands with our current Fire Chief and his team, I want to have an impact for the next 20 years and I am committed to make well informed tough decisions.

Biography
Jenelle Williams is an appointed incumbent on the Montecito Fire Protection District Board. A Santa Barbara resident for more than 20 years, she chose Montecito to raise her three children and is active in local schools and youth sports. She brings experience in public finance and fiscal oversight, working with agencies throughout Santa Barbara County, and a perspective shaped by both her career and life as a parent and neighbor in Montecito

Email: jenelle@williams4mfd.com | Website: williams4mfd.com

1. What experience and qualifications would you bring to the district’s board?
My career has centered on strengthening accountability, aligning financial resources with operational needs, and delivering public services. For more than 20 years, I have worked in finance and operations across school districts, special districts, and local government. As a District Financial Advisor, I help leaders navigate operational, legislative, and planning decisions. On the County’s Treasury Oversight Committee, I oversee a public investment portfolio approaching $3 billion. Earlier in my career, I worked as the MFPD’s financial auditor and now serve on the Board. I bring a practical understanding of how resources, people, systems, and priorities must align to support emergency preparedness and operational excellence.

2. What are your two highest priorities for the next term?
People and preparedness.

People: Our personnel are our greatest asset. The Board should support the Chief in giving the professionals closest to the work the leadership, training, equipment, infrastructure, and resources they need to excel—and in building a culture that attracts, develops, and retains exceptional people.

Preparedness: We need to stay ahead of changing risks and requirements by continually strengthening wildfire prevention and emergency preparedness, evaluating what works, and adapting to new operational and legislative challenges, including California’s evolving Zone 0 requirements.

Both priorities require sound financial stewardship and long-term planning, so today’s investments strengthen the District’s ability to serve tomorrow.

3. How would you keep residents informed and make board decisions understandable and accessible?
Good governance means being open about what the Board is deciding, why it matters, and how decisions are made. I would advocate for making Board meetings more accessible by offering a virtual option and recording meetings so residents can participate remotely or watch later. Hearing the discussion, questions, and considerations behind a decision provides important context that meeting minutes alone cannot. I would also support clear agendas, accessible materials, and timely information on the District’s website so residents can understand issues before and after decisions are made. The goal is simple: make the Board’s work understandable and accessible, not simply available.

4. How would you balance emergency response readiness, wildfire prevention, staffing needs, and long-term financial sustainability?
The starting point is protecting life and property. Emergency readiness cannot be compromised, but sustainability requires making deliberate choices about where resources have the greatest impact.

We should stay on the cutting edge of fire protection and prevention, lead in innovation and local planning, identify risks, invest in what reduces them, measure results, and adjust as conditions change. Our professionals know the operational needs; the Board’s role is to support them and align resources with those priorities.

Good stewardship means preparing for tomorrow without compromising the service residents expect today.