Board Of Trustees

Joe Davidson, Facilitator

Joe grew up in Oklahoma City, attending Putnam City United Methodist Church. He received a Master’s Degree in Geology from Oklahoma State University and began work in Tulsa. From there, he went to Houston, then Bakersfield, and then to Santa Maria, where he retired after a 38-year career working for numerous oil companies.

While in Bakersfield, he was married and raised a son and stepson. He performed with a theatrical non-profit in melodrama for eight years to raise money for the Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. He was active at the Center for Spiritual Living, Bakersfield, where he was head of grounds and maintenance, served on the Board, and sang in the choir.

Joe is blessed with loving family and friends, including those at Unity-Five Cities, where he served on the Board as treasurer for six years from 2018 to 2024, helps with audio/visual and Zoom, attends the men’s group, sings in the choir, and plays with the Unity Ukes. Hobbies include gardening, reading, music, ballroom dancing, and antique cars.

Jeanne Surber, Treasurer 

Jeanne grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and was a cradle Catholic.   She graduated from Creighton University with a degree in mathematics, and later obtained her Masters in Counseling and School Psychology from Cal State University Los Angeles.  She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Frank Surber,  since 1967.   Upon their marriage they left for California and have considered California their home ever since.  After moving every year while Frank was in the Air Force and having three children in three different states, they settled in Pasadena, California.  They lived there until 1986 when they moved to Santa Barbara.   Jeanne had worked as a high school math teacher, a school psychologist, and school administrator until retiring in 2007.

While in Santa Barbara, she was introduced by a friend to Unity Church.  She again felt like she had found her home.  She became a member in around 1992.   For a time she was a Youth of Unity teacher in Santa Barbara.  

In 2017, she and Frank moved to Arroyo Grande and found Unity Five cities.  She loves living here and enjoys her hobbies of fiber art, crocheting, and travel.  She feels honored to having been elected to the Board and looks forward to serving her church and her community.  

Ruth Jackson, Secretary

Many years ago I was born in Washington, D.C. and moved multiple times before settling in Santa Maria.  I have remained in Santa Maria for 24 years. 

I have two wonderful daughters and four grandchildren.  My daughters are Jill Roberts, who you know because she attends here at Unity Five Cities, and Jody Balian who lives in Arizona.

Growing up no matter where I lived my family always found a Baptist or Methodist Church to attend.   I was introduced to Religious Science in El Monte, California around 1965.  I have attended several different Religious Science Churches.  With no Religious Science Church in Santa Maria I attended Unity Santa Maria around ten years ago.  Just before my husband passed away I saw an ad for Unity Five Cities and has been attending for the past four or five years.

In my working years I worked for several not-for-profit organizations and then I was a Rehabilitation Counselor for the State of California.  I served mostly adults who were Deaf or Hard of Hearing and students who had a disability who were transitioning out of High School into College or seeking employment.  I retired 02/20/2020…and adapted quickly to retirement!

I’ve had three…soon to be four…articles published by Dynamic Aging Magazine.  You can read them at https://dynamicaging4lifemagazine.com

Don Aronson, Trustee

I was raised in a small town in Minnesota in The Swedish Lutheran church. I was told constantly that I should become a minister and so it became my goal early on. I was a staunch fundamentalist. It took me 4 years of college and four years of seminary to free myself from this orientation. I did become a Lutheran minister and lasted four years until I could no longer accept the dogma  and be true to myself. I then found my true calling as a social worker in Protective Services for children and adoption for the county of Ventura  where I served for 20 years. I then moved to the Central Coast and became a drug and alcohol therapist for San Luis Obispo county for 17 years. It was here that I found Unity where I was accepted for all my changing beliefs. I had one son with my former marriage and gained 2 more when I married My beloved, Ann in 1968. I have served on various boards in both of my professions.  It is an honor to be a part of this board with such a great group supporting this dynamic congregation.

Art Westerfield, Trustee

John Hauk. Alternate Trustee

I am a new resident of the southern Central Coast having moved from Santa Cruz in 2022 to purchase a home in Orcutt.  As with military families, we 6 were stationed around the world until my high school years. As an adult, I settled in the San Francisco Bay Area for college and explorations. As a returning student, I received my master’s degree in physical therapy in 1994 from UCSF.  I moved to Capitola with my wife and son who remain in Santa Cruz. Extended family is spread far and wide with 2 sisters in Willits and Fort Bragg and cousins settled in across the country and in Vancouver, BC. 

I was fortunate enough to find Five Cities Unity after exploring for a fellowship from Goleta to SLO for much of a year. I am grateful to have found a spiritual home in Unity and White Heron Sangha in Avila as I had little prior experience in a congregational setting.  

My hobbies include many types of outdoor play, exploring, hiking, camping in comfort, cooking, reading and just about anything in the ocean. More recently I decided to try on an active role with music and with the choir and uke group, Unity is a one stop shop for music. 

My past involvement with service in non-profits was co-founder with my wife, of 2 non-profits therapeutic horseback riding programs. It was a powerful experience, like I’m having with service and spiritual companionship with y’all.