Meet Isaac Speer, SBTHP’s Visitor Experience Coordinator
By Kevin McGarry, Associate Director for Public Engagement 
Isaac Speer began his work here at the Santa Barbara Trust For Historic Preservation (SBTHP) in September 2023 as a Visitor Experience Assistant. In May 2024, Isaac was promoted, and became SBTHP’s first-ever Visitor Experience Coordinator.
Reporting to our Director of Visitor Experience, as Coordinator Isaac oversees many of the day-to-day operations at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park and Casa de la Guerra, including visitor orientation and helps manage the maintenance, inventory and sales at our two museum gift shops. He is also responsible for training SBTHP’s talented Visitor Experience Assistants and oversees weekend tours and activities for visitors.
Tell us a little about yourself and your upbringing/family.
Born in Los Angeles, and raised in California my entire life, I’ve come to love living in Santa Barbara for the last 13-ish years. Living with my twin brother, little sister, and mom and dad, my household was (and still is) a tight knit one. I grew up doing a variety of activities, whether it was diving into a history book, wrestling in high school, or hanging out with my friends.
Learning about history has been a very consistent part of my life. From my childhood to early adulthood, I’ve consistently had my head buried in books or documentaries. When I won the historic scholar award all the way back in Jr. High, I knew that this field was my calling. With the support of my family, I made the decision to major in the field and haven't looked back since.
What did you do professionally before joining the SBTHP team?
I was a professional college student before becoming a part of SBTHP! Jokes aside, I studied for a History BA at UC Santa Cruz until 2023. I participated in the Okinawa Memories Initiative, an internship which sought to preserve the photographs and writings of Okinawans living in the US. This college experience pointed me towards a museum role, as I have extensive retail experience on the side as well. When the opportunity to join the SBTHP team came up, I couldn’t resist and haven’t regretted it since.
Tell us why you chose to work at SBTHP?
SBTHP’s mission of cultivating Santa Barbara's history stuck out to me. As a local of over twelve years, I felt like I didn’t know a lot about the city's intricacies. This position within the organization gave me a great opportunity to explore the city deeper than other positions could. SBTHP also allowed me to be introduced to the museum and historical preservation fields. As a kid, going to museums and historic sites was always an enriching experience, but the Trust really allowed me to look behind the curtain and see how they operate. I never imagined it would be so multilayered!
What do you enjoy most about the role and what projects are you working on now?
SBTHP has given me the opportunity to put my previously learned skills to work: whether it's doing research for new or existing weekend activities, leading historical tours around the site, or welcoming guests to the site and overseeing the gift shop, I’ve been able to utilize my strengths in a real world manner. It’s also fulfilling to see how the organization is able to connect with the Santa Barbara community, whether it’s through day-to-day interaction or the larger events we hold periodically. In addition, the diversity of the staff lends itself to different perspectives I enjoy exploring.
Tell us something interesting about yourself we would never guess…
Outside of work, one of my main passions is weightlifting! Ever since starting high school, a lot of my free time has been spent training in the gym. Currently I am trying to break into the “1000 lb.” club, I am two thirds of the way there now. I’m also considering becoming a certified personal trainer in the future.