WHO WE ARE
OUR STAFF
Claire was born in Santa Barbara and attended Montessori Center School as well as La Colina Junior High. She has always been very energetic and active. She was involved in AYSO soccer, club volleyball and preformed in school theatre productions. Claire grew up as an only child so in 2002 she jumped at the chance to move to Canada where she was able to attend high school surrounded by seven aunts, seven uncles and 16 cousins. During this time when Claire wasn’t with family she was playing soccer, badminton, volleyball, football and basketball for her school. She always loved team sports where people could bond over recreational activities. In 2007 Claire decided to leave the freezing winters behind and move back to Santa Barbara where she attended City College. She continued to play volleyball and sought out new activites such as kayaking, sailing, knitting and sewing.
This is when Claire decided to make recreation part of her life permanently and attended San Jose State University where she received a Bachelors of Science in Recreation Management. During this time she was involved in the management of a club volleyball team and worked as a program assistant to assist other students start clubs and support them in their favorite activities. She also volunteered for an adaptive fitness program to help seniors strengthen their bodies and their minds through weight lifting and reaching their fitness goals. Claire believes that play and leisure are always a source of happiness and are important for ones quality of life. Since moving back to Santa Barbara to be closer to her family, she has been working with people with disabilities to help them with their daily routines and find activities and social groups in the community to be a part of. In her free time she plays volleyball at East Beach and likes to create holiday ornaments.
Claire is excited to share her love of play and creativity through music, crafts, food, technology and physical activity with the residents of Oak Cottage. Santa Barbara has a diverse culture of musicians and local artisans that she is hoping to share with the Oak Cottage community.
t: 805.456.7279
c: 323.313.7789
CLAIRE O'DELL
Activities Director
