Calling all to Lompoc
To learn more about goings-on at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit lompoc.com or call (805) 736-4567. Its new office is located at 109 S. H St. next to Certain Sparks Music.
In 2009, the Air Force brought Melanie Lindley to Lompoc. She discovered a love for the area and decided to stay in town after retiring.
“It is really just a fantastic place. You don’t have to drive far to find something amazing to do,” Lindley said. “The beaches, the mission, the wineries, … even without spending money.”
Lompoc is home to many small businesses and passionate residents, Lindley added, who need a central hub to discover the city’s latest and greatest. She’s one of the newest additions to the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, helping bridge the gap between businesses, visitors, and residents.
Lindley took her role as the executive director in January. After last year’s brief closure announcement and financial woes with the Lompoc City Council, the chamber is navigating a path forward in more ways than one.
The other half of the chamber’s two-person staff is Communications Director Amanda Mansfield, who started in February. Together Lindley and Mansfield run the organization along with guidance from the board of directors. They welcome volunteers who’d like to greet visitors at the front desk, too.
Right now, they’re focusing on improving communication with the public and rebuilding trust with businesses.
“We’re making sure that we’re freshening up the way we communicate. We’re revamping our website,” Lindley said. “Our weekly emails—if I’m being honest—had gotten stale, so we’re making sure that every week those are updated.”
‘Where we’re at right now is just trying to put in the work and show value. That’s something that I brought with me to this job—the willingness to do the work and the willingness to do it right.’
—Melanie Lindley, Lompoc Valley Chamber executive director
In addition to new staff members, the chamber also welcomed four board directors: restaurateur Dave Jaskolski, aerospace engineer Dane Drefke, health care executive Yvette Cope, and aerospace professional Zack Pohlman. The new directors represent sectors that are growing in Lompoc, including the needs of those who work at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“Having people on the board that understand the need for those items in our community I think is really helpful,” Lindley said.
The chamber’s refresh also extends to its physical location. By the end of March, it’ll move into a new building on H Street, just one block away from its previous office. During the move, visitors can still visit the chamber’s old office on I Street. Lindley keeps the doors open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. giving out pamphlets filled with local recommendations.
“The priority of the move was to get us to where we were able to better serve our community,” Lindley said.
In the historic office at the chamber’s previous location, there was a lot of unused space on the first and second floors. The front desk was downstairs, but staff offices were upstairs, Lindley explained, making it difficult to meet visitors when they walked through the doors. Situated next door to Certain Sparks Music, the new location will be prime for making community connections and bringing in new members, she added.
Businesses want to see the chamber step up, which is exactly what Lindley and Mansfield are planning to do. The executive director said she brings transparency and integrity to her role.
“I’m going to always tell people where we’re at,” Lindley said. “Where we’re at right now is just trying to put in the work and show value. That’s something that I brought with me to this job—the willingness to do the work and the willingness to do it right.”
Highlights
• Allan Hancock College offers free child care for its students at the campus library in Santa Maria. Kids ages 2 to 8 will receive a snack bag and can join story time and crafting activities. Parents are required to stay in the library and can use the time to study. Kids’ Corner takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information call (805) 922-6966, Ext. 3474.
• The Santa Maria Communications Division won a first-place award for an episode of Culture in the Valley at the Alliance for Community Media conference in February. Culture in the Valley and the award-winning episode on the Natural History Museum are available on the city’s YouTube channel and streamed at cityofsantamaria.org/tv.
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in March 5 – March 12, 2026.