Member Profile: Matt Milburn

Aug 9, 2022 | Members

Felton member Matt Milburn settled into our downtown Satellite for his new ‘non-commute’ job in January 2020. His position in semiconductor equipment manufacturing involves design and invention. He has 4 independent patents and a fifth ‘collaborative’ in the works. Matt’s dad, who is his biggest influence, was an engineer. So, his nature has always been unassembling and reassembling…. Everything….since he was a kid.

Now, with his international company, Hamlin, based in Israel, Matt works in Felton until on-site work with teams is necessary for the test phase of projects. He calls himself a “plumber for the semiconductor manufacturing process”, designing intricacies of systems that safely carry gas, liquid, and vapors through the semiconductor manufacturing process.

After 20+ commuting years to UTC (Ultra Clean Technology Systems) in Hayward, his new ‘remote’ employer became a subsidiary of UTC within 2 years! He chuckles, “They didn’t have to buy the whole company to get me back”. Matt remains a remote worker for Hamlin, and the three hours he gained from not commuting goes to friends, family, hobbies, and quarterly community work. He shares his talents with the Twin Lakes Church as a Saturday mechanic for the ’Mom’s Angels’ program supporting widows and single moms, then provides leadership with their team for the DivorceCare program.

One of Matt’s favorite things about working at Satellite is having access to high-speed fiber-optic internet. It’s a necessity for his job and hard to come by in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The backup generator is also a plus!

Member Profile: Timothy Lydgate, Mountain Mediator

Jun 8, 2022 | Members

Hi Timothy. How did you get into being a mediator and why?

I’ve always been a good listener; it’s just natural to me.

I first trained back in the 1980s in Seattle as part of a Juvenile Diversion program, an early Restorative Justice model. (Note: Restorative Justice brings together people impacted by a crime — victim, community, perpetrator, mediator — to look at impacts and develop restorative consequences.) Before that, I’d lived in Hawaii and was introduced to a similar Hawaiian model, Ho’oponopono, or “drawing out the righteousness,” which made quite an impact on my young self. At this point in my life, this is the work I want to do.

I’ve worked and lived all over the world. I spent my senior year of high school in France, drove from London to Nairobi in 1969 and missed Woodstock because I was crossing the Sahara. I lived and worked in India and Nepal. I was going to be a photojournalist, interned at National Geographic. But (laughing) I didn’t have the ego for it.

I was a volunteer at the Conflict Resolution Center in Santa Cruz when I first trained in divorce mediation. This was 2010 or so. I loved it and have sat with nearly a hundred couples since, learned what to do and what not to do. I’ve trained people in community and divorce mediation locally and at Monterey College of Law and am now in my 2nd term on the board of the National Association for Community Mediation.

What brought you to Felton’s Satellite Workplace?

I live close by in Forest Lakes. It’s amazing here. I’ve been in Santa Cruz for 30 years and finally found a house in Felton, just before Covid. I try to keep costs down for divorcing couples, and the Satellite helps me do that — it’s a quality space with an easy to use scheduling interface and 24/7 access.

And in your spare time?

I’m a woodworker who makes heirloom accessories using figured hardwoods. I’m also a musician, playing guitar, with my wife who’s a singer. We’re both very happy to be part of the mountain community!