Press Release

Natalie Rubalcava-Garcia Named Chair of OC Fair & Event Center Board


COSTA MESA (Jan. 13, 2021) – The OC Fair & Event Center Board of Directors has named Natalie Rubalcava-Garcia Chair of the Board. She previously served as Vice Chair in 2020 and assumes the role of Chair from Sandra Cervantes. Douglas La Belle was also appointed to lead the board alongside Rubalcava-Garcia as Vice Chair.
 
Rubalcava-Garcia will oversee the board at a time when the OC Fair & Event Center is planning its business recovery from shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
In 2020, the OC Fair Board made the difficult decision of cancelling the OC Fair for the first time in decades, along with a full slate of other events such as Imaginology. OC Fair leadership proved to be nimble in response to the disruption by donating food from Centennial Farm to the OC Food Bank, serving as a COVID-19 testing center and food distribution site, housing livestock during recent wildfires, hosting a successful virtual fair and drive-thru fair food event, and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by providing a past, present and future look at the impact the Hispanic Community had on agriculture and the community at large.
 
The OC Fairgrounds will continue to support the County of Orange and State of California as an emergency site in response to the pandemic.
 
“I am energized by the opportunity to serve as Chair of this esteemed board of directors,” Rubalcava-Garcia said. “While 2020 brought many unforeseen challenges, we know Orange County is a resilient community. With the right adjustments and safety protocols in place, the Fair Board and staff plans to welcome people back to the fairgrounds this summer and fulfill our mission of celebrating Orange County’s communities, interests, agriculture and heritage.”
 
Rubalcava-Garcia was first appointed to the Orange County Fair Board of Directors by former California Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018. She is an executive of the Orange County Business Council, and also volunteers her time to nonprofit community groups by serving on the boards of Concordia University Irvine’s Hispanic Leadership Advisory Board, Chrysalis Orange County Advisory Council and co-leads her daughter’s Girl Scout Brownie Troop.
 
“Natalie brings to the table a vast understanding of the Orange County business landscape. She is a strong and creative professional, and I look forward to working with her to bring the OC Fair & Event Center back to full operation,” said OC Fair & Event Center CEO Michele Richards.
 
Board officers typically serve one-year terms and are nominated for office by a committee of fellow Board members.