Board of Directors
Serving OC Fair & Event Center
Members of the Board of Directors are appointed by the governor of California and serve a four-year term without compensation. Board members, who may serve more than one term, serve until a replacement is appointed. Board meetings are held the fourth Thursday of each month in the Administration Building, which is located at OCFEC through Gate 4 off of Arlington Drive, unless otherwise noted. The Fair Board’s role is to set and approve policies for the organization.
Our mission: Creating equitable community access to agriculture, entertainment, cultural and educational experiences.
View OC Fair Board Committee assignments.
All correspondence with the Board of Directors can be addressed care of OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
Questions and comments regarding OCFEC operational matters can also be sent to the executive team at the above address or to ocfexec@ocfair.com. Click here to apply to become a member of the Board of Directors.
Bylaws and governing policy
- Bylaws of the 32nd District Agricultural Association (.pdf)
- OCFEC Board of Directors Governing Policy Manual (.pdf)
Public records requests
To request public records, email cpra@ocfair.com
View public records requests log
OC Fair Board of Directors
Newton Pham, Chair
Fountain Valley
Member since 2016
Newton is an executive vice president and head of leveraged finance at California Bank and Trust, the California division of Zions Bancorporation. Prior, he was the principal financial analyst in charge of corporate development at Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. from 2012 to 2014, senior analyst at McGladrey Capital Markets LLC from 2007 to 2012 and equity research associate at Smith Barney, Citigroup Global Markets from 2004 to 2007. Newton is a graduate of San Diego State University and was appointed Board in 2016.
Nick Kovacevich, Vice Chair
Newport Beach
Member since 2020
Nick is the CEO of Greenlane Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of ancillary cannabis products and accessories. He is an entrepreneur who co-founded several successful businesses including KushCo Holdings, which merged with Greenlane in 2021, and BigRentz, an Irvine-based technology company. Nick is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University where he captained the men’s NCAA II basketball team. He was appointed to the Board in 2020.
Barbara Bagneris
Orange
Member since 2014
Barbara has been principal financial analyst at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems since 2010. She was a senior financial controls analyst at L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation from 2008 to 2010 and held multiple positions at the Boeing Company from 1980 to 2008, including business analyst and program financial controls analyst. Bagneris is past president of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Orange County (CA) Alumnae Chapter. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix, Fountain Valley.
Sandra Cervantes
Irvine
Member since 2014
Sandra has owned Miniondas Newspaper since 2013 and Cervantes Real Estate since 2012. She was vice president of the Century 21 Professionals REO Division from 1993 to 2011 and administrative director at the Women’s Choice Clinic from 1983 to 1993. She is managing director of the Sandra Y. Cervantes Scholarship Fund at the Hispanic Educational Endowment Fund of Orange County and a member of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals Advisory Board and the Heritage Museum of Orange County Board of Directors.
Douglas La Belle
Costa Mesa
Member since 2010
Doug is retired and most recently served as City Manager for the City of Chino Hills from 1995 until 2009. Prior to that he served as City Manager for the City of Signal Hill and began his career in local government in 1964 with the City of Garden Grove and has worked in various administrative capacities for the cities of Cerritos, Huntington Beach, La Mesa and Marysville. He serves on the Board of Directors for Boys Republic in Chino Hills.
Natalie Rubalcava-Garcia
Anaheim
Member since 2018
Natalie recently served as COO of the Orange County Business Council, where she was vice president of investor relations. She was associate publisher at the Southern California News Group in 2016 and held several positions at Freedom News Group and the Orange County Register from 2007 to 2016. She was audience insights analyst at ImpreMedia from 2006 to 2007 and held several positions at the Los Angeles Times from 1996 to 2004.
Robert Ruiz
Irvine
Member since 2014
Robert has been secretary-treasurer at Laborers Local 652 since 2003, where he was a field agent from 2002 to 2003. He was a foreman at Peter C. David from 2000 to 2002, crew leader at Pan Pacific Plumbing from 1999 to 2000 and a contractor for Steve P. Rados from 1995 to 1999. Ruiz was a warehouse administrator at TVT Electronics from 1988 to 1995.
