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.


OC Fair Board of Directors

Nick Kovacevich, Chair

Newport Beach
Member since 2020

Nick is the former 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. Kovacevich 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, Vice Chair

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.

Tanya Bilezikjian

Anaheim
Member since 2023

Tanya has been chief of staff and vice president at MNS Engineers Inc. since 2023. She held several positions at Michael Baker International from 2005 to 2023, including vice president and civil engineer. She was a staff engineer at Environmental Engineering and Contracting in 2004. She was a water resources control engineer for the San Diego and Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Boards from 2001 to 2003.

She is a member of the California Stormwater Quality Association and co-chair of its 2023 conference. Bilezikjian is a member of the Anaheim Public Utilities board of directors. She earned a Master of Science degree in civil and environmental engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Irvine.

Dimetria Jackson

Irvine
Member since 2023

Dimetria has been a broker associate for eXp Realty of California since 2021 and principal at the Law Offices of Dimetria Jackson since 2018. She was a contract attorney for Lexolution from 2019 to 2021. Jackson held several positions at Nano Financial Holdings-Nano Banc EVP from 2017 to 2018, including general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer. She was a freelance attorney for Montage Legal Group from 2011 to 2012 and 2016 to 2019.

She was director of corporate social responsibility and sustainability for Golden State Foods from 2012 to 2016. Jackson held several positions at First American Trust from 2000 to 2009, including senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer and corporate secretary. She is a member of the Collaborative Courts Foundation Board and the International School of Orange County Board of Trustees. Jackson is a past president of the Orange County Bar Association. She earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Dartmouth College.

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.

Newton Pham

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 to the Board in 2016.

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.

 

hhallfooter