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Meet Orange County’s 125 most influential people for 2023

Bonni Pomush took over as CEO of Working Wardrobes after a string of events rocked the nonprofit — fire, pandemic and the stepping down of its founder. In little more than a year, she has revitalized its mission and connected Working Wardrobes into a network of other nonprofits in the county and beyond. It’s more than just clothes; it’s about building a workforce for OC. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Young surfer Sawyer Lindblad won the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach and qualified for the 2024 World Tour, the only Orange County native on the women’s tour to compete against the sport’s best. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

When a rare snowy owl arrived in Cypress creating a huge interest, local resident Roy Rausch stepped in and quickly formed a community group of neighbors to safeguard the owl and manage the massive migration of people there. When the owl disappeared in early spring, he chronicled the experience and is now completing a docudrama he’s been filming around the community with other enthusiasts. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Restauranteur Alicia Cox and her daughter Sahara Whitney, 11, at Sahara Sandbar & Pizza at Huntington State Beach. Alicia Cox’s beach dining empire wasn’t enough for the entrepreneur who thrives on challenges. She opened The Salty B in Huntington Beach to sell clothing and home goods, she partnered with Strut to host Orange County’s first Pride event on the beach and secured contracts to be the exclusive food and beverage provider for the US Open of Surfing and World Surf League events at Huntington State Beach. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Philanthropists and Anaheim Ducks owners Susan and Henry Samueli gave $50 million to UCI’s engineering school to help launch three research and education institutes for health, society and the environment. Susan Samueli also launched the Ending Human Trafficking Collaborative to inform the public and combat the practice of forcing people into sexual or manual labor for the financial benefit of others.(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

About 31,000 people, mostly older and all vulnerable, live behind closed doors in Orange County, either in residential and medical care facilities. For many, Huff is the one person they talk with every month. She’s an advocate with the Council on Aging – Southern California’s long-term care ombudsman program, and her job is to be the eyes and ears and voice for people who otherwise would be totally at the mercy of the companies they pay to watch over them. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

From left, Brian and Andy Le, who founded The Martial Club with Daniel Mah, played an essential role as fight choreographers and scene-stealing actors in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture this year. They delivered fight scenes that were as breathtaking as they were hilarious, which led to a lot of the movie’s popularity. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Steven Oh is the executive vice president at Related California and head of the Related Bristol project in Santa Ana. The development company is working with city officials for a retooling of aging retail space near South Coast Plaza that would include 3,750 residential units, a hotel and new shopping spaces.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Under Alison Edwards’ leadership, the OC Human Relations Council rebranded in 2023 to Groundswell. The organization works with the county and the OC Human Relations Commission to release the annual Hate Crime Report, and the new name helped avoid some confusion that existed. In 2023, Groundswell hosted its Community Dialogue Series, bringing together people to share the joys and recognize the harms and challenges faced by communities of color. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Tustin Mayor Austin Lumbard has been the face of the city, navigating it through the blimp hangar fire that emitted asbestos into neighborhoods. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Ian Frank Tortorici is one of just a handful of U.S. veterans to have been killed in the Ukrainian war. The Marine veteran had been in the Ukrainian International Legion for more than a year when he was killed by a Russian missile strike in the Ukranian city of Kramatorsk. While not famous or influential outside his circle of family and friends in South County, his actions nonetheless could serve as an example for others and may have helped turned the tide in the fight against Russian aggression. (Courtesy of Jon Frank)

Kristen Lew is the 17-year-old founder and host of The Care Café teen mental health podcast was recognized by California Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Steve Zimmer for her advocacy for California Senate Bill 14 to implement mental health days in schools, bettering mental health efforts in her local OC community and across California. Lew is a senior at Northwood High. (Courtesy of Kristen Lew)

Shohei Ohtani became the first player in major league history to win an MVP Award unanimously for the second time. Ohtani is the No. 1 attraction in major league baseball and was a significant driver of attendance and revenue for the Angels before he left as a free agent to sign with the Dodgers for $700 million over 10 years. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)

Mara James coordinated with Assemblymember Laurie Davies with the support of California State Treasurer Fiona Ma to have September 2023 designated as Children’s Emotional Wellness Month. Additionally, the reader-nominated James initiated a first-time program in low-income schools in September to bring awareness of children’s mental health issues which included take-home packets in English and Spanish as family resources. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Madelynn Hirneise, CEO of Families Forward, led the charge to secure increased funding for the organization in 2023. CalOptima Health awarded it $2.5 million to build up to eight affordable housing units in Tustin for families with young children. Additionally, the City of Tustin contributed a substantial sum of $2 million toward this project. (Courtesy of Families Forward)

The Mission Viejo councilmember Wendy Bucknum, has swung into action to organize other California cities to demand better standards and oversight for sober living and addiction treatment facilities. Costa Mesa had been waging a lonely war here — until its new laws pushed operators into surrounding cities like Mission Viejo. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Leslee Milch, a teacher in the Buena Park School District, wrapped up her 25th consecutive summer of hosting “Read With Me” outings in a local park where she reads to children during summer break. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A $50 million gift from the philanthropist Richard Pickup is funding a new brain health center at Hoag Hospital. This center aims to transform clinical care for memory and cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Additionally, it will create programs for patients’ family members who are also impacted by the effects of the often devastating diseases. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Since taking the helm as temporary CEO of the Orange County Power Authority in early summer, Joe Mosca has helped the troubled clean electricity agency earn a vote of confidence from local lawmakers, environmental groups and, on many issues, state auditors. It’s been a dramatic turn for an agency that started losing the faith of the county and one local city last year amid troubling investigations. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Henry Hill received the Elphie Award for his work in disability advocacy in his community this year. Hill, who is blind, educates local youth on the physical and emotional barriers of living with a disability, specifically through accessibility in education and literature. Hill is passionate about advocating for braille editions of classic works such as “The Metaphysics” by Aristotle or Immanuel Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reasoning.” (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Joe Kiani is the CEO and founder of Masimo. The company has won a series of patent battles against Apple over the tech giant’s improper copying of the Orange County firm’s health-tracking technology. (Photo credit should read MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Oscar González and the other 12 brothers and sisters who are owners of Northgate Markets (Orange County-based company with dozens of markets extending into Los Angeles County) just opened the gigantic Mercado González, a 70,000-square-foot storefront that showcases old and contemporary Mexican cuisine, in Costa Mesa. The mercado, unlike anything Orange County has seen, is the 45th installment in the Northgate Market empire. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Joshua Grill is the director of UCI MIND. It’s the only state and federally funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Orange County and it’s working to unravel the mysteries of the brain-wasting disease. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Affectionately known as Orange County’s last cowboy, Frank Fitzpatrick, at left, the owner of 5 Bar Beef is at the heart of local holistic grazing projects. The goal is to use cattle to clear vegetation that can present fire hazards while also improving soil quality. A pilot project with the agency that manages the toll roads is wrapping up this year, with promising results.(Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jon Dunn (center) celebrated 30 years with Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties in 2023, and its primary care arm, Melody Health, continued providing accessible mental health support. Through early December, it had seen 282 unique patients and 3,867 virtual visits for intensive psychotherapy, an increase from the same period in 2022 from 182 patients for 2525 visits. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Irvine’s city manager Oliver Chi led an innovative land swap that got an annoying asphalt plant shut while creating new open space and possibly 400-plus new homes. One 2024 challenge he is facing is getting the city a new amphitheatre. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Annastasia Rose Beal strolls the streets of Orange County, handing out Narcan like she is Santa handing out gifts. Beal wants people to have the chance to save themselves or others from an opioid overdose. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Charles Antis, the founder of Antis Roofing and Waterproofing has been deeply involved with nonprofits throughout Orange County and is a dynamic speaker who is eager to make a difference. In 2023, Antis hosted his 100th blood drive after launching an effort in 2020 when he learned that blood drives were being canceled due to the pandemic; 2,500 units of blood were collected over those 100 drives. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Following Councilmember Joyce Ahn’s proposal, the Buena Park CIty Council in October unanimously designated the Korean American neighborhood — the section of Beach Boulevard between Orangethorpe Avenue and Rosecrans Avenue in Buena Park — as Koreatown, making the city home to Orange County’s second Koreatown. (Courtesy of City of Buena Park)

Shannon Bennett, a health teacher at Santiago High School in Garden Grove, was nominated by a reader for her work with the school’s Friday Night Live club that “promotes a healthy lifestyle free of alcohol, tobacco, and other substance abuse,” her nominator wrote. “Participating in after school and community activities provides students with a rewarding opportunity to gain personal confidence and leadership skills.”(Courtesy of GGUSD )

Rhonda Palmeri, the manager of Cook’s Corner held it together during a mass shooting and helped people heal. When some doubted if Cook’s Corner could reopen, she listened to her staff that insisted they needed to open to embrace the community of bikers and canyon residents that call it home. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

As the medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UCI Health, Susan Huang is among the nation’s leading clinicians and researchers in the field of infection prevention and combatting multi-drug resistant organisms. In 2023, the reader-nominated Dr. Huang and colleagues published two landmark studies related to reducing healthcare-associated infections. (Photo by Steve Zylius, UCI)

Marilyn Harran, Chapman professor of history and religious studies was nominated by a reader “for her exceptional contributions and influential role in Holocaust education. In 2023, she has spent the year diligently preparing the antidote to antisemitism through her dedicated efforts in education.” (Courtesy of Chapman University)

Lorri Galloway is the founder and executive director of The Eli Home for abused children. On Nov. 8, CalOptima recognized her innovative work in homelessness and the creation of CARP, Children of Addicts Recovery Program, that recognizes the most vulnerable of the homelessness crisis. They awarded The Eli Home $5 million to build the first CARP Permanent Supportive Housing development.

A retired Ventura police sergeant opened fire at Cook’s Corner on Aug. 23, killing three people and injuring six others before he was fatally shot in a barrage of bullets by Orange County Sheriff’s deputies authorities said. “Those deputy sheriffs took the action that was necessary to take out the suspect, to stop the danger, to use their training and to make sure that the suspect could do no more harm,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Meghan Clem, left, and Katie Webb Brundige created RAD Camp a decade ago and today it is the largest overnight camp in Southern California for children and adults with disabilities. Always with a wait list, in 2023, RAD Camp was able to welcome more campers than ever before. Fun fact: On the RAD Camp website, they are listed as co-founders and executive directors of awesome. (Courtesy of RAD Camp)

Pastor Ivan Pitts leads Second Baptist Church, the oldest Black church in Orange County that celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. Pitts has served the church for more than a decade, growing its membership, expanding its campuses and continuing its partnership with groups like the OC Health Care Agency and OC Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance to launch mental health and wellness services. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jennifer Friend knows firsthand what it is like to be homeless as a child in Orange County. This catapulted her into her leadership role at Project Hope Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of homelessness and ensuring that children continue to have access to the basic needs and resources they need to succeed. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Michelle Wulfestieg is executive director of Southern California Hospice Foundation and the driving force behind the opening this year of The Heavenly Home, a nonprofit residential care facility whose six beds are dedicated exclusively to the elderly who are dying. It is one of a few such hospice homes in the state and the only one in Orange County. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, who is serving his first term in the state legislature, had his first piece of legislation signed into law this year. It fundamentally changes how Orange County is redistricted. The new law will create an independent commission, starting in 2030, charged with changing the boundary lines for the OC Board of Supervisors. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

William Shopoff hopes to build nearly 1,200 homes with new shopping options carved out of a chunk of the ailing Westminster Mall and its parking lot. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Rep. Linda Sanchez took over the BOLD PAC earlier this year, the campaign arm of the powerful Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Her mission is to increase Latino and Latina representation in Congress to diversify those who are at the policymaking table. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Richard Reese, the urban visionary who created the plan for the new community of Rancho Santa Margarita, dubbed by TV personality Barbara Walters as a modern-day Shangri-La. Reese — a lifelong planner who oversaw building and development for the city of Anaheim, the Irvine Company and Rancho Mission Viejo — died on Aug. 29 after retiring beside a lake in his beloved city. But his influence lives on in Rancho Santa Margarita as well as a score of other “urban villages” he created around Orange County. (Photo by ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/SCNG

The Musco family has once again raised the arts bar at Chapman University with this year’s creation of the new Marybelle Musco Contemporary Dance Series. With the pandemic’s passing, Marybelle Musco – whose love of dance stretches back to participation as a girl – committed to a next step in programming at Musco Center for the Arts. Supplementing live performances for the public, the endeavor underwrites week-long residencies for top professional companies on campus as dance catalysts interacting with Chapman dance students. (Photo by Stephanie Chavez, Courtesy of Chapman University) ]

Laguna Beach running back Bella Rasmussen, who became the first girl in California to score two touchdowns in a game, appeared in a Super Bowl commercial promoting the growth of girls flag football. (Photo by Dan Albano, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Former USC QB Matt Leinart wearing his hall of fame jacket being inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame along with Cornelius Green (Ohio State) Eddie Casey (Harvard) and Jacque Robinson (Washington) during the Hall of Fame luncheon outside the Rose Bowl on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Scott Kibbey (center) is a state parks superintendent who oversees, among other spots, Doheny State Beach. This year, a major sand replenishment project helped revitalize Doheny, something Kibbey helped oversee. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Chris Jepsen is president of the Orange County Historical Society and maintains a Facebook page and a blog that highlight stories and forgotten tidbits on the history of the county and its various cities. Earlier this year, Jepsen published a meticulously researched look at Chicago gangster Al Capone’s interest in buying up what is now south Orange County, ostensibly to expand his bootlegging operation. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Candice Appleby has been at the top of the stand-up paddle scene for decades, one of the early adopters of the sport, and still is dominating. Appleby, who runs Ocean Academy in Dana Point Harbor, earned gold at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Leo Carlsson, the rookie from Sweden, who turns 19 on Dec. 26, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft and already is making a difference with the Ducks. He’s part of a youth movement with the Ducks that includes Mason McTavish, Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, all of whom were born in 2001 or later. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG

Dottie Brown has given blood for the past 70 years. Brown, who has the much-needed Type O blood, donates every 56 days. She advised the greater Orange County community earlier this year to be “mindful of other people’s needs and help where you can.” (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The reader-nominated mayor of Anaheim worked to restore transparency and trust in Anaheim following an investigation into alleged corruption One reader said Ashleigh Aitken helped point the city in the right direction after the “disastrous course” it had been on. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

As physician-in-chief of City of Hope Orange County, Edward Kim treats cancer patients from all over Orange County. He played an instrumental role in developing culturally sensitive treatment methods for OC’s only cancer speciality hospital. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jeneen Graham became St. Margaret’s Episcopal School’s fifth head of school in July and is the first woman to lead the San Juan Capistrano school that was founded in 1979. The reader-nominated educator has collaborated with edX to offer MOOCs (massive open online courses). (Courtesy of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School)

Dan Heinfeld established LPA Design Studios as a national model for integrated design with a focus on sustainability long before it became mainstream. During his tenure, the firm prioritized designs that were both timeless and energy-efficient, promoting health and wellness. The firm’s notable achievements include the Premier Automotive Group headquarters for the Ford Motor Company, the nation’s first LEED-NC-certified building, the decade-long development of the Edwards Lifesciences campus, the new County of Orange civic complex, and the recently announced $1 billion expansion of Hoag’s new Sun Family Campus in Irvine. Heinfeld retires this month, in December, after 37 years as president of LPA and 45 years total with the firm. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Claudia Bonilla Keller led Second Harvest Food Bank as it helped feed more than 400,000 people a month in 2023, a record for the 40-year-old agency. Keller says the surge in food insecurity the nation saw during the pandemic has been replaced by a more stubborn matrix of problems that is making it hard for people to get consistent access to nutritious food. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Mike Ness, the frontman for Orange County-based Social Distortion announced in June that he had tonsil cancer. In early December, however, Social Distortion announced it would tour in 2024 as Ness’ condition apparently has improved enough for him to get on the road. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Bryce Young, the Mater Dei High graduate and former Heisman Trophy winner was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft in the spring, going to the Carolina Panthers. Young and the Panthers have struggled in his rookie season, but the team made a huge investment in him. He was the first Orange County player taken with the No. 1 pick since Carson Palmer 20 years earlier. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Katherine White is a do-it-all public health nurse with Wound Walk OC. Most nights of the week, she goes to parks and other places where homeless people sleep and offers free, cursory medical help. She also listens to their stories. And, sometimes, she follows up with years of phone calls and advice (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

As the communications director for the California State Assembly Republican Caucus, Emily Sissell manages a bevy of responsibilities for the Republican Assembly leader as well as the other members of the caucus, from juggling events to interview requests and more. This year, she also played an integral role in the California Republican Party’s fall convention in Anaheim, which brought presidential hopefuls to Orange County. (Courtesy of Emily Sissell)

Brett Sanders, a professor for civil and environmental engineering at UC Irvine has been at the forefront of sand erosion, replenishment and monitoring discussions and programs as coastal cities try and grapple with shrinking beaches due to severe erosion. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG).

Matt Prince, the head of public relations for Taco Bell and an adjunct professor at Chapman University, garnered national attention this year when a task he posed to his marketing class went viral. He challenged his students to create a TikTok video about the class, and if it got more than 1 million views, he’d cancel the final exam. The assignment, meant to be a semester-long opportunity to teach his students about the power of social media and trends, was completed in about 48 hours. The video, and his lesson, went viral. (Courtesy of Emily Paris, Chapman University)

Former Corona del Mar High standout Maddie Musselman remained a key player on the U.S. women’s water polo team and inspiration for female athletes. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

An Instagram influencer with more than 150,000 followers, Kian Moltaji just opened his first brick-and-mortar bakery in Mission Viejo this summer. His new artisan bakery, which has lines coming out the door, provides legit French pastries to South County minus the frippery that usually comes with such establishments. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Hawken Miller, center, is pictured with his parents Paul and Debra Miller. Debra Miller is the CEO and founder of Newport Beach-based CureDuchenne, a nonprofit that raises money to promote research, patient care and innovation for those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, such as Miller’s son Hawken. In 2023, a significant milestone was met when the first gene therapy for Duchenne was approved by the FDA to treat 4 and 5 year olds with the disease. CureDuchenne provided early and critical funding to the company that developed this drug, and Miller was one of a select few who spoke at the FDA’s Advisory Committee Meeting in June 2023, in advance of the approval. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Inge Mckellop, owner of the Wiener Dog Store in Huntington Beach’s Old World Village, has brought smiles to people’s faces for years by organizing wiener dog races. What once was a bit of fun during the Oktoberfest celebrations has become a season of its own lasting from spring until the championships in November. (Courtesy of Inge McKellop)

Debbie McGuire is the director of the Wetlands and Wildlife Center. When the snowy owl arrived in Cypress, she and her team were among the first to determine the bird’s health and identify its feeding habitats. McGuire worked with local wildlife authorities to ensure the bird’s welfare while also making recommendations to the public to keep it and the owl as safe and healthy as possible. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

In the span of a few months, Aaron Lipp brought his own life experience as someone who is neurodivergent to the lead role of Christopher Francis Boone, a teenager who is on the autism spectrum, in not one but two productions of the play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” — first for Chapman University, where he is a student, and then for Chance Theater in Anaheim. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, who grew up in Rossmoor and attended OCSA and Los Alamitos High, won a Writers Guild of America award for comedy series along with a group from “The Bear.” She’s an executive story editor on the acclaimed show. She also was nominated for her work on “The Dropout.” (Courtesy Sofya Levitsky-Weitz)

As the CEO of the Orange County Transportation Authority, Darrell Johnson oversaw the completion of a five-year, $2.16 billion widening of the 405 Freeway this year. The agency is also deep into 5 Freeway improvement projects, work on a key section of the 55 Freeway and is nearing completion of the OC Streetcar. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Jon Gould was named head of UC Irvine’s school of social ecology about a year ago. Since then, he’s overseen the first big public opinion survey of the county in years, and he’s working to turn UCI into a hub for getting stuff done. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

In six short months, Laguna Playhouse’s new artistic director David Ellenstein has spearheaded a creative revitalization of Orange County’s sole century-old theater, which had been languishing artistically and professionally. Under Ellenstein and managing director professional partner Bill Kerlin, the first four productions were sharply acted, sumptuously staged and well-attended, portending an institution again on the rise. (Photo by Aaron Rumley Photography, courtesy of Laguna Playhouse)

Ayn Craciun, at right, heads up the Orange County chapter of Climate Action Campaign, a leading nonprofit climate policy watchdog in the region. She helped spur creation of the Orange Power Authority, to provide cleaner energy options to county residents. And in 2023, she led efforts to release the first Orange County Climate Action Plan Report Card, to gauge how local cities and the county are doing when it comes to plans for long-term climate action and adaptation.(Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

LaVal Brewer is the president and CEO of South County Outreach. For more than 30 years, he’s been in the business of helping feed people and transition them to a better life. Behind the scenes, he’s credited with helping create a positive environment for nonprofit workers that helps avoid burnout. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Despite threats, Placentia’s city administrator Damien Arrula convinced the city council to leave the traditional (and very expensive) model of firefighting and embrace something more to scale, which, despite predictions of bodies in the streets, has improved response times. The city does get the cold shoulder from surrounding cities, however. (File photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange. County Register/SCNG)

Tamara Alexander, co-director of the Mediation Clinic at Chapman’s Fowler School of Law, provides mediation services to families in crisis through OC Family Court. “She is extremely professional and empathetic, and is able to make the participants at the clinic heard and valued,” the reader who nominated her wrote.(Courtesy of Chapman University)

The Nobel Prize winner in economic sciences and Chapman professor is one of 1,600 participants in UC Irvine’s 90+ study, which is examining people in their 90s and how they age. Vernon Smith, who is 96, told AARP’s magazine he has no plans to retire. “I’d just do the same thing I’m doing now and wouldn’t get paid for it. I have an ancestor who lived to be 105. I want to live at least to 106.” (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Marine veteran from Garden Grove volunteered to help Ukraine following its invasion by Russia and was struck by a Russian rocket while inside a Humvee on the frontlines. “I’ve always believed as a man you should be willing to die for something,” Giovanni Roman said. “I have no problem dying helping someone out and helping the defenseless — and that is exactly what was going on there.” (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Kelsey Morgan, a doctoral candidate at UC Irvine, created Freedom Lifemap, an online assessment questionnaire aimed at helping trafficking victims break free from their captors. “There’s an urgent need to understand the root causes that create this cycle, and to predict and identify trends and anomalies as a way to help break it,” Morgan said.(Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

Veronica Kelley –The chief of mental health and recovery services for the county’s health care agency is taking point on efforts to educate community members on the dangers of fentanyl in the county’s Fentanyl is Forever campaign. (Courtesy of OC Health Care Agency)

Several readers nominated Debbie Little and called attention to her work with the food bank at St. Kilian Catholic Church in Mission Viejo. They called out her “tireless efforts” to make sure members of the local community received the food they need. (Courtesy of St. Kilian Church)

Jeannie Kim was appointed president of Santiago Canyon College in January. She recently told a reporter that she wants Santiago Canyon, ranked No. 7 among the state’s community colleges, to reach No. 1 out of 116 in only a few years. (Courtesy of Santiago Canyon College)

Sara Johnson is a professor of anthropology and director of the Urban Agriculture Community-based Research Experience Project at Cal State Fullerton works with students – in the classroom, in the Fullerton Arboretum and Apiary, and in working with community partners across Orange County. Her nominator wrote that she instills a passion for agroecological research and teaches students how to use the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired in college to give back to their communities. (Courtesy of CSUF)

In 2023, Frederick Griefer was selected as the director of the Santa Ana Homeownership Center in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, one of four such centers in the country (the others are in Atlanta, Denver and Philadelphia). The reader-nominated Griefer oversees a 150-person operation serving the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.(Photo courtesy of LinkedIn)

Jiin Yun, 16, created a children’s book, an app and a nonprofit that holds workshops for kids about smarter recycling. Now teens are launching chapters of her group as far away as Georgia. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Yuri Williams is an OC probation officer who dresses up as superheroes to cheer up sick children and the homeless, including adults. He also raises money, and the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has supported his efforts. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Nikka Shahrokni founded the nonprofit organization Kreative Kiddos. Shahrokni and the other volunteers teach STEAM-driven activities — which encompasses science, technology, engineering, arts and math — to children at the Rescue Mission, a nonprofit helping individuals and families experiencing homelessness with shelter and other basic needs. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Dana Point native Andrew McMahon is a singer-songwriter and leader of the band Something Corporate, which recently reunited and toured in 2023. McMahon also dropped his fourth solo album, “Tilt at the Wind No More,” in March. As a cancer survivor himself, McMahon continues to raise funds through his Dear Jack Foundation to support young people diagnosed with cancer and their families. Something Corporate is wrapping up the year with a pair of New Year’s Eve shows at City National Grove of Anaheim on Dec. 30-31. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Mark Hilbert, benefactor of the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University, has been busy helping plan and now overseeing the expansion of the facility, which is expected to be completed in February and will show even more of the collection he and his wife, Janet, have amassed. In the meantime, he continues to offer his weekly guided tours of the museum’s temporary space. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Chef Tony Esnault and his wife, restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi are the couple behind Knife Pleat, one of three Orange County restaurants with a Michelin star, offer an elevated dining experience in their South Coast Plaza location (and Esnault works miracles with vegetables). They also are engaged in their community and showed up to support an anti-human trafficking initiative when it was introduced this year. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Attorneys Annee Della Donna and Eric Dubin, who are working with UCI law school students to exonerate people who have been wrongly convicted, stand together outside the Old Orange County Courthouse. Annee Della Donna founded Innocence OC, located at UC Irvine Law School and dedicated to reversing wrongful convictions. She recently obtained the release of two men imprisoned for 17 years for an L.A. County shooting that they did not commit. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Sergio Contreras leads the United for Student Success initiative at Orange County United Way, and under his leadership the organization coordinated 176 college- and career-related events for nearly 3,000 high school students in 2023. Contreras is is a first-generation American, and his nominator said his programs “reflect the realities and needs of today’s students and are steeped in cultural sensitivity.” (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

David O. Carter is he federal judge who concluded that then-President Donald Trump and his attorney, former Chapman Law dean John Eastman, “more likely than not” committed crimes in their attempts to reverse Trump’s 2020 election loss set the stage for myriad criminal trials of folks involved in the effort. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Randall Avila is a central force of the Orange County Republican Party, where he serves as executive director. From spearheading efforts to reregister former Republican voters and launching a county-level candidate training program for local Orange County seats to bringing presidential candidates to Orange County ahead of the election, he’s had a busy year. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sylvia Alva took over as Cal State Fullerton’s president in August, returning to the university where she landed her first teaching position after receiving her doctorate. Alva, the daughter of immigrants and part of a family educated in the Cal State system, most recently had overseen CSU’s Division of Academic and Student Affairs. (Courtesy of Cal State Fullerton)

Jon Reiser has long been responsible for bringing touring acts to Orange County and supporting the local music scene. He’s now co-owner of Garden Amp in Downtown Garden Grove, which continues to foster young talent and bring in big-name punk rock, reggae and hip-hop acts. The intimate, all-ages venue also hosts a variety of popular tribute acts covering acts like Queen, The Cure, Linkin Park, Tom Petty, Journey and more. (Photo courtesy Jon Reiser)

Royce Lewis is the JSerra High graduate and former No. 1 overall pick in the MLB draft hit 15 home runs in only 58 games with the Minnesota Twins in the 2023 season. He became the first player in MLB history to hit five grand slams among his first 16 career home runs. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

The founder of the the nonprofit Arts & Learning Conservatory created and produced the multi-generational Gospel Voices of OC for the second year at Chapman’s Musco Center in conjunction with Juneteenth 2023. In 2023, reader-nominated Debora Wondercheck also produced 22 musical theater productions and coordinated music courses both in the community and multiple school districts, impacting more than 2,400 students. (Courtesy of Debora Wondercheck)

The founder of nonprofit Heartfelt has been a vocal advocate for heart health in Orange County, the reader who nominated her wrote. In 2023, Holly Morrell facilitated more than $675,000 worth of vital cardiac evaluations for Orange County families. In those evaluations, Heartfelt identified that five people had life-threatening heart conditions. among them one adult and an 11-year-old who required surgery to safeguard their lives and return to sports and normal activities. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jessie Lopez, a member of the Santa Ana City Council, survived the police union-backed recall launched against her. “We showed up and our community showed up and we are making a major statement that we do not want the politics of the police association running the city,” she said. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Tracy La leads a prominent advocacy organization, VietRISE, that builds power with working-class Vietnamese people and immigrant communities in Orange County. The reader who nominated her wrote that she advocated for bold policy changes in Little Saigon cities and the passage of Santa Ana’s rent control and stabilization ordinance. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Patti Hirahara volunteers her time and donates funds to preserve the history of Japanese Americans in Orange County. Her nominator pointed to several projects she undertook in 2023 that focused on members of a community that knows her efforts and the nominator believes should be known by many more in the county. (Photo by Toyo Miyatake Studio)

Mike Andersen, an Army veteran and owner of Veteran Air in Anaheim, quietly contributed money and manpower to many causes in his community with little recognition of the extent of the reach of his kindness. He and his HVAC company helped feed people at the holidays, supported local businesses and charities and veteran programs, and just this year contributed $40,000 toward the Prado Dam mural restoration. Anderson died Oct. 3 at age 40. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Chapman University professors Fred Smoller and Mike Moodian founded the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon, which came to the OC Fair & Event Center this fall. More than a dozen teams of mostly college students from around the world designed sustainable homes to compete in the eight-day event, which also featured a job fair, documentary screenings, speakers and more.

Peter Shea Sr. is the last survivor of three engineers who built a multibillion-dollar construction and homebuilding business in their grandfather ’s name. Walnut-based J.F. Shea Co. was the successor to a plumbing and heavy construction company John Francis Shea founded in 1881. It became a family business that helped build the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam. The successor company Shea founded with a brother and a cousin, became one of the nation’s leading heavy construction and homebuilding companies. Shea died on Oct. 23 at his Newport Beach home (Photo courtesy of J.F. Shea Co.)

Artist Carla Roque has painted a mural for every elementary school campus in Anaheim, 23 in total. The murals by the longtime illustrator and muralist contain positive messages of kindness and believing in ourselves. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sue Parks could’ve settled for simply trying to oversee the myriad vital initiatives Orange County United Way already had, but the CEO didn’t back away from a new challenge in 2023. Under Parks’ leadership, United Way acquired 2-1-1 OC, the hotline that connects county residents with social services. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Seán O’Harrow joined the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana this summer, the first new leader for the Santa Ana museum in decades following the death in November 2022 of long-time director Peter Keller. He said he was drawn by the Bowers’ status as a multicultural museum and its permanent collection of art that chronicles local history. The first new exhibits since O’Harrow came on board include a preserved early example of “The Great Wave,” one of the most recognizable works by artist Katsushika Hokusai, and a photography exhibit that includes Steve McCurry’s ‘Afghan Girl,’ one of the most recognizable photographs ever taken. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Dick Metz is the early-era surfer who grew up in Laguna Beach and was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame this year for his contributions to the sport, including starting the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center in San Clemente. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

For 25 years, Nahla Kayali has helped refugees and newcomers to America in Orange County find their footing. An immigrant herself, Kayali, who started the nonprofit Access California Services, has helped more than 13,000 people start new lives, obtain skills and find jobs. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Michael Hunn, CEO of CalOptima Health, is responsible for business, financial and community planning of the health plan. He works with CalOptima’s board of directors to create programs that better serve members. Hunn stepped in in late 2021 as CalOptima’s interim CEO following the retirement of the previous chief executive. Since then, he has been praised by the community members and the Orange County Board of Supervisors for his work as CEO. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

San Clemente surfer Griffin Colapinto made it to the World Surf League Final 5, rallying his hometown and leading the charge for four more San Clemente surfers who made the elite 2024 World Tour. He also nabbed a spot in the 2024 Olympics and will surf on Team USA in Tahiti. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Ed Gerber, executive director of Lestonnac Free Clinics, advanced money to the nonprofit Wound Walk to expand the group’s volunteer street medicine care of homeless people in Orange County. The money, loaned in anticipation of $3 million in grant money secured by state Senators Josh Newman and Janet Nguyen, was used to purchase a fully equipped mobile medical utility truck to do triage and outreach. (Courtesy of Ed Gerber)

Longtime volunteer Sally Feldhaus has had her hand in many Anaheim community celebrations for decades, most notably the city’s annual flag day and downtown tree lighting ceremony. Feldhaus, along with her late husband councilmember Frank Feldhaus, have been called Mr. and Mrs. Anaheim. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Alissa Deming is a head veterinarian at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. This year, when sea lions and dolphins were sickened by a toxic algae bloom off the coast of Southern California, Deming worked nonstop with her team as the center took in hundreds of sick and dying animals. She also collaborated with other marine mammal rescue center and helped create critical protocols that led to successful recovery of the many of the mammals, including a trio of newborn pups born to DA-poisoned moms at PMMC. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Heritage Barbecue owners, Brenda Castillo and her husband, Chef Daniel Castillo at the restaurant in San Juan Capistrano on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. Heritage Barbecue celebrates three years in business. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An OB/GYN, Dr. Allyson Brooks is the executive director and chief quality officer at Hoag Women’s Health Institute. She oversaw the launch of the innovative Postpartum+ program. At a time when maternal health is a national concern, this program allows new mothers and babies to continue to receive care for six weeks after leaving the hospital, along with an app Brooks consulted on. Plus: She’ll be over seeing the Hoag women’s hospital expansion in Irvine. (Courtesy of MOMS OC)

As president and CEO of the Orange County Business Council for the past two years, Jeff Ball is among the leading business voices in Orange County. The OCBC, formed in 1995 from the merger of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce with three other business and industry groups, is Orange County’s leading promoter of business and community development, focusing on advocacy, research and networking events. Articulate and engaging, Ball is following in the huge footsteps of his charismatic predecessor, Lucy Dunn.(Courtesy of OCBC)

Gerrit Cole, an Orange Lutheran High graduate and former UCLA pitcher, won the American League Cy Young Award for his dominant 2023 season. He had been in the top 10 in voting six previous times, but Cole got the nod after he struck out 222 batters with an MLB-best .981 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) for the Yankees. .(AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)