CIVIC LEADERS ROUNDTABLE @ GCAC
On March 23rd from 12:00 – 1:00PM, Grand Central Art Center hosted a Civic Leaders Roundtable event, organized by the Cal State Fullerton’s University Advancement / Government & Community Relations team.
The meeting was kicked-off with a welcome by Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Vicente Sarmiento, followed by self-introductions by those in attendance, who included:
Mike Munzing, Mayor, City of Aliso Viejo (CSUF Alum ’87 Business)
Beth Swift, Mayor Pro tem, City of Buena Park
Art Brown, Councilmember, City of Buena Park
James Vanderpool, City Manager, City of Buena Park
Stephen Mensinger, Mayor, City of Costa Mesa
Tom Hatch, City Manager / CEO, City of Costa Mesa (CSUF Alum ’91 Business, ’95 MPA
Kelly Shelton, EA to the CEO/Council, City of Costa Mesa
Mariellen Yarc, Mayor, City of Cypress
Bob Hall, City Manager, City of Fountain Valley
Jennifer Fitzgerald, Mayor, City of Fullerton
Nicole Bernard, Assistant to CM, City of Fullerton
Steven Choi, Mayor, City of Irvine
Fred Minager, Councilmember, City of Laguna Niguel
Shari L. Horse, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Laguna Woods
Robert Dunek, City Manager, City of Lake Forest (CSUF Alum ’73 HSS
Dean Grose, Councilmember, City of Los Alamitos
Greg Raths, Councilmember, City of Mission Viejo (CSUF Alum ’13 HSS)
Vicente Sarmiento, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Santa Ana
Michele Martinez, Councilmember, City of Santa Ana (CSUF Alum ’09 HSS)
Yasmin Ví¡zquez, Executive Assistant, City Manager’s Office
Sergio Contreras, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Westminster
Lou Correa, Former California State Senator (CSUF Alum ’80 Econ)
Council Member Michele Martinez, who represents the downtown district in which Grand Central Art Center is located, presented a brief overview of GCAC, sharing the City’s pride in our activities, impact of our presence, and service to the community.
Cal State Fullerton President Dr. Mildred Garcia gave an overview of the successful activities occurring on campus and throughout our Orange County community, sharing the deep and important impact CSUF is having in providing for a quality education, as a model public comprehensive university of the nation. The President asked those in attendance for their feedback and suggestions on how the university could provide even more outstanding programs in communities county wide, creating high impact practices and opening gateways to higher education for all who live in Orange County and beyond.
Grand Central Art Center Director/Chief Curator John Spiak presented details on current programs and community engaged activities of GCAC, including: the five artists in residence working with Santa Ana Affordable Housing Communities city wide; information on our current GCAC Free Creative Leaders in the Arts Teen Program; our collaborations with county organizations and development of programs with Santa Ana Unified School District and Santa Ana College; and insight into our current exhibition with artist-in-residence Paul Ramirez Jonas, Public Trust, 2016.
The conversation proved to be both inspirational and informative, an opportunity to connect further and work toward future collaborations county wide for the great success of all!
All photo credits to CSUF’s Matthew Gush