Rick Reiff is a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist. He has been with the Orange County Business Journal since 1990. He served 10 editor and originated and wrote the paper’s “OC Insider column for 15 years. From 2004 through 2018, Reiff hosted and produced “Inside OC with Rick Reiff” and “SoCal Insider with Rick Reiff,” which aired on PBS SoCal, KDOC-TV, and Cox Cable. “Inside OC” won the Golden Mike Award for Best News Public Affairs Program in Southern California, Division B, in 2011 and “SoCal Insider” won the same award in 2012 and 2013.

Shelley M. Hoss has served as president and chief executive officer of the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) – one of the largest and fastest growing community foundations in the nation, fueled by a mission to transform our community’s heartfelt intention into greater impact for good. Under Hoss’ leadership, OCCF’s impact has grown dramatically. OCCF community initiatives have addressed issues ranging from the needs of veterans and military families transitioning to civilian life, to building a strong, resilient Orange County workforce with opportunities for all to thrive.

Gaddi Vasquez was the 8th United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, in Rome, Italy. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. Vasquez was the first person of Hispanic ancestry to head the Peace Corps.

Steve Churm is the Founder and Principal of Churm|360, leveraging over four decades of experience as an award-winning journalist, media entrepreneur, and corporate communications executive. He previously served as Chief Communications Officer for FivePoint Holdings and was the founder and CEO of Churm Media, a prominent regional magazine and advertising company, and also served as the publisher of OC Metro magazine. Churm also has an extensive background in journalism, having worked at major California newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register. Active in the community, he has held leadership roles with the Orange County United Way and the Orange County Business Council.

John M. W. Moorlach ran unsuccessfully for Treasurer-Tax Collector in 1994 but would become a significant personality in Orange County because of predicting the then-largest municipal bankruptcy filing in United States history.  He would be appointed to replace the disgraced incumbent, serving in the position from 1995 to 2006.  He successfully ran for Orange County Supervisor, serving from 2006 to 2015, and the State Senate for the 37th District from 2015 to 2020. John has visited every county in California and photographed nearly all the official state historical landmarks.  He served as Vice President of the California Sesquicentennial Foundation and is a member of many historical societies.  He has been published in several history books and numerous newspapers and publications around the county, state, and nation.

Lucy Dunn is an American business leader and public policy advocate with extensive experience in real estate, housing, and infrastructure development. She has served as the President and CEO of the Orange County Business Council, where she has been a strong voice for regional economic growth and community development. Dunn has also held leadership roles in various public and private organizations, including the California Transportation Commission and the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Known for her commitment to civic engagement, she has been a key figure in shaping policies that promote sustainable development and economic opportunity in Southern California.

Paul Hodgins is a musician, journalist, author and educator with a doctorate in music from USC. From 1993 until 2018 he wrote about theater, music, dance, architecture and wine for The Orange County Register, and he has taught at UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and USC. Hodgins co-founded a news website about Orange County culture in 2018. In 2023 it was rebranded as Culture OC. Hodgins is the author of three books on California wine and one widely cited book about music theory.

Kristina Dodge is a distinguished executive, producer, and television host with over three decades of experience across public, private, and non-profit sectors. As the founder of American Sterling Productions, she produced critically acclaimed films, including The Annihilation of Fish and Dark Matter, the latter winning the Alfred P. Sloan Award. She co-hosted the award-winning Dialogue with Doti and Dodge on KOCE-TV, engaging thought leaders in impactful discussions that earned the show a Telly Award for excellence in broadcasting. A dedicated advocate for historic preservation and philanthropy, she played a key role in founding the Hearst Castle Monument Foundation and serves on multiple boards, including Chapman University. Dodge holds an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Mimi Cruz is director of communications for the School of Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine. She was part of the Connected Learning Alliance from 2014-2018, serving as communications manager for the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub, which was run by the UC Humanities Research Institute. Mimi has more than two decades of experience in communications, having worked as a journalist, including 14 years at the Los Angeles Times, and as a higher education public information officer. Her work in journalism and public relations has earned a number of awards over the years.