Ten Orange County residents with developmental disabilities have been honored for their decades of work in Orange County.

The board of directors at the Regional Center of Orange County commended the group at a recent meeting. Nine of the honorees have each worked for more than 30 years at their respective jobs while another has notched 24 years.

“The people we honor are pioneers,” said RCOC’s volunteer board chairman Chip Wright. “When they began their jobs they still hold today, it wasn’t always expected to see people with developmental disabilities in typical workplaces out in the community.”

“Now we take for granted that people with disabilities can and should be able to work alongside coworkers without disabilities,” he added. “But it took dedicated, loyal and hard-working employees like our honorees to open a lot of employers’ eyes to the benefits of including people with developmental disabilities into their workforces.”

The honorees are:

–Shona Barter of Huntington Beach, a courtesy clerk at Ralph’s Grocery Store in Huntington Beach;

–Bonnie Boss of Brea handles laundry duties at Orangewood Children’s Home in Orange;

–James Cabrales of Garden Grove is a sales associate for Goodwill in Garden Grove;

–Thomas Christian of Orange is a mailroom attendant with the Orange County Fire Authority headquarters in Irvine;

–Ronald Einwich of Anaheim is a facilities coordinator and previous Employee of the Year award recipient with Orange Senior Center in Orange;

–Michael Hughes of Costa Mesa is a custodian/stocker/animal attendant at Huntington Pet Vet in Huntington Beach;

–Michele Martinkus of Garden Grove has been a dining room attendant for 24 years with Del Taco in Anaheim;

–Tony Ramirez of Anaheim is a dishwasher/general kitchen helper with The Pacific Club in Newport Beach;

–Rob Ross of Tustin is bistro server assistant at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach;

–Bob Woelfle of Cypress is a dining room attendant at McDonald’s in Garden Grove.

Years ago, the RCOC board said it adopted an “employment-first policy,” partnering with businesses, community organizations and government agencies in Orange County to identify job opportunities and match individuals’ skills, talents, abilities and interests with the right job.

For more information on the program, go to the employment resource page on RCOC’s website at rcocdd.com/home/employment

The city of Orange is looking to hire a number of young adults for summer positions at the Hart Park pool and its Recreation Department. (File photo: Orange County Register)

Summer jobs available with city of Orange

The city of Orange is looking to hire a number of young adults for summer positions at the Hart Park pool and its Recreation Department.

The Community Services Department has open positions including swimming attendant ($15.05/hour); lifeguard/swim instructor ($19.31/hour); assistant pool manager ($21.34/hour); pool manager ($23.58/hour); and recreation services positions ($15.05/hour to $23.58/hour).

The positions are part-time, summer jobs with some opportunity to work year-round. (Hint: Applicants should enjoy working with children.)

Hours will likely include weekends, evenings and some holidays. The city notes it is mandatory for summer staff to be available to work for its July 3rd celebration.

Applications for entry-level positions are being accepted now through Sunday, March 6, 2022. For more information or to apply online governmentjobs.com/careers/orange.

The U.S. Postal Service in Costa Mesa needs to fill a number of jobs as soon as possible. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

USPS looking to fill jobs in Costa Mesa

The U.S. Postal Service in Costa Mesa needs to fill a number of jobs as soon as possible.

Those roles include city carrier assistant ($18.92 hourly), carrier associates/relief ($19.06); assistant rural carrier ($19.06); mailing processing clerks ($18.69); and tractor-trailer operator ($21.62).

Applicants must be 18 years or older and must pass drug screening and a criminal background investigation. Some positions require an exam, USPS says. Any position with driving required will necessitate a valid driver’s license and a clean two-year driving history.

Citizenship or permanent resident status also is required.

Got to about.usps.com/careers/welcome for more details.

The nonprofit Orange-based Illumination Foundation will host an event focused on solving health equity problems on April 19 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Seen here is Paul Leon, a public health nurse and president of Illumination Foundation, helping a child don a bandaid. (Ana Venegas, The Orange County Register)

Event in April will focus on solving health inequity

The nonprofit Orange-based Illumination Foundation will host an event focused on solving health equity problems on April 19 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

The nonprofit described the one-day event as “focusing on effective solutions to lowering the barriers vulnerable populations experience in accessing healthcare, housing, education, and workforce development.”

The event is offering an “early bird discount” for tickets bought before March 1. There is also a reduced ticket price for students.

For more information and to buy tickets, go to auctria.events/Togetherwecan22.

Krista Hollinger is the new chief operating officer at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino counties. (Courtesy of Planned Parenthood)

New COO at Planned Parenthood for OC and SB counties

Krista Hollinger is the new chief operating officer at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino counties. She will oversee the second-largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the nation, covering nine health centers spanning Orange and San Bernardino counties. She previously served as a grants manager and health education program manager for the organization early in her career. Hollinger has 20 years’ experience in health administration and public policy. She previously served as chief administrative officer for Obstetrics and Gynecology at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine.

On the move

Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County has hired Sara Bazant and Lisa James as directors. Bazant is the director of marketing and public affairs. She was with Orangewood Foundation for 19 years and was a key player in creating Samueli Academy, a public charter high school in Santa Ana. James is the food bank’s new director of development. A native of Colorado Springs, Colorado, she served as a consultant for more than 14 nonprofit organizations across the state.

Gary Ulaner, a doctor at Hoag Family Cancer Institute in Newport Beach, has been elected to the American College of Nuclear Medicine as its 2022-2023 president. Ulaner will lead the organization, whose mission is to provide education, training and advocacy for experts in nuclear medicine. He also is the endowed chair in Molecular Imaging and Therapy and the director of Molecular Imaging and Therapy for Hoag’s cancer institute.

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Lee Meyers is the new chief marketing officer at Anaheim-based Fresh N’ Lean, a ready-to-eat meal delivery company. Meyers, formerly of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health, will oversee a focus on customers and using marketing data to create more personalized experiences for them, the company said.

Law firm Brown Rudnick LLP has promoted Arjun Sivakumar to Litigation & Arbitration partner in their Irvine office. He also serves as co-chair of the firm’s Diverse Attorneys Working Network and serves on the Leadership Development and Diversity Committees for the Orange County Bar Association.

Status Update is compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to [email protected]. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.