Veronica Carpenter, MPA, Helen Do and Dr. Amy Z. Zeng Join Orange County Business Council Board of Directors
IRVINE, CA (September 17, 2026) — Orange County Business Council (OCBC) brought together community and business leaders in Huntington Beach Sept. 16 to celebrate the extraordinary courage and dedication of local first responders and frontline professionals. The OCBC 2026 First Responders Dinner honored individuals and teams across law enforcement, fire and health care and emergency services who work tirelessly to keep the region’s communities safe, strong and resilient.
“Orange County’s first responders make it possible for our communities and businesses to thrive,” said Jeffrey Ball, president and CEO of OCBC. “Their selfless service ensures that Orange County remains one of the safest and most prosperous regions in the state.”
2026 honoree organizations and their stories included:
- California Highway Patrol – Westminster Area: Officer Richard Gunsolus
- Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue and Hoag Newport Emergency Department
- Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue: Captain Brent Turner; Fire Engineer Matt Chavez; Firefighter/Paramedics Doug Ferguson, Josh Kalmonson, Portia Neale, Taylor Scavo; and Fire EMS Manager Captain Justin Horner
- Hoag Newport Emergency Department: Emergency Department Dr. Michelle Brennan and Mobile Intensive Care Nurse Stacey Knight
- Irvine Police Department: SWAT Sergeant Nick Kim; Sergeant Brian Felling; SWAT Assistant Team Leader Christopher King; and SWAT Operator Jae Song
- Kaiser Permanente Orange County Anaheim Medical Center: Emergency Department Dr. Shadi Lahham; Emergency Department Dr. Neel Tank; Charge Nurse Chad-Essex Mariano, RN; Holly Alvarado, RN; Helen Boyadzhyan, RN; April Coleman, RN; Javier Guzman, RN; Heather Huynh, RN; Cassandra Novoa, RN; John Quijano, RN; Christine Stephens, RN; Caleb White, RN; ER Assistants Richard Luna and Hassan Syed; and Ward Clerks Lectrice Gray and Anissa Vaca
- Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA)
- Second Battalion: Chief Danny Goodwin Jr.
- Engine 82: Fire Chief Jeff Smith; Fire Apparatus Engineer Vince Bruno; Firefighter/Paramedic Tyler Troya; and Firefighter Jared Thorne
- Engine 46: Fire Chief Jason Carl; Fire Apparatus Engineer Cody Haney; Firefighter/Paramedic John Bryant; and Firefighter Sinjin Lloyd
- UCI Health – Orange: Trauma and Critical Care Surgery Services Chief Dr. Michael Lekawa; Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Carrie Chandwani; Vascular Surgeon Dr. Siwei Dong; Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Tyler Johnston; Reconstructive Surgeon Dr. Eric Wang; Emergency & Trauma Services Director Colette Baeza; and Registered Nurses Carly Passaglia, RN, BSN, MICN and Reina Rodriguez, RN
Emmy Award-winning journalist and NBC4 News Reporter Hetty Chang emceed the awards program, sharing powerful stories behind each honoree’s act of service.
The program also included a special recognition of Orange County United Way’s 2-1-1 Orange County program for connecting thousands of residents displaced by the May 2026 chemical tank crisis with essential resources and recovery support.
The evening featured a “Leading Through Crisis” panel discussion, during which regional leaders drew on lessons from the GKN Aerospace response and other real-world incidents to explore crisis communications, coordinated response, emergency technology and preparedness for future incidents. Moderated by Jeffrey Ball, president and CEO of OCBC, the panel featured Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein; OCFA Interim Fire Chief TJ McGovern; Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen, 1st District; and Huntington Beach Police Chief Eric Parra.
OCBC also recognized OCFA Division Chief Jim Henery, honoring a 40-year career dedicated to public service, leadership and public safety.
The event was made possible through the generous support of title sponsor Hoag; platinum sponsor UCI Health; VIP sponsor Chevron; gold sponsors Falck and Premier Ambulance; and all the silver and bronze sponsors.
About Orange County Business Council
For more than 30 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has represented and promoted the region’s business community, working with government and academia to advance Orange County’s Economic Development. OCBC advances pro-business solutions by supporting a competitive Workforce and collaborating with developers, builders, labor and policymakers to expand and diversify Housing options across the region. The organization also champions investment and policy frameworks that enable innovative, resilient Infrastructure. OCBC’s member-investors span a wide range of industries across the region, including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit, real estate, technology, public agencies, tourism, transportation and utilities. For more information, visit OCBC.org.
Media Contact
Maiken Sorenson
Public Affairs Manager
msorenson@ocbc.org
