Progress

March is coming to a close, and this also means Women's History Month is ending soon. So today, I want to take this opportunity to talk about a little women's history as it pertains to this organization.

This history is especially worth discussing as we "Go Retro" and get nostalgic this year for the 2024 San Diego County Fair. While we will have a ton of fun looking back at the trends and pop culture of bygone eras, it is also important to recognize the progress we have made over the years in many, many ways for many, many people.

The District was created in 1891. During most of the District's history, women have not enjoyed the rights they have today. The District existed for nearly 30 years before women had the right to vote in the United States. By the time the District acquired the Del Mar Fairgrounds property in 1936, women still couldn't serve on federal juries. It wasn't until the 1970s that women could obtain credit cards in their own name. No woman served on the U.S. Supreme Court or was part of a major political party's presidential ticket until the 1980s. And women began ascending to the highest roles in government and business only in the last few decades.

Throughout those years, many talented and capable women have worked for — and volunteered for — the 22nd District Agricultural Association, helping put on the San Diego County Fair and other iconic community celebrations. But no woman had ever led the District until the fall of 2020, when I became the District's Chief Executive Officer.

It was an honor to be chosen to lead the District, despite the unprecedented difficulties we were experiencing at the time at the height of the pandemic. I had been a CEO before in Calistoga, but being "the first" anything at a storied organization like this one is an honor and a privilege — and it comes with great expectations, responsibilities, and challenges. What this means is that you represent "change" just by being yourself. And for some, change can be difficult. To boil it all down: Doing the job really well means you must overcome a number of preconceived notions, which will also hopefully make it easier for the next woman to step into your role whenever that time comes. However, any mistake (or perceived mistake) is amplified and becomes a reflection not just on you, but on your entire gender. It is a tremendous weight to carry, but it is the price of — and the opportunity presented by — progress in our society. And it is a price worth paying.

I am also grateful that women are leading everywhere you look around San Diego County. The year after I became the CEO, our Board of Directors elected Joyce Rowland to serve a term as the District's Board President. Rowland is one of three women on our Board, including Lisa Barkett and Kathlyn Mead.

Including myself, three of the four members of the District's executive team are women. And half of our department directors are women.

We are also represented by strong women at the state and local levels. We have hosted many of them as special guests at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. This includes our trailblazing State Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (pictured above left with me and Joyce Rowland), who was the first woman to lead both the Assembly and the Senate; State Assemblymember Tasha Boerner; California State Treasurer Fiona Ma (pictured left below); then-Del Mar Mayor Tracy Martinez; Solana Beach Mayor Leesa Heebner; and then-North County Transit District Chair Jewel Edson. We have also worked closely with State Senator Catherine Blakespear and Del Mar City Manager Ashley Jones on numerous issues.

And when San Diego County's Board of Supervisors last year proclaimed it "San Diego County Fair Day," Supervisors Nora Vargas and Terra Lawson-Remer took the time to honor us during a meeting.

We look forward to continuing to work with all of them, and many others, in the days, weeks, and years ahead. And I am excited to continue working with our team here at the District to make history for all the people of San Diego County.