Regional Center of Orange County Appoints Three New Board Members

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Mar 11, 2025, 13:14 ET

Retired UC Irvine Executive Liza Krassner (of Irvine), CPA Lorena Medina (of Anaheim), and an Individual with Developmental Disabilities Amy Jessee (of Santa Ana) to Serve One-Year Terms

SANTA ANA, Calif., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) has appointed Amy Jessee (of Santa Ana) for a one-year term, March 1, 2025-February 28, 2026; Liza Krassner (of Irvine) for a one-year term, March 1, 2025-February 28, 2026; and Lorena Medina (of Anaheim) for a one-year term, February 1, 2025-January 31, 2026. All are unpaid volunteer positions.

Amy Jessee is an individual with a developmental disability who receives services from RCOC and is a strong self-advocate at Alliance of Abilities/Integrity House, providing person-centered and safety trainings, and assisting with fundraising events for the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. "No matter what your disability, any individual can be successful!" she said.

Liza Krassner is the parent of an adult child with autism and is retired from UC Irvine after a 35-year career in research and program administration and student affairs. She was past Vice-Chair of the Public Arts Committee for the City of Irvine. Currently, she is an Advisory Board Member with KJAZZ 88.1 FM, Vice-Chair for the Irvine Residents with Disabilities Advisory Committee, and serves on the Volunteer Council for OneOC. As a previous RCOC and Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA) board member, she has a strong understanding on the complexity of changing and evolving state policies and legislation affecting supports for those with developmental disabilities.

Lorena Medina is an accounting manager and 20-year CPA with an MBA in finance and accounting for ScaleNorth, Inc., in Santa Ana who has a deep sense of connection to her community. She was caregiver for her sister Rachel, who had an intellectual disability, until Rachel's death in 2017. Lorena's assistance with her sister included taking her to the Special Olympics, and helping to plan the Annual Dance for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities hosted by Women's Council of St. Columban in Garden Grove. Her experiences have taught her the importance of inclusion, empathy and advocacy for individuals with disabilities.

About Regional Center of Orange County: Regional Center of Orange County is the private, nonprofit organization contracted by the State of California to coordinate life-long services and supports to more than 27,000 Orange County residents with developmental disabilities and their families. Developmental disabilities include intellectual disabilities, autism, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Learn more at www.rcocdd.com.

SOURCE Regional Center of Orange County