Leadership

Ted Nguyen is a nationally recognized public relations and communications professional with more than 30 years of developing and executing cost-effective programs. He is the senior manager for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). Nguyen began at OCTA as the organization’s spokesman and media relations manager, then became the department manager for public outreach and media relations.

Nguyen’s ongoing work with diverse business leaders for the past decade have provided meaningful opportunities to help enhance transportation improvement projects and travel options that have also netted national recognition.

His most-recent accomplishment includes being named the National Diversity Professional of the Year in 2022 by the premier marking and communications organization worldwide, Ragan, in Chicago for his diversity work at OCTA and for leading efforts to combat anti-Asian hate. Under his leadership, OCTA also won national awards from Ragan for diversity program and special events.

As a communications strategist, Ted’s work has generated numerous news coverage from regional news media along with national and international media outlets such as CNN, FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC, USA Today, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the BBC, the Guardian, South China Morning Post, France 24 and many others.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications with a double major in journalism and public relations from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Nguyen also earned a master’s degree from BYU’s Marriott School of Management with an emphasis in strategic planning and international relations.

Nguyen lives in Laguna Niguel, Calif. with his family and two rescue dogs.

In 1992, Ms. Daniel founded IMRI to provide technical consulting services. Under her leadership, IMRI has grown significantly and successfully delivered more than $350 million in information technology, program management, engineering, and cybersecurity engagements. IMRI has supported federal, public, and private sector clients including the Executive Office of the President, U. S. Congressional Budget Office; Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Department of Defense (Navy, Army), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Commerce, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U. S. Intelligence Community, and numerous Fortune 500 companies.

After 10 years of intense cybersecurity experience, Ms. Daniel founded a second company, Cytellix Corporation. Cytellix is a Managed Security Solution Provider (MSSP) corporation providing cyber security governance and compliance services to small-medium size businesses. Cytellix has assisted more than 100 companies in achieving CMMC compliance.

A published author and frequent speaker, Ms. Daniel co-authored two books entitled, On the Other Side of Midnight 2000, An Executive Guide to the Year 2000 Problem; Million Dollar Conversations and recently featured in the book entitled, Women in Security. She has received numerous awards and was honored by the Whitehouse in 2014 under President Barak Obama as one of 10 Women Veteran Champions of Change. She was awarded SBA –Small Business of the Year in 2016 and 2000.

Ms. Daniel graduated with honors earning her bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and her master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of La Verne. She is an ordained Minister at Christ Our Redeemer AME Church, Irvine, CA.; a Board Trustee, at the University of LaVerne; Board Member, at Orange County United Way; Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Board; Octane; and a member of Lost Angeles Trusteeship Chapter – International Women Forum (IWF).

Rhonda Miller is the Director of Business Engagement for the Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest where she engages with Orange County businesses to advance marketplace trust. Prior to joining the BBB, Rhonda was the Business Solutions Manager for the County of Orange, Workforce and Economic Development Division, providing direction, implementation, and evaluation of programs supporting regional workforce development for underserved populations. She held a similar position as Business Relations Manager for the Pikes Peak Workforce Center in Colorado Springs and was responsible for long-range planning, development and oversight of their employer-driven services.

Rhonda’s background also includes extensive sales leadership experience in a variety of industries, including advertising, professional services, information technology solutions, and publishing serving both the commercial and federal government markets.

Suzanna Tashiro Choi is owner of Tashiro Choi & Associates which is a community outreach and public affairs firm that strategically positions clients with multicultural markets to increase customers. The firm’s focuses include marketing and building support and trust for her clients through transparent local outreach and engagement programs. She is a nationally recognized award-winning cultural expert specializing in multicultural engagement, diversity, inclusion, and equity. Suzanna is responsible for communicating her clients’ initiatives to multicultural communities, often acting as each companies’ spokesperson and representative and serving as a liaison between the multicultural communities and the client.

Clients include AT&T, Microsoft, Sempra Energy, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, the US Census, the State of California, County of Orange, City of Irvine, Irvine Company, Concordia University, Tiger Woods Foundation, Orange County Water District, Orange County Transportation Authority and City of Hope Orange County. Suzanna has also worked for both the White House and the Governor of California.

She has served on the Boards of the Asian Business Association, Orange County Black Chamber, Filipino American Chamber, the Depression Support Alliance, Los Angeles Fred Jordan Homeless Mission, and the Orange County Digital Rotary. The United States Department of Commerce awarded her “Multicultural Advocate of the Year”. The National Association of Women Business Owners and the Black Chamber of Orange County both named her “Remarkable Woman of the Year.” She received the “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Asian Women Entrepreneurs Association and the Asian Business Association, and she was nominated as a “2020 Woman of Influence” by the Irvine Chamber of Commerce. Most recently the South Asian Business National Association awarded Suzanna the “Chairman’s Award for Community Outreach.”Her mission is to empower and champion communities of color by giving them a voice and communicating to them in ways that respects their diversity and understands their culture.

Marlene is the Vice President of External Affairs for the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council, a non-profit organization headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles that provides minority-owned entrepreneurs opportunities to compete for large corporate contracts by providing Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification, as well as professional development programs, relevant workshops and networking events. In addition to developing strategies for the organization’s growth, her role is to represent the council at various diverse business events and provide presentations on the value of certification; cultivate and maintain relationships with entrepreneurs, partnering organizations and Corporate sponsors; create and develop programs and services for MBEs, specifically seeking to build capacity for large contracts; provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to partner and build their businesses through networking; serve as a liaison to the Minority Business Entrepreneur Input Committee (MBEIC), a standing committee of the SCMSDC Board of Directors, and ensure that MBE Certification is in compliance with national guidelines under the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC).

Marlene serves as Board member and Executive Secretary for the Asian Business Association of Orange County (ABAOC) and the Corporate Advisory Board for the American Indian Chamber of Commerce (AICC) and is a member of the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW).