Announcing Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez as Master of Ceremonies for OCCTAC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration

Santa Ana, CA — August 06, 2025 — The Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center (OCCTAC) is proud to announce that Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the organization’s 25th Anniversary Celebration. Ambassador Vasquez’s distinguished career in public service and his lifelong commitment to leadership and community engagement reflect OCCTAC’s mission of empowering families and transforming lives through education, creativity, and the arts.

Honorable Gaddi Vasquez

Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez is the descendant of a migrant farm working family and was raised in Orange County, CA. He is the first generation of his family to graduate with college degrees and has served at the city, county, state and federal levels of government. He began his public service career as a police officer in the City of Orange.

He has served as an appointee of three California Governors and two U. S. Presidents. President George H. W. Bush named him to serve on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships and President George W. Bush nominated him to serve as the 16th Director of the United States Peace Corps. After becoming the third longest serving director, President Bush nominated Director Vasquez to serve as the 8th U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome, Italy. Earlier in his public service career, he served as Chief Deputy Appointments Secretary to Governor George Deukmejian and was named to the California Criminal Justice Council, the California Film Commission, the California Council for the Humanities and the Governor’s Task Force on Diversity.

Ambassador Vasquez has been honored as the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund Globe and Anchor Award, the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award, the National Hispanic Hero Award by the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, the President’s Award by the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the Crystal Eagle Award by the CORO Foundation, and inductee into the Santa Ana College Hall of Fame.

He serves as a trustee of Chapman University, the board of directors of the Public Policy Institute of California, the Board of Governors of the California State University Foundation, the Board of Governors of the Orange County Community Foundation, the Board of Trustees of the University of California, Irvine Foundation, the Board of Directors of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC),the National Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and trustee of St. Joseph Hospital

Ambassador Vasquez is a graduate of Santa Ana College and the University of Redlands and has been awarded six honorary doctorate degrees.

“We are deeply honored to have Ambassador Vasquez serve as Master of Ceremonies for this milestone celebration,” said Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami, Founder and Executive Director of OCCTAC. “His legacy of leadership and service to community embodies the spirit of OCCTAC’s mission, and we look forward to celebrating 25 years of impact with his guidance.”

The OCCTAC 25th Anniversary Celebration will take place on October 09, 2025 at Santa Ana Elks Lodge #794. Guests will enjoy an evening of delicious food, live music, art, a silent auction, and a special performance by a GRAMMY-nominated artist. Together, we will celebrate OCCTAC’s incredible work and honor the partners and friends who make our mission possible. Join us for a night of inspiration, community, and impact—you won’t want to miss it!

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