DPRC Representatives

On November 8, 2016, John R. O’Neill was elected to the Garden Grove City Council. Born and raised in Garden Grove, his parents settled in Garden Grove during the City’s incorporation year of 1956.

Council Member O’Neill started his working career at the age of 13 in the hospitality industry in Anaheim. He developed a 34-year professional career in the electrical construction industry, excelling in several capacities, including company CEO. Mr. O'Neill is a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Orange County and has served in both labor & management capacities since 1985.

He currently serves as a trustee and committee member for the Orange County Electrical Training Trust and is a State Licensed Electrical Contractor and CA State Certified Electrician.

His history of public service includes membership on the Garden Grove Neighborhood Improvement and Conservation Commission, Garden Grove Planning Commission, and Orange County Water District Citizen’s Advisory Committee.

Council Member O’Neill has been married for 33 years and has three adult children. He enjoys water skiing, camping, and spending time with his family.
 

Rick Foster grew up in Garden Grove and graduated from Rancho Alamitos High School, Class of 1982. Rick started working in his family’s construction and land development business specializing in single and multi-family residential homes at the age sixteen. After graduating from Albertus Magnus College- in New Haven, CT with a B.A. Political Science, he returned to California where he began a successful career in real estate and the housing sector.  Rick currently lives in Seal Beach. 

Rick has worked in both the finance and mortgage sectors while obtaining his residential real estate and broker licenses. Eventually, he went out on his own and formed his first company, Foster Property Management, which managed multi-family residential properties. He is currently a founder and managing member of Universe Properties LLC and Paradiso Investments LLC that continued those efforts that include providing homes for at-risk seniors and homeless Veterans.   He has also helped battered women transition from shelters to housing. 

Rick is a world traveler and has never found any exotic local more appealing as being able to call California his home.   His personal passion for food, travel, wine and history has also led him to write for various media outlets including a syndicated History column about California adobes. He has been a contributing writer for Edge Magazine, News Enterprise, Hewes Media and even entered into negotiations with Oprah Winfrey on a cooking show concept.  

Rick is a founding member of the Albertus Magnus College California Alumni Association; former member of the California Historical Society; Founder of “You Are Safe Here” which is an international city designation for LGBTQ+ visitors and refugees; and founding partner of Workplace Enterprises and California Compliance Consultants and Training for a correctional/parolee re-entry training platform. His newest venture is Eyes and Ears that provides commercial facility management inspections. 

Rick is a hard working small business owner and a strong advocate for others. California and Orange County is the only home Rick knows and he loves.  “I want to work to help preserve California and make it an even better place for all of us.”

Nathan Searles is Special Counsel at Simmonds & Nartia, LLP and handles financial services litigation defense in the western United States. In addition, he is a Second Vice President of Rossmoor Community Services District Board (elected 2020). Nathan, his wife, and daughter have lived in Orange County for 20 years after his attendance at University of Florida College of Law. Prior to law school, Nathan received his B.S. Business Administration from University of Southern California after beginning his studies in electrical engineering.

Outside of his work and service to RCSD, Nathan is a dedicated runner and ran the 2021 Boston Marathon as first-time qualifier. Nathan also serves as a volunteer teacher of financial literacy through Junior Achievement of Orange County, loves community advocacy, learning and attending both educational and athletic events at USC.

Hunsaker & Associates Irvine, Inc., Assistant Vice President, Project Management
Rick has 33 years of experience as an urban planner, problem solver, mediator, and technical translator. Rick currently serves as manager of Governmental Relations/Entitlement for projects in Orange, LA, Riverside, and San Bernardino County.
  
Rick previously worked as a planner for the County of Orange and the California Coastal Commission. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Biscayne College, Miami, Florida, and has completed course work at the University of California, Irvine in Urban Planning.

Rick serves on the Building Industry Association (BIA) Local Governmental Affairs Committee and the Orange County Fire Authority Advisory Committee and is a member of the American Planning Association (APA).

Joe has been active in the construction industry for 35+ years. His career started in the field working on a number of commercial and residential projects. Soon after, he began managing the permit process for growing developments throughout Southern California within the public and private sectors. Joe has earned a reputation within industry circles as a highly-skilled, forward thinking operations manager. He has served as the front end for multiple master development communities, demonstrating diligence with tasks presented, ability to problem solve barriers, and has manifested the interpersonal skills required to optimally manage the permit process for highly complex projects.

The experience acquired through opportunities within a leading permit entitlement management company ultimately led Joe to expedite his own business, Construction Planning Services. The team at CPS has incorporated technology and foresight to provide services to agencies and development teams, including Rancho Mission Viejo, Chevron Land Development, Pulte Group, Taylor Morrison as well as other leading land developers throughout the region. Since 2009, CPS has grown from an individually run vision to a team with dedicated staff members providing outreach initiatives to developers and various agencies, putting client goals at the forefront of all projects rendered.

Richard has over 15 years of experience in planning and development, including comprehensive roles at the County of Orange spanning current planning, advance planning, environmental planning, planned communities and public policy.  Currently, Richard manages the planning and entitlement process for a master planned community, processing residential, recreational, and commercial developments.  He works closely with the development community to navigate the regulatory process while coordinating with his counter parts at the County of Orange and OC Fire Authority.   

A lifelong Southern California resident, Richard grew up in Orange County and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.  

This position is currently vacant.

William Lyon Homes
Jim has almost 20 years of experience working as a Development Project Manager and Landscape Designer for residential development throughout Southern California.  Jim is currently Director of Community Development for Shea Homes and manages the due diligence, consultant coordination for entitlement and construction documents, permit processing, community coordination, project reimbursements, bond exoneration, and HOA Board representative for projects throughout Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino County.

Jim started as a Landscape Designer and was able to work on several master-planned communities throughout Orange County and Riverside County.  Experience gained through collaboration with developers and several consulting teams provided him the experience to jump into project management for developments throughout Southern California.

Jim has a degree in Landscape Architecture from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is a licensed Landscape Architect and a LEED® Accredited Professional.  He has been fortunate to have the opportunity to serve, through the Building Industry Association, on several committees to help streamline and improve processing through several agencies including the County of Orange, County of Riverside, City of Eastvale, the City of Menifee and Southern California Edison.
 

Evan Carey is a dedicated professional with a multifaceted career marked by exceptional leadership and a strong commitment to public safety and security. Currently serving as a Senior Fire Prevention Specialist at the Orange County Fire Authority assigned to the division office in Santa Ana, CA, Evan has played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of communities throughout Orange County. During his tenure at the Orange County Fire Authority, Evan has worked in Planning and Development Section as a Plan Reviewer and a New Construction Inspector and in the Prevention Field Services Section conducting fire code inspections throughout the county.

In addition to his contributions to public safety with the Orange County Fire Authority, Evan has exhibited an extraordinary commitment to his country through his service in the US Army and US Army Reserve, which began in 2008. Currently holding the rank of Major, Evan serves as a Battalion Operations Officer in Phoenix, AZ. His military journey has seen him take on various leadership roles for both Active Duty and Army Reserve units. In 2010, Evan was deployed to Afghanistan, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Evan's dedication to public safety extends beyond his roles at the Orange County Fire Authority and in the military. From August 2022 to October 2023, he served as a Safety Consultant with Joffe Emergency Services in Santa Monica, CA. In this capacity, he provided invaluable expertise and guidance, contributing to the expansion of safety operations on a national scale.

Before joining the Orange County Fire Authority, Evan worked as a Facility Supervisor for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) in Wilmington, CA. At WWL, he ensured that facility operations and maintenance, environmental compliance, and safety standards were maintained for a 91-acre RoRo (Roll on Roll off) shipping facility.

Evan earned his bachelor’s degree in History from Oregon State University and currently resides in Costa Mesa, California, with his wife and two children.

RBF Consulting, a Company of the Michael Baker International, LLC - Vice President of Land Use Development

Mr. Okamoto has over 29 years of diverse civil engineering experience and is involved in all aspects of urban development from project management to construction support. His clients are local and national Homebuilders and Southern California Land Developers working on various projects from preliminary designs and final construction plans for multi-disciplined land development projects.

Jeff has previously worked as a design engineer with Fred Schott & Associates in San Luis Obispo / Santa Maria and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Building Industry Association (BIA) / Orange County, BIA’s Local Governmental Affairs Committee, and a member American Society of Civil Engineers. He was appointed by 5th District Supervisor Patricia Bates and has resided in Rancho Santa Margarita for over twenty years.