Elevating Design through Public Involvement and Politics

Bio: Paul Fallon is a public opinion researcher, political pollster and advisor for levy committees, interest groups and public organizations. He also conducts customer, member, contributor and citizen satisfaction studies for government agencies, industry and labor groups, and private corporations. Although Paul has worked on statewide and congressional races as well as a multitude of local races, from county commissioners and mayors to legislators, and even judges, he specializes in land-use policy research, referendums and public funding ballot issues. Prior to starting Fallon Research & Communications, Inc. as an opinion research and political consulting firm, Paul completed a 3-year stint as the director of public opinion research for the National Association of Home Builders. He previously served as director of public opinion research for a state political party. During his career, Paul has worked on issues and campaigns in more than 36 different states throughout the country. He has served as the pollster for numerous campaigns to get voter approval for new housing and commercial developments, protect and strengthen property rights, and to defeat growth proposed moratoriums, change zoning designations, urban growth boundaries, impact fees and housing-based taxes. He has also helped development companies, REALTOR® associations and homebuilding associations elect pro-growth candidates, defeat harmful zoning restrictions and transfer taxes, and pass school bonds that were essential to growth and development.

Education: He holds a BS in Communication from Ohio University, MA in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati and completed certification as a methodologist at the Institute for Data Sciences. His training includes areas of advanced opinion research, analysis and qualitative methods, as well as focus group moderator training at the Burke Institute. He is a member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research, and adheres to its professional ethics and guidelines.

Bio: Carolyn Cavecche serves as President and CEO of the Orange County Taxpayers Association. She came to OCTax with over a decade of public policy experience gained from serving on numerous city, county, and regional governing boards. Carolyn served 6 years as the directly elected Mayor of the City of Orange after serving almost 6 years as a member of the Orange City Council. During her 12 years in office she sat on the boards of several regional agencies including the Orange County Transportation Authority, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, the Orange County Sanitation District, and the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. She has been honored many times. She was named the 2007 Woman of the Year by the Orange County Women in Transportation and the 2007 Elected Official of the Year for the State of California by the California Transportation Foundation. In 2008, Carolyn was named one of 20 Women to Watch in Orange County by OC Metro Business Magazine. Mobility 21, the leading Southern California transportation coalition named her the 2009 Transportation Leader of the Year and she was named 2011 Elected Official of the Year by the American Council of Engineering Companies.

Education: Graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology.

Bio: Diane Gaynor is Executive Vice President and a Partner in Roni Hicks & Associates (RHA), an award-winning full service integrated marketing, public affairs and public relations firm based in San Diego, California with operations throughout the nation. Backed by a team of 25 professionals, RHA provides such services as research and strategic planning, advertising/creative services, community outreach/ alliance building, media relations, legislative campaign/project advocacy and on-line/e-marketing for some of the largest landowners and land use planning and development companies in the nation. Among the firm’s current clients are DMB Ladera, Rancho Mission Viejo, The Yokohl Ranch Company LLC (the Boswell Company), Bright Realty (Castle Hills, TX), Del Sur at Black Mountain Ranch, JMI Real Estate, Friends Church, the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael’s Abbey, and Newland Communities, the largest private developer of planned residential and urban mixed-use communities in the United States. Gaynor purchased RHA in 1999 in partnership with Jane Wheeler, the firm’s President and Creative Director. As a RHA co-owner, Gaynor is responsible for directing all of the firm’s public affairs and public relations services, offering clients nearly 30 years of experience and a demonstrated record of expertise and success. Most recently, Gaynor and her team celebrated their successful defeat of a referendum petition campaign which would have placed approved land use entitlements within the City of Orange, California on the November 2012 ballot. Prior to purchasing RHA, Gaynor operated her own full-service public affairs and public relations firm. Before that, Gaynor served for more than ten years as the Director of Public Relations for Santa Margarita Company/Rancho Mission Viejo where she was responsible for creating and implementing public affairs, media relations, and community relations programs for the second largest landowner in Orange County, CA and master developer of the communities of Rancho Santa Margarita, Las Flores, and Ladera Ranch. From 1999 to 2004, Gaynor was the lead public affairs consultant for the successful entitlement of The Ranch Plan which encompassed the remaining 23,000 acres of Rancho Mission Viejo. During her career, Gaynor also has directed media relations programs for the International Headquarters of Century 21 Real Estate Corporation, most notably a strategic awareness campaign which drove record-setting franchise sales throughout the United States and Japan. She has served as a freelance writer and as a newspaper staff reporter; and helped launch THE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT JOURNAL, a bi-monthly newspaper focused on national real estate investment trends and issues. Gaynor has held numerous leadership positions throughout her professional career including serving as a Founding Member of the Board of Directors for the California Women’s Leadership Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the Homebuilders Committee to the California Building industry Association, and various committee positions for the American Heart Association, Laura’s House, and Trails4All. When not in a meeting, on the road or catching a flight, Gaynor resides in Carlsbad, CA with her very patient husband and daughter.

Education: Gaynor earned her Bachelor’s degree in journalism (public relations emphasis) and telecommunications/film minor from San Diego State University.

Key Publications: Gaynor has been included in numerous articles about land use and development including those published in The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, as well as numerous trade and business magazines, regional and local newspapers, regionally broadcasted radio and television/cable shows, and on-line interviews. In addition, she has assisted with the content creation for two books published by Urban Land Institute ("Developing Sustainable Planned Community" and "Great Planned Communities).

Past Assignments: Gaynor has participated in various speaking engagements and panels hosted by APA and its chapeters, Urban Land Institute, and the Building Industry of America and its chapters. She has served as a guest college lecturer and community outreach moderator and facilitator.

Bio: Ken Ryan is a Principal with the design firm of KTGY Group, Inc., overseeing the Community Planning and Urban Design Studio. Ken is known for his leadership, strategic insight, creative thinking, and communication skills. With over 25 years of experience, he has been responsible for a wide variety of complex, high-profile projects throughout the United States including Anaheim’s Honda Center, Desert Willow Resort, La Floresta, Chapman University, and the Agua Caliente Resort and Spa in Palm Springs. Ken and his Studio are currently serving as the Design Advisor for Anaheim’s ARTIC (Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center) High Speed Rail Transportation District next to Angel Stadium which received several awards. Ken has served on numerous local, regional and national boards as a Public Official including: two-term past Mayor of the City of Yorba Linda and past two-term Chairman of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Toll Road Agency. He has been selected many times in Builder and Developer’s “Who’s Who in Homebuilding”, was recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential People in North Orange County Magazine and was one of the three representatives from the United States invited to participate in the Inaugural Sino-International Real Estate Summit in Shanghai, China. He guest lectures at several Southern California Universities, publishes articles in the planning profession and has participated in Orange County radio and television programs.

Education: Ken received his Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Planning from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona.