Women’s History Month: Celebrating the Trailblazers of Costa Mesa

At the heart of Travel Costa Mesa (TCM) is Paulette Lombardi-Fries, the first woman and longest-serving Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) CEO in Orange County. Paulette leads TCM’s all-woman team in sharing Costa Mesa’s story while showcasing the economic impact tourism brings to the community. The organization plays a key role in supporting local businesses, promoting major events, and celebrating the restaurants, hotels, and arts that make Costa Mesa a must-visit destination. Beyond her work with TCM, Paulette serves as a board member of the Orange County Sports Commission, contributing to local efforts connected to major global events such as FIFA 2026 and the LA28 Olympic Games. Paulette also serves as a CalTravel Association Board Member, advancing and advocating for the health and future of tourism throughout the state of California.

The city of Costa Mesa is proud to have several women in government leadership roles, including Cecilia Gallardo-Daly, a 30-year veteran of local government. Since 2023, she has helped lead several major city initiatives, including long-term redevelopment planning and efforts to expand public parks and open spaces.

With a passion for music and a deep commitment to community, Debora Wondercheck has made the arts her life’s work. She is the Chief Executive and Founder of Costa Mesa’s Arts & Learning Conservatory, a nonprofit dedicated to making arts education accessible and equitable for all children. In 2022, she organized the inaugural performance of “Gospel Voice of OC” with the vision of establishing an annual Orange County tradition celebrating Black excellence in music, art, and history.

Leading Costa Mesa’s top hotels are six women General Managers who are raising the bar on hospitality.

• Susan O’Brien Moore – Ayres Hotel
• Nimisha Solanki – OC Hotel Costa Mesa
• Gisela Saarikoski – Hilton
• Jeannie Blue – Hampton by Hilton Costa Mesa Newport Beach
• Patricia Obert – Ramada
• Sue Cooke – Residence Inn by Marriott

Their unwavering commitment to service is a key reason Costa Mesa continues to attract visitors from all over.

Teresa Reynoso de Gonzalez, matriarch of Northgate Market, was the quiet force behind one of Southern California’s greatest immigrant success stories. While her family built their first Anaheim store in 1980, she raised 10 children alone in Mexico before reuniting with them. Her wisdom kept the family united as Northgate grew to 42 stores, including the beloved Mercado Gonzalez in Costa Mesa. A mother, mediator, and pillar of strength, Doña Teresa’s legacy lives on in every Northgate aisle and family meal it brings together.

Norma Hertzog made history as Costa Mesa’s first female mayor. Her dedication to public service is honored by the community center named in her memory, ensuring her legacy continues to inspire future generations of women leaders in the city.

After almost 30 years at the helm of South Coast Plaza’s marketing, Debra Gunn-Downing is set to retire in 2026. Her work crafting the brand story and vision has helped to underscore South Coast Plaza’s status as a global luxury destination. Beyond retail, she expanded the shopping center’s reach to art institutions and philanthropic organizations. Gunn Downing’s retirement marks the close of a transformative chapter in South Coast Plaza’s history. Over the course of her nearly three-decade career, she played an instrumental role in shaping the center’s marketing vision, forging enduring partnerships across retail, the arts and philanthropic organizations and solidifying South Coast Plaza’s standing as a leading global luxury destination.

Linda Sadeghi is the visionary behind The LAB, Costa Mesa’s most unique retail and dining destination. With over 30 years in business, she transformed a former night-vision goggle factory into an artsy, urban space that challenges retail monotony and supports creativity. Today, The LAB stands as a beacon for female entrepreneurs and a must-visit stop on any Costa Mesa itinerary, with exciting new retail concepts coming later this year.

For the first time in over 50 years, a woman is leading South Coast Plaza. With years of experience managing high-profile retail destinations like Westfield Century City and Westfield UTC, Molly Unger now oversees the West Coast’s largest shopping destination. Home to more than 250 boutiques, including multiple flagship stores, South Coast Plaza generates over $2 billion in annual sales. Molly’s deep knowledge of luxury retail and customer experience keeps South Coast Plaza at the top of its game.

Bessie Nell Lounsberry was a dedicated civic leader in Costa Mesa, contributing to the city’s growth through her volunteer efforts. She played a key role in creating the city directory, promoting voter registration, and leading a beautification campaign that resulted in planting over 1,000 trees. Her tireless work earned her the Costa Mesa Historical Society’s Living Memorial Award in 1973.

In a city where art takes center stage, Suzanne Appel is helping write the next big act. As the Managing Director at South Coast Repertory she over sees the strategic growth, fundraising, marketing and community engagement to ensure SCR’s long-term sustainability and continued artistic impact. Under her leadership, the Tony Award-winning theatre continues to thrive as one of the nation’s most innovative regional theatres. Explore this year’s upcoming performances.

For nearly 50 years, Mary Ellen Goddard has been a devoted steward of the Costa Mesa Historical Society’s history, ensuring its stories are preserved for generations to come. She has devoted hundreds of volunteer hours to this work, personally interviewing the politicians, farmers, business leaders, and visionaries who helped shape the city. Today, the Costa Mesa Historical Society has a collection of more than 70,000 items spanning from prehistoric times to the present day.