A woman with more than two decades of experience leading nonprofit and community-based organizations has been selected to lead the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
Dori Rose Inda, who formerly served as CEO of Salud Para La Gents, will take the reins at the fairgrounds, seven months after former CEO Zeke Fraser resigned, the Fair Board of Directors announced Monday.
Before her time at Salud, Inda was the founder and Executive Director of the Watsonville Law Center, which expanded access to legal services for underserved residents in the Pajaro Valley, Board President Rachel Wells stated in a press release.
She has also worked as a social worker supporting homeless individuals and foster families, and she played a critical role in the effort to save Watsonville Community Hospital from closure, Wells said.
“Dori’s commitment to our community and her track record of strong, effective leadership made her the clear choice to lead the Fair into its next chapter,” she said.
Inda has lived in Watsonville since 1993. She holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law.
“I’m honored to serve an institution that means so much to our region,” Inda said. “The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is more than just the site of our beloved annual fair—it’s a vital community gathering place, a space for celebration, and a trusted resource in times of emergency. I look forward to working with the Board, staff, and broader community to ensure it continues to serve and reflect the needs of Santa Cruz County for generations to come.”
Inda will assume her duties later this summer, as the facility ramps up for the 2025 county fair.
