And the 2023 Distinguished Board Member is …

Dear OCEA member,

Each year OCEA’s Board of Directors and OCEA staff celebrate OCEA’s stewards with an end-of-the-year Awards Ceremony to recognize their collective achievements and some outstanding individuals who stepped up in big ways for their co-workers and the Union.

To properly recognize the winner of this year’s 2023 Distinguished Board Member Award, we are announcing them and their accomplishments before the awards dinner. The Distinguished Board Member Award is meant to recognize distinguished service, dedicated leadership, integrity, professionalism, and inspiration.

Below, please learn more about the incredible work of our recipient.

2023 Distinguished Board Member Award
Samantha Maria Soto | Previously Worked at Orange County Fire Authority

Sami personifies the qualities of and exemplifies what it takes to be a union leader. As a supervising dispatcher at Orange County Fire Authority, Sami handled high-pressure, life-altering situations with poise and professionalism. Sami brought these same attributes to her union activism.

For more than a year and a half, members at the Orange County Fire Authority were out of contract—their livelihoods being held in limbo by anti-union politicians who wanted to score points with their constituents while sacrificing public safety.

Sami, along with her fellow union brothers and sisters from OC Firefighters Local 3631, went on a Council Meeting blitz—attending the city council meetings of nearly all OCFA JPA Directors, who represent OCFA’s partner cities and serve on OCFA’s Board—to let the residents know how their safety was being compromised by their elected politicians. Sami’s tireless work and powerful voice was heard in cities and by politicians throughout Orange County. Ultimately, OCFA was able to secure a new contract, in large part, because of her effort.

Sami was also honored by Senator Tom Umberg as "Woman of the Year," at the State Capitol and here in Orange County in a special awards ceremony.

As a member of the OCEA Board of Directors, Sami represented not only members from OCFA but all OCEA members with the same type of dedication she displayed at work. She left the Fire Authority earlier this year to pursue employment with another jurisdiction. Her presence and contributions are missed, but the achievements she secured while at OCFA will be felt for years to come.

Please join us once again in recognizing Sami, and all award recipients!

In Solidarity,

OCEA

Publication Date: November 29, 2023