Congratulations to Mary Ann Gaido!

Ralph Kennedy Award Winner

Congratulations to our own Mary Ann Gaido for receiving the prestigious Ralph Kennedy Award for her unwavering dedication to increasing affordable housing in Orange County. She was presented this award on April 27th at the Affordable Housing Award dinner. This award was presented to Mary Ann by the Kennedy Commission in collaboration with the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse and OCCHC/SteppingUp at the 2023 Affordable Housing Awards.

We also want to congratulate Mary Ann for being a Life Member of the League of Women Voters. Mary Ann first joined the League in 1972 where she met Irvine’s newly elected member of the Irvine City Council, Gabrielle Pryor, who was also a League member. Because of their meeting, Gabby recommended that Mary Ann be appointed to the Irvine planning Commission in 1973–the year Irvine adopted its first General Plan. In 1972, Mary Ann also became one of our first Observers taking on the very difficult task of Observing at the Board of Supervisors. She continued doing this for many years. At the same time, she also joined the League Housing committee. This committee studied and recommended actions to the State League on policy and legislation committee. She was also on the Land Use Committee when Irvine was considering putting 50,000 homes along the Irvine Coast!

Thank you Mary Ann for your dedication to the League – and to the Orange County community!