The Board of Directors of Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) has appointed Sandy Martin of Laguna Beach to serve a one-year term on its unpaid volunteer board, beginning September 1. A parent of a son with Down syndrome and autism, Martin (pictured) previously worked in the finance industry for 20 years, most recently as a vice president in commercial banking with Wells Fargo Bank. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from California State University Fullerton.

Martin has been active in the Orange County community for more than three decades, including sharing her family's experiences with other parents at RCOC's transition workshops. Currently, she is on the leadership team for Chapman University's Thompson Policy Institute on Disability "Transition Initiative" and serves on the committee for the Orange County Local Partnership Agreement which works to promote competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities.

She also served the Intervention Center for Early Childhood (ICEC) for eight years, as president and a board member, and has been a tireless advocate for people with developmental disabilities through her volunteer work with schools and school districts, as well as nonprofit organizations such as the March of Dimes.

About Regional Center of Orange County

Regional Center of Orange County is one of 21 private, nonprofit organizations contracted by the State of California to coordinate lifelong services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The Regional Center is the first stop for those seeking to obtain local services and supports to help them live safely and with dignity in the community. RCOC serves more than 22,000 Orange County residents with developmental disabilities and their families. Developmental disabilities include autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities.