Fair names Teri Short as new president
MONTEREY >> The new president of the Monterey County Fair board, who has immersed herself in serving the community, and the new vice president, who has wrangled cattle and has gone on hundreds of African safaris, have come together to lead an increasingly dynamic organization through 2021.
Certainly, the fairgrounds have been hit hard by the pandemic, with some of their big-name events having had to cancel during 2020, including the fair itself, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the California Roots Music and
Arts Festival. These challenges demand a board that’s adaptive and limber, making leadership important.
Teri Short has been elected board president of the 7th District Agricultural Association, one of 52 districts statewide. County fairs are state government entities overseen by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Short, the first African-American woman to hold the post, was appointed to the board by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017 and is well known in educational circles in the county. She has been a community advocate for decades, particularly in efforts focused on social justice, income inequality and community organizing.
Her career has been in the nonprofit, tax and title industries. She has also spent time as a campaign consultant. But perhaps it’s in education where she is most known. Short served as president of North Salinas High School’s Site Council for 12 years and was a member of the Local Control and Accountability Plan Parent Advisory Committee.
LCAP is critical because one of its tasks is to ensure state school spending is meeting the needs of all students in school districts.
Short has also served on other education-related committees.
She also worked as a community educator for Monterey County POSTPONE (now CAPREP), a comprehensive teen sex education program, and continues to be available to youth as a mentor. She is the current chairperson of the East Garrison Community Services District Advisory Committee. She has served in that capacity since she was appointed by former Monterey County Supervisor Jane Parker in 2018.
“I’ve always found Teri to be impartial and objective,” said Kelly Violini, chief executive of the Monterey County Fair and Event Center. “She’s our parliamentarian — keeping us all straight.”
Dan Presser, the new vice president of the board, is definitely a man at home with animals, so it’s little surprise that his favorite event is the fair itself.
“I’m looking forward to our next fair, which I hope is this fall,” Presser said. “I love the people — I’m a people person, and I really enjoy the kids and their animals. It’s a great learning
experience for them.”
Presser is originally from Texas where he’s gone on roundups, but his career is in what could be called exotic travel. He’s been on more than 200 African safaris, and runs FourWinds Travel Agency in Carmel.
“I love Africa,” he said. “I love the wildlife and the people — raw nature, just the way things used to be. I tell people when they go to Africa they are going to be in a zoo and the animals will be free.”
Violini said Presser has invaluable knowledge of all the board committees and echoed that he is most passionate about the week of the fair and helping the FFA and 4-H kids.