Daniela Baldwin Vega Gary Sherwin Megan Johns
TOUTED FOR TOURISM
Three leaders at Newport Beach & Co .— which serves as the destination marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach through Visit Newport Beach and other arms of the organization — will be honored during the 2023 California Travel Association ’ s CalTravel Summit from Sept . 19-21 in Monterey , California . Newport Beach & Co . President and CEO Gary Sherwin will receive the Brad Burlingame Award , which recognizes someone who has elevated travel and tourism advocacy in the state by setting an example of commitment , generosity and effectiveness . In addition to serving in key positions with several destination marketing organizations throughout his career , he was one of the founding trustees of CalTravel ’ s Political Action Committee more than 25 years ago and remains a strong advocate for the PAC . Meanwhile , Megan Johns , communications manager for Newport Beach & Co ., and Daniela Baldwin Vega , the agency ’ s social media manager , will each receive a 30 and Under Emerging Leader Award . Johns is an accomplished and passionate public relations expert who skillfully brings Newport Beach to the global stage , helping to drive tourism here through compelling press releases and working with travel writers to spotlight the destination . Baldwin Vega is a dynamic social media aficionado with a keen eye for strategic planning . She oversees Visit Newport Beach ’ s digital narrative , seamlessly moving between social media platforms , from Instagram to Facebook , TikTok , Pinterest and more . She expertly directs video and photo shoots and also scouts for and coordinates with influencers in addition to managing giveaways and tracking online trends . ( 949-719-6100 ; visitnewportbeach . com ) — S . S .
BOTTOM : GEROME UY
Pitch Perfect , one of two teams from the Newport Mesa Girls Softball League that won their respective age divisions at the district level in June
SOFTBALL SUPERSTARS
Two local softball teams snagged top honors this season . The 10U Silver All-Star team , the Dirty Dozen , and the 12U Silver All-Star team , Pitch Perfect — both part of the Newport Mesa Girls Softball League — each won their respective age category at the USA Softball of Southern California Central C District Tournament Championship in mid-June . This was the first time in the league ’ s 20-year history that any team has clinched a USA Softball-sanctioned championship ; the league includes players from both Newport Beach and Costa Mesa . The tournament used a double-elimination format with teams from throughout the district vying to qualify for the state championship at the end of June . One of 20 teams in the 12U division , Pitch Perfect scored 57 runs in the tournament and was undefeated in its five games . Dirty Dozen , which was one of 23 teams in the 10U division , scored 46 runs and only allowed seven runs from opponents . The district wins qualified both teams to participate in the USA Softball State Championship Tournament in Lancaster at the end of June . Despite hard-fought games at the state competition , where the heat reached 106 degrees , Dirty Dozen went 2-2 and Pitch Perfect went 3-2 , which was not enough to propel them to the final rounds . But their recordsetting district win is plenty to celebrate . Newport Mesa Girls Softball League ( formerly Pacific Coast Girls Fastpitch Softball ), founded in 2003 , is a nonprofit , volunteer-run organization that serves girls ages 6-14 and their families in the Newport Mesa area by providing spring and fall recreational sports programs . ( newportmesasoftball . com ) — S . S .
NEWPORT BEACH MAGAZINE 19