Contestants and dance instructors who will participate in the Oxnard Salsa Festival's 'Dancing With Our Community Stars' on July 27-28 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. Courtesy image.
OXNARD — Several local community groups, including the Rebozo Festival and Teatro de las Américas, will benefit from the 2013 “Dancing with our Community Stars Dance Contest & Charity Fundraising” taking place during the annual Oxnard Salsa Festival, July 27-28 at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard, organizers reported in a media release.
Contestants this year include Mary Pinto Casillas, professor at Oxnard College dancing for The Rebozo Festival with instructor Ricky Campos; Juan Gonzales, dancing for Teatro de las Americas with instructor Diana (Tere) Porter; Gabriela Teissier, news anchor for Univision, dancing for ACT-Today! with instructor Isaiah Meders; Margie Cochrane, regional publisher/CRO for the Ventura County Star, dancing for CASA Pacifica with instructor Jesse ‘Chuy’ Rodriguez; Terrance Dixon, advertising representative for the Ventura County Star, dancing for Gull Wings Children’s Museum with instructor Kristi Kellogg; and Joe Schroeder, president/CEO of Ventura County Credit Union for Food Share with instructor Christina Maggio.
Since its inception, the contest has raised more than $300,000 for local charities.
The 2013 contest sponsors are Ventura County Credit Union, Republic Services of Oxnard and Sugar Beets Restaurant & Bar.
A fifth-year volunteer ‘Madrina’ with the Rebozo Festival, Casillas is a professor in the career and technical education division at Oxnard College. She has assumed many leadership roles at the college including department chair and secretary of Oxnard’s College’s Academic Senate. Casillas has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in business organizational management from the University of LaVerne. She was born in Yucatan, but was raised in Oxnard. She has two grown sons and lives in Oxnard with her husband, Arturo.
Gonzales has served as the executive administrator for the Law Offices of Richard Francis & Associates for the last 20 years. Prior to joining the firm, he worked in the insurance industry. As the firm’s ambassador and voice in the Hispanic community of Ventura County, he helps to ensure that the community has access to quality legal services. As a local businessman, Gonzales sits on the board of the Oxnard Downtown Management District and has served twice as president of Los Empresarios, a BNI (Business Network International) chapter. He also has performed with the Half Measures Group & Teatro de Las Américas theater companies while also serving as board president for Teatro. He and his wife, Ellie, have four grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Oxnard.
Teissier, a news anchor at Univision 34 KMEX-TV, the number one Spanish-language television station in the nation, joined the ‘Primera Edicion’ (First Edition) news team in March 2004 after serving as the news anchor for Telefutura 46 (KFTR-TV), now known as Unimas.
Donations can be made online at http://www.oxnardsalsafestival.com