FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2025
Latisha Townsend – Communications Director
(714) 559-8364 | Latisha.Townsend@ocgov.com
Vice Chair Katrina Foley Announces New Communications Director Latisha Townsend
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Vice Chair Katrina Foley welcomes the Fifth District’s new Communications Director Latisha Townsend. In this role, Latisha will lead the District 5 communications team, manage the development of our weekly newsletter, and oversee public and media relations for Vice Chair Foley. She joins Vice Chair Foley’s senior leadership team and will work directly with Vice Chair Foley to ensure prompt, transparent responses to requests for information from the press and community, as well as to improve communications about Supervisor Foley’s work and priorities for Orange County. Latisha brings a wealth of experience in public relations from all levels of government, political campaigns, and community engagement. We look forward to the strong leadership Latisha will provide to the communications team.
“Orange County residents deserve transparent, timely, clear communication from their elected officials. Latisha brings a wealth of experience that will elevate public awareness of the work we do as County Supervisors, inform the community about resources available to improve the quality of life for constituents, and maintain transparent and open dialogue with the media,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
“My priority is to keep the public informed, engaged, and inspired. As Communications Director, I will support Vice Chair Foley’s efforts to share timely, accurate, important information and resources with the public to help improve their lives daily and during a crisis,” said Latisha Townsend. “With transparency as my guide, I want the public and the media to rely on and trust our office to timely respond with assistance and information. I’ll also lead the team to share the work the Vice Chair does to create meaningful change to improve the lives of constituents in areas such as public safety, climate, business supports, veterans’ affairs, and much more.”
Please reach out to Latisha for all media requests, appearance requests, or general questions. Additionally, please use our online form for future requests: https://bos5.ocgov.com/mediarequest.
Meet Latisha and other County public information officers at our upcoming media meet n greet on March 18, 2025, from 5-6 PM in Costa Mesa. Location details to follow.
About Latisha Townsend
Latisha Townsend is communications professional originating from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She received a master’s degree in Political Science from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her professional experience includes Washington, D.C.-based work in Public Relations and Voter participation, as well as Legislative staffing both at the U.S. Senate and at the Minnesota State Legislature. Latisha is passionate about political campaigns and elections, previously serving as a Communications Director, a Campaign Manager, and as a consultant for multiple Minnesota-based campaigns. In 2024, she served as the Minnesota Press Secretary for the Harris-Walz presidential campaign. While this is her first year living in Orange County, Latisha is well-versed in county government and often vacationed in Orange County. She learned of the recruitment while on one of her frequent visits to Laguna Beach last year.
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Orange County Supervisor Vice Chair Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Vice Chair Foley’s 2025 Board appointments include:
Chair – Orange County Housing Finance Trust,
Orange County Audit Oversight Committee,
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA),
Vice Chair – OCTA Legislative and Communications Committee, Regional Transportation Committee, Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Capital Improvements and Projects Committee, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel, Co-Chair – Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition,
Orange County Public Libraries Advisory Board, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, Orange County Community Corrections Partnership (OCCCP), Santa Ana River Flood Control Protection Agency, and the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.
