Barbara Venezia has joined the Voice of OC board of directors bringing her energy and deep knowledge of Orange County to the team.
“Beyond being an inspiring person, Barbara is an Orange County media leader who has consistently been out front innovating as a columnist for the past decade,” says Voice of OC Publisher Norberto Santana, Jr.
“She believes passionately in the power of local reporting and has worked as an energetic fundraiser for a series of important non-profits across Orange County whose missions have been enhanced because of her tireless efforts. We are truly lucky to have earned her support.”
Venezia is a journalist, author, producer and podcast host. She started her media career in Orange County as a “professional stirrer” on the comedy cooking show, “At Home on the Range” along with co-star John Crean. From 1992-1998 she produced 228 episodes which ran in syndication until 2006. In 1999 she authored a cookbook based on the show “At Home on the Range- the Cookbook for the Deranged”.
In 2007 she began writing social and political commentary for the Daily Pilot newspaper owned by the Los Angeles Times. She is co-creator of the ground breaking media-partnered political forum “Feet to the Fire” (2010- present). Between 2013 and 2016 she co-hosted LA Radio Studio’s popular talk show podcast “Living Out Loud.”
In 2017-Venezia was voted the 2nd best columnist in OC by the OC Press Club – 1st place went to her Feet to the Fire co-creator Norberto Santana, Jr., publisher of Voice of OC.
Most recently she helped create The Super Heroes Guild for Heroes Hall Veteran’s Museum at the OC Fairgrounds and chaired their successful Haunted Halloween fundraiser Costume Ball with 400 attending the inaugural event. Venezia has recently helped start the Friend of Newport Beach Animal Shelter non-profit organization building a website for the group and continuing to fundraise for it.
Venezia is married to OC Fair Board member Stanley Tkaczyk and shares her time between homes in Newport Beach and Las Vegas.