
Mariposa Friends of the Fairgrounds
Board of Directors
Codie Hart - President
Codie Hart and his wife Kathy have three children - Natasha, Amanda and Sage - all of whom grew up in the 4H program. Codie was an Adult Leader with 4H for 30 years, and was President of the Mariposa County 4H organization for six years. He was also on the Board for the Mariposa County High School Student Loan Association, and currently serves as President of the Mariposa County Sheriff's Foundation. He is a U.S. Navy veteran, and a Retired Lieutenant with the Mariposa County Sheriff's Department.
Buz Arnold - Vice President
Buz is currently an Agriculture Instructor at Mariposa High School. He has lived and taught high school agriculture in the community for 10 years and sees the vital role that the Mariposa County Fairgrounds provides for the community. He joined Friends of the Fairgrounds because he wishes to show support for the fairgrounds and the current fairgrounds administration, and for this organization to continue to operate in Mariposa County.
Christene Scott - Secretary
Christene Scott is married with two grown children. She is retired from Westamerica Bank, and her heart is here in Mariposa. She serves in many capacities here in our community. Among these she is the Treasurer an Executive Committee/Board Member for Mariposa Safe Families, Treasurer and Board Member for Mariposa Fire Safe Council and serves on the SBA grant committee. Christine volunteers at the FFA, 4H and Open shows at the fairgrounds.
Karen Verdugo - Treasurer
Karen Verdugo moved to Mariposa in 2003 working from home as office manager for contractors in the Bay area and retired in 2009. Karen has a BA in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco. She worked 25 years for General Cable as a major manufacturer of telephone, burial, building and electronic cables. Among the different positions she held was as Customer Service Manager for the Western Region. Karen was both President and Secretary for the Golden Oaks Lions. She is also Treasurer of the Mariposa Republican Central Committee, and Secretary/Treasurer for the Las Mariposa Civil War Foundation, and is the Treasurer for the Mariposa County Sheriff's Foundation. She is married with 1 son, 1 step son and step daughter, 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.
Carol Suggs - Board Member
After a successful career in automotive commercial finance, Suggs left the busy pace of silicon valley for a quieter Mariposa, where in 1999 the family purchased property along with in-laws and created a family ranch where they now raise a small herd of beef production cattle. Suggs currently works at the Mariposa County Planning Department. She has been actively involved as a committee chairperson, and officer or board member in several community groups including past president of the Mariposa Mountain Riders, current Vice President of the Merced Horsemen's Association, Committee member for the Fair Horse Show Committee, Co Founder and Lead Coordinator for the Mariposa County Fair Rodeo Royalty Contest and spent many years as the County Wide Horse Project Leader for Mariposa 4H.
Bev Suggs - Board Member
In 1999 our family bought a ranch in Mariposa. By 2003 my husband and I along with our daughter, son-in-law, son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren had all moved from San Jose to Mariposa. We had an auto body repair business in San Jose for over 35 years. I was a 4-H member, as were my two children and my grandson. I was also a 4-H project leader and a 4-H club leader for many years. I am now treasurer for the St. Joseph's Ladies' Guild, assistant treasurer for the Soroptimist, a Manna House volunteer and a member of the Las Mariposas Civil War Foundation.
Kevin Shelton - Board Member
Kevin is the organizing genius behind the very popular Friends of the Fairgrounds Suds and Sausage event. He is a local business executive, lives locally with his family and his children were very active in Mariposa County 4H and FFA. Kevin is very active with the FFA organization, and is also a member of the Mariposa County Fairgrounds Board of Directors, as well as serving on the Boardof the Mariposa County Sheriff's Foundation.
Danielle Bondshu - Board Member
Danielle lives and works here in Mariposa County. She works for Mariposa County, and is the FoF's Marketing Chair,
Pat Wight - Board Member
Pat lives here in Mariposa County. She is a ball of fire, and works non-stop! She devotes a lot of time to helping organizations like ours! She is also a Board Member for the Mariposa County Sheriff's Foundation.
Morgan Williams - Board Member