50 People to Watch in 2007

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ACTORS AND A MODEL. Singers and a songwriter. A quarterback and a running backbut not the ones youre thinking of. Weve got a painter, plenty of politicians and three (unrelated) folks named Johnson. There are bikers and boarders, a surfer gal and our new radio pal. A new baseball manager, a couple of writers (both on the Internet) and a slew of do-gooders are also worth keeping an eye on. Oh, and say alohaagainto a weather woman named Aloha.

Steve Alexander
When this veteran communications strategist was appointed president of the Medical Board of California last June, he became the first public member to ascend to the post in seven years. Score one for consumers, observers say. The agency is responsible for licensing and regulating the states more than 125,000 physicians, and Alexandera former regional director of Burson-Marsteller, the worlds largest public relations firmhas a clear agenda: Carry out Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggers goal of providing healthcare access to everyone as we fulfill our consumer-protection mission, he says.

Michael Arms
He's San Diegos ultimate animal lover. As president of the Helen Woodward Animal Center, Arms has saved more dogs, cats and other critter lives than he can count. Since coming on board in 1999, he has quadrupled the number of pet adoptions, added all sorts of programs and services, launched a capital campaign to revamp the shelter and established a training program that last year attracted shelter workers and managers from 14 countries. For the coming year, Arms says his agenda will remain focused on education and training so we can be more successful in the business of saving lives.

Brian Bilbray
In November, the North County Congressman bucked the Democratic tide and handily won reelection by trumpeting his hard-line stance against illegal immigration. Whats he going to do now that like-minded conservatives no longer control the House, and theres both a president and a Democratic majority bent on amnesty and immigration reform? Not bend on what got him elected, Bilbray insists: The biggest issue is taking one congressman, one senator, at a time and opening their eyes to the absurdity of saying you are going to give someone more rewards for the longer he broke the law.

Bud Black
Black joined the Padres last November in his first major-league managing job. Previously a pitching coach for the Anaheim Angels, Black is no stranger to San Diego: He went to San Diego State University and lives in Rancho Santa Fe. Black, 49, spent 15 years in the majors, leading the Kansas City Royals to a World Series victory in 1985. Hes hoping for an encore in the series, or at least a division title. I think we have the pieces here to contend, he says. I cant wait to get to spring training and start the journey.

Adam Bollinger
After seeing his interview of Larry King for CHSTV, the Carlsbad High School student- run TV news program, an impressed CNN producer invited Bollinger to intern at Larry King Live. Bollinger, 18, become the youngest intern in the shows history. The Chapman University freshman (and broadcast journalism major) is already a seasoned interviewer; hes done on-camera Q&A with Tom Hanks, Robin Williams and Katie Couric. Look out, Jon Stewart: Bollinger wants to someday host his own show, which he says would be formatted like a latenight talk show but air during the day.

Angela Brannon
The cofounder of the Its All About Kids Foundation is a dynamic, compassionate entrepreneur who wants to improve the lives of underprivileged kids. The nonprofit, which creates new and inventive programs to benefit childrens charities, was established two years ago by Brannon and Realtor Shawn Heyl. Since then, the foundation has produced a wide swathe of events, from teach-ins that encourage kids to stay in school to etiquette and manners classes. A veteran of a food program for needy women and children, Brannon says her goal for 2007 is to do even more for the kids, because they deserve it.

Erin Chambers
Citysearch San Diego fired up on-line last year, and the Web sites new editor happens to be a former San Diego Magazine intern. With such auspicious tutelage, Chambers surely will masterfully manage the new online resource for events, bars, restaurants and other San Diego goings-on. A native San Diegan (Patrick Henry High), shes a graduate of Santa Clarita University and has written for BusinessWeek, among other publications. Shes a downtown resident eagerly exploring (and reviewing) the city.

Janice Brown
A fresh face on the board of San Diegos Centre City Development Corporation, Brown brings a keen legal mind to the public, nonprofit agency the city created in 1975 to oversee downtown redevelopment. Shes the founder of Brown Law Group, a six-year-old boutique law firm that focuses on business and employment litigation. Before that, Brown was a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justices tax division. At CCDC, expect her to keep an eye on what downtown needs and what the agency can do to meet those needs. I see 2007 as a year of innovation and collaboration, she says.

Tom DeLonge
The former blink-182 vocalist/guitarist has a new band thats also making eyes blink on the alternative-rock scene. DeLonges band Angels and Airwaves premiered its album, We Dont Need To Whisper, in May 2006. The song The Adventure cracked the top five on national pop charts, and the band and that single won Album and Song of the Year at the 2006 San Diego Music Awards. Politically outspoken, Poway- raised DeLonge is making a movie he intends to be soundtracked by his music.

Bonnie Dominguez
German ubermodel and Project Runway host Heidi Klum may have bid Dominguez auf wiedersehen on the third season of the popular Bravo reality TV show, but were still anticipating the fashion designers next move. Thirty-one-year-old Dominguez, a former apparel designer for Nike and Puma, took a break from her gig as head of womens design for San Diego based Reef footwear to film the show, in which designers compete for the chance to debut their duds at New Yorks Olympus Fashion Week. What does post-Project life hold for Dominguez? Stay tuned.

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